One high point of the Central Illinois District convention held on Monday was passage of the following resolution, in terms reminiscent of the bold and clear language of the Formula of Concord, to “reject and condemn”* internet communion, without a dissenting vote:

To Reject the Practice of So-Called “Internet Communion”

WHEREAS, The Sacrament of the Altar is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink (SC 30); and

WHEREAS, The Holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and St. Paul write: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-25); and

WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 lockdowns beginning in March 2020, some pastors and congregations of the LCMS chose to materialize an innovation which they labeled “Internet Communion” and

WHEREAS, The LCMS holds to the biblical practice of closed communion (I Corinthians 11:28-36 30) for the benefit of all those who receive Christ’s true Body and Blood in this sacrament, and “Internet Communion” renders the pastor incapable of knowing who might be following along from a remote location and thereby participating in this unbiblical practice (I Corinthians 4:1-2 AC: XXIV 36); and

WHEREAS, These considerations all point to the introduction of doubt where there should be clarity and confidence in the sacrament (Luke 22:19; I Corinthians 11:26; AC XIII); and

WHEREAS, The practice of so-called “Internet Communion” disregards the necessity of the body of Christ from gathering together physically (Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 11:33; Hebrews 10:23); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the LCMS initially issued an opinion titled “Communion and COVID-19” and then later released “One Little Word Can Fell Him: Addendum to Communion and COVID-19”; and

WHEREAS, The opinions of the CTCR, on the basis of God’s Word, properly confess the true doctrine and practice of the Lord’s Supper, and reject the practice of so-called “Internet Communion”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Central Illinois District, on the basis of God’s Word, reject and condemn the irresponsible and unfaithful practice of so-called “Internet Communion” as contrary to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, that the Central Illinois District memorialize the 2023 LCMS convention to reject 14 and condemn the practice of so-called “Internet Communion” as contrary to the Word of God and the 15 Lutheran Confessions.

*although not in the resolution’s title, “reject and condemn” appears twice in the Resolved sections.