Wine or Grape Juice?

In recent years, however, a new and interesting trend toward a more Protestant Communion doctrine has emerged. Fear of AIDS and other diseases has eased many in the Lutheran Church to the use of individual cups, as in Protestant groups. But now the next to the last step in the Protestantization of the Augsburg Community has been taken. Not merely the container is different than Christ used, but the very contents. Never before have we seen the wholesale offering of grape juice as an alternative to the dominically instituted wine. Many so-called LC- MS churches in the Texas District and elsewhere are putting grape juice in the individual cup trays for people with medical allergies and alcoholism. (The last step will be the offering of only grape juice.)

Not only that, but a recent opinion by the Texas District's legal counsel says this: Nevertheless, if a congregation were especially concerned about this issue, they could consider a non-alcoholic option for minors, especially those unaccompanied by the parent or guardian." Walter C. Guebert, Saegert, Angenend & Augustine. This was printed in Minister to Minister, an official letter to pastors of the District. Is this practice of offering grape juice being promoted by leaders of the District? It certainly appears so. I wonder if any of these pastors have been "called on the carpet" by a Circuit Councellor or the District President for such unlutheran offerings. Would one who asks questions about the propriety of this practice be chastized for interfering with those who want to "lovingly" grow the church, no matter what principles they must sacrifice?

Now, you must remember that I did not go to the Seminary in these latter days of the return of confessional theology. I went during the liberal 60s, shortly before the Walkout. I had many of the professors who taught historical critical methods and the resulting conclusions. I was there. I heard, took notes and even bought into some of the errors they offered to us gullible students as being the Missouri Synod's entrance into the 20th century. They told us that we were the chosen generation of new pastors to lead the Synod into the ecumenical age.

But not one of my professors in the liberal days ever suggested that we offer grape juice as an alternative to the wine Jesus Himself used. The notes I have from class reminded us that we could "cut" the wine with water for those with allergies. But the Sacrament was not viewed as a drinking event, but a Sacramental event for the alcoholic. Its entire purpose, goal and means was to focus on the forgiveness of sins and the strength of Christian life that Christ died to bring us weak sinners, alcoholics included. His broken body and shed blood were the focus, not the bread and the wine.

In my ministry of over thirty years, I have followed those principles in my teaching and administering of the Holy Sacrament. Not one alcoholic whom I have communed ever, to my knowledge, "fell off the wagon" because he or she partook of the Blessed Supper. Granted, it took some time and instruction for some of them, who had been scared by the legalistic and law oriented AA program, to become aware of what Jesus was doing in the Supper that was different that what Satan was doing in the bar. Christ was giving grace at the altar, while Satan was luring them to sin and dependence in the bars and bottles.

What does Jesus expect of us Lutherans today? He expects us to be faithful. He does not expect us pastors or elders or people to be faithless and fearful that His precious gift of forgiveness in the body and blood He gives us in the bread and wine will damage those who receive in penitence and faith. He expects us in faith to "Do this;" ( I Cor. 11:17-34, especially verses 24 and 25) that is, to eat the bread and drink the wine, not potato chips and coke as a Methodist Youth Minister did a number of years ago to make the Supper "relevant" to the youth. He expects the faithful pastor and congregation to administer the Lord's Supper as He Himself gave it, without mixing all sorts of human, touchy-feely or fearful enhancements into it.

Is it "legalistic" to insist on wine instead of grape juice, as many who will be aghast that someone questions this innovative offering will claim? Not at all. It is obedience to Jesus. The use of wine is not a human rule or ordinance any more that "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" is a human command. These are divine imperatives. "We must obey God rather than man."

I know that I would not take communion at any altar where grape juice is offered as an alternative to wine, any more than I would take at a parish where the communion is offered to all, whether they were willing to sever their relationship with a false teaching church or not. I would wonder if the congregation were a faithful Lutheran parish, no matter what the sign on the lawn said. The Protestants who reject the doctrine of the Real Presence use grape juice, not Lutherans. Lutherans "Do This," and not something else, no matter how loving and accommodating to the weak we try to make it sound. It is simply blatent unfaithfulness to use grape juice in the Eucharist. What is supposed to be the Lord's Supper then becomes the pastor's or the congregation's or the communicant's supper, not the Lord's. And we Lutheran's, who know how sinful we are, want and need the Lord's Supper. Thank God He said, "Do this to remember Me."