Lutheran Communion- Valid?

[Nic2009]

Jon, Lutherans do not even share communion with each other. We have open communion in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Some former members visited a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod church while traveling and were told they could take communion as long as they weren’t Missouri Synod. And WELS is more conservative than LC-MS.

When the ELCA was in talks about full communion with the Episcopal Church, the validity of communion was part of the issue of the validity of ordination, since the American branch of Lutheranism broke with apostolic succession early in its history.

Rainalaska, you did right both by LC-MS standards and Catholic ones. As regards the Baptist background, there is an entirely different attitude and practice of communion. I attended a community Ash Wednesday service at a Baptist church and it was quite different. I participated, because I believe that God comes to us in communion, so the sign on the front of the church does not make any difference to Him. I must say, though, I was much more comfortable about the experience when I took communion to a man in the hospital today.
I wonder if your parents still have the Baptist mindset about communion as an ordinance or if they have become Hyper-Lutherans, like so many converts do.
Cradle Lutherans and Cradle Catholics seem to be a lot more relaxed about all this than the converts.

That must be my problem, I am an adult convert.
By his graces, his servant, Nic

 

[Nic2009]

These are the kinds of things that caution me to think strongly before I comment about the ELCA. As I said, I was raised there by an LCA pastor. My brother, despite the decidedly liberal movement, remains ELCA because of the local parish he is a member of.
He also speaks out against the trend, both in his words, and in his pattern of giving.

Gottcha.

Jon

Hi, I was told that each assembly should be evaluated on its own merits, the sad thing is the direction the synod appears to enjoy taking.

By his graces, his servant, Nic

 

[JonNC]

=Nic2009;9535245]And finally, we [Lutherans] believe the Lord is prepositionally present in the Lord’s supper; in, with & under.

Hi Nic,
What do you mean by “prepositionally present”. The confessions say He is present really and substantially.

During that time we believe the elements still remain as elements and that we do not worship the elements.

During what time? After consecration, we most certainly do worship Him. I think it is important to recognize He is truly there - on the altar - in our hand (or on our tongue), into our mouths. And as this is true, a Lutheran can clearly and ought to participate in Eucharist adoration.

We believe the real presence is present during the time of the Lord’s table and we don’t maintain that the real presence continues to exists beyond the time of the sacrament other than the real presence that Roman Catholics deny in the elements of bread and wine.

What we don’t maintain is a certain knowledge of His presence outside the sacramental act, including for the sick and shut in. With that in mind, the reliquae should always be handled with reverence, and with the assumption that it is the body and blood of Christ. Luther is quite clear in warning us against a cavalier assumption that His body and blood are no longer present.
I think it dangerous to take the stand that, somehow, His presence is no longer. It leads to irreverent handling of the reliquae, and just as dangerously, it leads to receptionism, a heresy that says it is not His body and blood until it is received into the mouth.

As I Lutheran, I’m always concerned when we start to speak of the elements of bread and wine in a metaphysical way. It is sufficient to say, as Christ says, “this [bread] is my body”, or " The bread is His body."

Jon