Closed Communion

Fellowship and Pure Doctrine

C.F.W. Walther writes, “For it is certainly true: there is hardly anything in all of pastoral care that causes more trouble for a faithful minister of the Church than wanting to deal conscientiously with admission to the Holy Supper.”¹ Because it causes such trouble, some will seek relief in, “Eucharistic hospitality,” as the ELCA refers to Open Communion at the the Fifth Biennial Churchwide Assembly of 1997. We must always say with Walther, “To partake of the Holy Supper is not a good thing per se. Instead, it depends on how one partakes of it.”²

This is the clear teaching of the Word of God. In his book, “Come in, we are Closed,” Pastor Tyrel Bramwell shows how Closed Communion as a reality begins in Eden after the fall of man into sin. He writes,

“After Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, before they could eat of the tree of life and live knowing evil, ‘the Lord God sent them out of the garden of Eden.’ You could say God was the first one to practice Closed Communion.”

“Wait,” I said, “You’re comparing Adam and Eve eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with us eating the Lord’s Supper?”

“There’s a comparison to be made, but no,” Shep said. “I’m comparing the Lord’s Supper to eating from the tree of life, which they weren’t allowed to do while they knew evil. God implemented a closed Communion policy and shut them out of the garden for their own good, so they wouldn’t live forever in their foolish sin.”³

Closed Communion is a necessity because of the possibility of unworthy eating, as St. Paul teaches in 1st Corinthians 11:27-32. It is taught as a Pastoral responsibility in Hebrews 13:7-17, where St. Paul makes clear that Pastors will give an account for the souls in their care. Pastors are Stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1) who therefore cannot do whatever they want with the Supper.

Communion fellowship should by nature be Closed, like a marriage. In the marriage vows, husband and wife make clear that “forsaking all others,” they have chosen to join themselves to their spouse. There is no real unity or fellowship unless false doctrine is repudiated, and its adherents are not welcomed to the fellowship so long as they profess such doctrine. Holy Communion is an act of Confession, an act of proclaiming the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:26). To commune at an altar is to join that church, to act as a witness for its teaching, and to declare its members to be one’s brothers and sisters in the faith. To claim one believes the true teaching without actually joining the orthodox fellowship will not suffice. Walther again elucidates in his, “Theses on Communion Fellowship with Those who believe differently.” Thesis III says,

“Every man is obligated to recognize the true visible Church and, if he has the opportunity, to join it.”⁴

Our Confessions teach, “Confession in the churches is not abolished among us; for it is not usual to give the body of the Lord, except to them that have been previously examined and absolved.” (Augsburg Confession 25:1).

Walther notes that because Private Confession is not widely practice, Announcement for Communion is a helpful means of examining the faith of communicants.⁵ While many might be able to sign onto the word, “Closed Communion,” and then insert whatever meaning they desire, Walther’s advice for Communion Announcement protects us from such equivocation. Here are 5 things Walther thinks the Pastor ought to examine people concerning.

1. Whether the person in question believes the Word of God to be the Word of God.

2. Whether he knows what is necessary for salvation.

3. Whether he realizes that he is a poor sinner, finds consolation in Christ’s merit alone, and does not have evil intent in his heart (Psalm 66:18) or is still unreconciled with someone (Matthew 5:23-24).

4. Whether he believes in the mystery of the Holy Supper and seeks in it forgiveness as well as strengthening of faith and salvation.

5. Whether in general he confesses the Lutheran Church and doctrine, as the latter is set down in Luther’s Small Catechism, to be the true Christian Church and doctrine. ⁶

Walther does not imagine that such examination would take place before each and every Communion of every member. He calls this, “unnecessary.”⁷ But he also says, “the actual exploration can even be omitted altogether for certain proven Christians who are known to be knowledgeable and upright.”⁸

Walther’s 5 points are a great starting point for understanding what we mean when we say, “Who should commune in a congregation that practices Closed Communion?” Those who are members of the LCMS, who in general believe the doctrine of the same, who believe in the mystery of the Holy Supper and seek forgiveness and strength from it, who recognize their own sin and seek consolation from Christ, who do not intend to sin afterward nor have an unreconciled conflict with a brother, who believes the Word of God is the Word of God, and who knows what is necessary for salvation.

Walther’s warning about those Pastors who forsake the historic and Biblical practice of Closed Communion in this way,

“Alas, it is certain that, no matter how fervent a preacher might be otherwise, if he does not to the best of his ability protect souls from unworthily receiving the most Holy Sacrament, even this one thing will make him blameworthy and will bring down on him a severe judgment as a hireling, as an unfaithful caretaker of souls, even as one who corrupts souls.”⁹

This Pastoral responsibility is an excellent reminder as Misericordias Domini is coming up next Sunday. May God grant us all fidelity to His Word and the pure Lutheran Doctrine drawn from it.

1. Walther, American Lutheran Pastoral Theology, (Concordia Publishing House 2017), 172.

2. Ibid. 173.

3. Tyrel Bramwell, “Come in, We are Closed,” (Reverend Raconteur, 2018), 47-48.

4. Harrison, Pless, Closed Communion? (Concordia Publishing House, 2017), 23.

5. Walther, American Lutheran Pastoral Theology, 178.

6. Ibid. 179

7. Ibid. 180

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid. 175.