More on the Little Old Ladies – Do the ELCA and the LCMS Teach the Same Thing About the Lord’s Supper? by Pr. Rossow

One of our readers asked a very good question over on the “Little Old Ladies Communion Post.” I thought it deserved its own post. Here is her question.

PR, I have a question. Does the ELCA view the Lord’s Supper differently than the LCMS? I moved from the LCA many years ago to the LCMS. The Catechism that we used when I was a teen was the same as that used by the LCMS, as far as I know. If these ladies were as old as you indicate, they were probably even quizzed by the church body as to their beliefs before being confirmed. Perhaps I am just a flaming liberal, but I’m not sure that it would have been an error to allow their communion.
I admire their peace of heart that led them to stay and hear the Word.
Please help me out here.

This question could easily generate a tome-sized answer. Here is my short answer. I look forward to our readers other questions and answers on this topic.

Yes the ELCA does teach far differently than the Scriptures on the Lord’s Supper. Let’s take one example – the most important one. For the most part, the ELCA has given up on the blood atonement. They replace it with a gospel of tolerance, peace and justice. Therefore, when Jesus says this is given for you for the remission of sins, they have a far different understanding of that. And of course, they have to – they no longer recognize what the Bible calls a sin (e.g. homosexuality). On this most fundamental level, they have given up the Lord’s Supper.

These two old ladies, to some extent or another, have been shaped by this anti-Christian teaching in the ELCA. They have the responsibility to separate themselves from such an apostatizing church and join themselves to an orthodox communion. Maybe this experience of rejection at the Lord’s table will wake them up. I hope so.

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