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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 294

2026 Convention Workbook
259
THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS  —COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
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The Lutheran Church/emdash.lnumMissouri Synod
APPENDIX A
RESOLUTION 3-1659
Overture 3-52 (CW, p. 172)
WHEREAS, A number of congregations in the Synod have introduced grape 
juice for use in the Sacrament of the Altar; and
WHEREAS, The clear statements of our Confessions instruct us that “As the 
Words of Institution of Christ expressly state: while at the table during the Supper, 
he distributed natural bread and wine to his disciples” (FC SD VII 64); and
WHEREAS, The use of an element other than wine is an alien practice in the 
churches of the Augsburg Confession and brings about doubt whether the Sacra-
ment is offered or not; and
WHEREAS, “Since Christ used and sanctified no other element for this Sac-
rament; since no place in Scripture which treats of the Lord’s Supper mentions 
even a single other element; since it befits the true disciples of Christ to abide by 
His ordinance and institution, John 8:31; since the promise of Christ concerning 
the sacramental reception of His body and blood is expressly dependent upon the 
bread and wine; and finally, since bread and wine are the essential elements of the 
holy Lord’s Supper, it follows that under no circumstances can or should one sub-
stitute elements, which might be comparable, in place of bread and wine” (Johann 
Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper [trans. 
Elmer M. Hohle; Repristination Press, 2000], 228–29); and
59 2001 Convention Proceedings, 141–42.
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Proper Administration of the Lord’s Supper
WHEREAS, Both theological faculties of the LCMS have offered opinions 
(Gutachten) (cf. Concordia Theological Quarterly 45:1/2 [Jan./Apr., 1981], 77–80; 
Theological Observer 17:1 [Jan. 1991], 4–6) supporting the use of wine, or reduced-al-
cohol wine, offering the clear teaching of the Evangelical Lutheran Church with 
regard to this matter from the Scriptures, the Confessions, and the teaching of the 
church; and
WHEREAS, The Synod has spoken in 1998 Res. 3-16B “To Affirm Use of Bread 
and Wine in the Sacrament of the Altar”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the congregations be encouraged to use only wine for the Sac-
rament; and be it further
Resolved, That the theological faculties of our seminaries be commissioned to 
offer guidelines to pastors and congregations in meeting the needs of those who 
feel they cannot drink wine; and be it finally
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be used to help carry 
out “The Great Commission” and shall not in any way detract or distract from the 
primary mission of God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted as amended (11)
(This resolution was first discussed during session 10. The fifth whereas as presented 
by the committee, WHEREAS, Both theological faculties of the LCMS have offered opinions 
(Gutachten) to the contrary (cf. “Opinion of the Department of Systematic Theology: The Fruit 
of the Vine in the Sacrament of the Altar,”  Concordia Theological Quarterly 45:1/2 [ Jan./April., 
1981], 77–80; Department of Systematic Theology, Concordia Seminary, “Is ‘Non-Alcoholic Wine’ 
Really Wine?” (Theological Observer, Concordia Journal 17:1 [Jan. 1991], 4–6), offering the 
clear teaching of the Evangelical Lutheran Church with regard to this matter from the Scriptures, 
the Confessions, and the teachers of the church; and , was amended by replacing it with the para-
graph included in the adopted resolution. A substitute resolution, To Encourage Use of Fruit 
of Vine in Lord’s Supper, was considered by the delegates when this resolution was brought 
back by the committee in session 11: WHEREAS, Any guidelines for celebrating the Lord’s Sup-
per must originate in God’s Word; and WHEREAS, The Constitution of the Synod, Article II, refers 
to “The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only 
rule and norm of faith and of practice”; and WHEREAS, God’s Word says in Luke 22:17–18, “And 
taking the cup and giving thanks He said, ‘Take this and distribute it among yourselves. For I say to 
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The Lutheran Church/emdash.lnumMissouri Synod
you that I will certainly not drink from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes’”; and 
WHEREAS, God’s Word says in Mark 14:24–25, “And He said to them, this is My blood of the cov-
enant which is being poured out on behalf of many. Truly I say to you that I will certainly not any 
longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God”; and 
WHEREAS, God’s Word says in Matthew 26:27–29, “And taking a cup and giving thanks He gave 
to them saying, drink of it all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant being poured out for the 
many for forgiveness of sins. And I say to you that I will certainly not drink of the fruit of the vine 
until that day whenever I drink with you anew in the kingdom of My Father”; and WHEREAS, the 
word wine (oinos) is used in the New Testament 33 times, but never in relation to the Lord’s Sup-
per; and WHEREAS, God’s Word only uses “the fruit of the vine” in regards to the content of the 
cup; therefore be it Resolved, That the congregations be encouraged to use only the fruit of the vine 
as one of the elements for the Sacrament.  The substitute motion was defeated and the original 
motion was adopted as amended in session 10 [yes: 814; no: 184]. The final resolve is added 
as required by Res. 1-02, adopted by the convention at an earlier session.)
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Proper Administration of the Lord’s Supper
APPENDIX B
Opinion of the Department of Systematic Theology 60
The Fruit of the Vine in the Sacrament of the Altar
The classic definition of the Lord’s Supper was given by Luther: “It is the true body 
and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to 
eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.” Luther cites Matthew (26:26–29), 
Mark (14:22–25), Luke (22:15–20), and the Apostle Paul (1  Cor. 10:16; 11:23–29) 
as Scriptural proof for the institution, nature, and meaning of the Sacrament of 
the Altar.
In recent years some have raised the question whether grape juice might be substi-
tuted for wine in the Sacrament in view of the fact that the texts do not expressly 
state “wine,” but “fruit of the vine” or “cup.” The reasoning is that grape juice 
should be an allowable substitute for wine in sacramental use, since grape juice 
can rightly be termed “fruit of the vine.”
The Scriptural texts leave no doubt that Christ was celebrating the Passover meal 
with His disciples. Among the foodstuffs on the table would have been unleav-
ened bread and wine. As regards the latter, it was without question the fermented 
product of the grape vine, in view of the fact that this was the spring of the year, 
probably April. Moreover, wine was the customary drink of the Jews at solemn 
festival meals, the peri haggephen (liturgical Hebrew for “fruit of the vine”). There 
can be no doubt then, as Lenski points out, that “ this fruit of the vine”—with em-
phasis on the this—which the Passover cup contained “shuts out any and all other 
products of the vine save actual wine and thwarts all modern efforts that speak 
60 Concordia Theological Quarterly 45, nos. 1–2 (1981): 77–80.