tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post977430620486581474..comments2023-10-09T03:39:02.388-06:00Comments on Expository Lutheran: Should I Commune?Bror Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-6003188822961771252009-11-17T18:29:46.399-07:002009-11-17T18:29:46.399-07:00"It seems weird to me that so many of these c..."It seems weird to me that so many of these churches that give the LCMS a hard time for closed communion, see fit to deny their own members communion all but four Sundays in a year!"<br /><br />You've got a point.Brigittehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259491144770243688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-30839770117919752222009-11-17T18:02:12.535-07:002009-11-17T18:02:12.535-07:00"But personally, it makes for a weird result ..."But personally, it makes for a weird result in that practically any brand of Lutheran could commune in my congregation, but yet I shouldn't (even if invited) in theirs."<br />Yes that makes for a weird notion, and says that maybe you ought to be talking to your pastor a bit. <br />I don't know. It does get complicated. But We do declare full altar pulpit fellowship for a reason. At times for laity, I make concessions. But the I often wonder if they agree with me on these issues, why are they still there?Bror Ericksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-58778977591264804132009-11-17T12:43:41.078-07:002009-11-17T12:43:41.078-07:00I have always clearly understood the basic denomin...I have always clearly understood the basic denominational divide in the horizontal for the reasons you mention.<br /><br />Closer to home, like Brigitte calls a "wet blanket", is the horizontal divide among the Lutheran clan is that I struggle with.<br /><br />Is it enough doctrinal unity to affirm as a baptized Christian the Lutheran understanding of real presence, in/with/under, for the forgiveness of sins, etc. of the Small Catechism simply? (I think that is the 'fence' in my particular LCMS congregation.)<br /><br />Or should one's examination include areas doctrinal agreement on WO, hermeneutics, or ecclesiology, or polity, etc- depending on what the hang-up is in any given divide between a Lutheran body.<br /><br />For that matter, I am pretty sure I don't even come close to "getting it right" on all those accounts anyway when I find myself at the altar.<br /><br />Ultimately, I agree with you that the public confession ought to inform the communing decision, probably no different than it should do for membership as well.<br /><br />But personally, it makes for a weird result in that practically any brand of Lutheran could commune in my congregation, but yet I shouldn't (even if invited) in theirs.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18223579810861454670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-23000092457199243702009-11-17T09:52:57.364-07:002009-11-17T09:52:57.364-07:00It seems weird to me that so many of these churche...It seems weird to me that so many of these churches that give the LCMS a hard time for closed communion, see fit to deny their own members communion all but four Sundays in a year!Bror Ericksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-5586647067764834852009-11-17T09:52:35.214-07:002009-11-17T09:52:35.214-07:00Got the whole subject backwards. Sorry.
The quest...Got the whole subject backwards. Sorry.<br /><br />The question is: when can I participate and not do wrong.<br /><br />Similar, but different.Brigittehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259491144770243688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-2541003438030099482009-11-17T09:48:09.814-07:002009-11-17T09:48:09.814-07:00Or maybe you're preaching to the choir.
Consi...Or maybe you're preaching to the choir.<br /><br />Considering my self a very minor theologienne, I have a few opinions of my own. But coming from outside LCMS the strictness about the supper hit me like a ton of bricks. In our circles, it was such a high and holy thing you could only have it 4 times a year or else it would not be high and holy enough. That never made sense to me. <br /><br />At this point I go with what I'm taught by theologians better than myself. All the better theologians are very strict about it, it seems.<br /><br />When I first joined my husband's clan and LCMS, we went to a silver wedding anniversary in another town. We were all Lutherans from Canada and Germany and yet, though it was such a lovely reunion nobody went to communion on Sunday. I did not get it. So and so might go, so none of us can go??? I could not believe it. It was such a wet blanket.<br /><br />A part of me likes what Steve's church does. If you are baptized and will make this confession then you can go. But then there is the aspect of pastoral care, which I find convincing. The pastor should know you.Brigittehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259491144770243688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-78218972022896116692009-11-17T09:42:42.078-07:002009-11-17T09:42:42.078-07:00Jonathan,
That is the conundrum. How much sway sho...Jonathan,<br />That is the conundrum. How much sway should the horizontal have? My answer here is that you can only go with the public confession of the church. That is all you can know, you can't know anything else for certain. But you can know the public and official confession of faith a church has. When you commune at any given church, I think that is the sum of what you yourself are confessing to. so I don't commune at a Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, or Roman Catholic Church. I don't bother with the so called "Non Denominational." If they can't bother to have a public confession of faith in Christ, won't bother with them at all. I don't commune there because I don't agree with their confession of faith, and will not affirm the false doctrine there, with my tacit confession of faith by becoming one with them in holy communion. <br />And you most certainly receive communion from a scoundrel. Is there anyone that isn't? <br />There is question though as to whether it really is the sacrament in many of these churches that deny the bodily presence of Christ in Communion. Most of protestantism actually mocks Christ with their doctrine of the Lord's Supper. I don't find that something I want to participate in. There are many facets to what is going on in communion, and one should not be played off against the other, as if the other doesn't matter at all.Bror Ericksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-51959057519289962782009-11-17T09:05:28.873-07:002009-11-17T09:05:28.873-07:00Having been in situations similar to the one you d...Having been in situations similar to the one you describe, I, for one, find no offense at your reasoning.<br /><br />But then, I admit, I wrestle with how much sway the "horizontal" aspect of the Supper should have over me--that is, that before I can participate, my brother/sister has to confess as I do. I am not a mind/heart reader. After all, I do still receive the Sacrament even from a scoundrel, no?Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18223579810861454670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-40444399932025457202009-11-17T07:12:22.251-07:002009-11-17T07:12:22.251-07:00Well I thought this one would stir up a storm of p...Well I thought this one would stir up a storm of protest. Perhaps everyone is too stunned?Bror Ericksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.com