Is it alright for a Lutheran to attend Episcopal services?

[INeedGrace]

I haven't been to church in almost two years. My job has me working on Sunday, so church would be very tough. The local Lutheran congregations here don't have any mid-week services, but there is an Episcopal assembly that has a Wednesday-night service with Communion, that I could attend (when I get a car).

Is communion valid for Lutherans in an Episcopal church?

(No offence is intended for Episcopalians who are reading this; sorry if my question comes across as insulting).

 

[tampasteve]

I believe it would depend on your Lutheran affiliation/beliefs. The ELCA is in full communion with The Episcopal Church, there are even some dual parishes. So they would be perfectly OK with you attending a Episcopal Church. If you are affiliated with the LCMS or smaller synods then the answer would probably be "no" as they view TEC as not in communion or worse.

 

[Albion]

That depends on which branch of Lutheranism you are referring to, INeedGrace, ...but.... but you list yourself as an Anglican, not a Lutheran, so...????

 

[INeedGrace]

That depends on which branch of Lutheranism you are referring to, INeedGrace, ...but.... but you list yourself as an Anglican, not a Lutheran, so...????

I list myself as Anglican because that's the last church I attended with regularity. It was an ACNA congregation. I went there because my work schedule was also such that going to Sunday services was hard to do (not really, in retrospect, but at the time I thought I would be too wiped after working night-shift). I guess you could say I am a Lutheran in my heart, because it was through Lutheranism, and only through Lutheranism that I found the peace of the Gospel. If I can get my schedule changed and get transportation, it would be a Lutheran church for sure that I would attend. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[Albion]

Thanks, INeedGrace. So it looks like what the Lutheran church body you belonged to or favor thinks about this matter is what governs your choice.

But there is another part of the question that I do not think has been addressed yet.

You asked if the Lutheran church would consider the Communion to be valid, not whether it was a violation of the Lutheran rules to commune there. I think (but I could be wrong) that it would be considered valid, but still wrong to do (because there is not an agreement between the two churches on all doctrinal matters).

But that is assuming that we are speaking of the LCMS or WELS. If you side with the ELCA, there is no problem at all.

 

[tampasteve]

Ah, found the LCMS answer for LCMS:
Denominations - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
""In accordance with the confessional nature of participation in the Lord's Supper, and in agreement with Lutheranism's historic position, it is inappropriate to attend the Lord's Supper at non-Lutheran altars. Since participation in Holy Communion, scripturally and confessionally understood, entails agreement in the Gospel and all its articles, it would not be appropriate to attend the Lord's Supper in a church with which such agreement is not shared."


So, no, if you side with LCMS you should not. Is it a valid sacrament? I believe the LCMS would have to say "yes" to that as they do teach that even a lay home consecration is valid - though never preferred.

 

[INeedGrace]

Ah, found the LCMS answer for LCMS:
Denominations - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
""In accordance with the confessional nature of participation in the Lord's Supper, and in agreement with Lutheranism's historic position, it is inappropriate to attend the Lord's Supper at non-Lutheran altars. Since participation in Holy Communion, scripturally and confessionally understood, entails agreement in the Gospel and all its articles, it would not be appropriate to attend the Lord's Supper in a church with which such agreement is not shared."


So, no, if you side with LCMS you should not. Is it a valid sacrament? I believe the LCMS would have to say "yes" to that as they do teach that even a lay home consecration is valid - though never preferred.

Thanks. I was wondering about the validity. It's really all I can do for the time being, due to my schedule.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Ah, found the LCMS answer for LCMS:
Denominations - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
""In accordance with the confessional nature of participation in the Lord's Supper, and in agreement with Lutheranism's historic position, it is inappropriate to attend the Lord's Supper at non-Lutheran altars. Since participation in Holy Communion, scripturally and confessionally understood, entails agreement in the Gospel and all its articles, it would not be appropriate to attend the Lord's Supper in a church with which such agreement is not shared."


So, no, if you side with LCMS you should not. Is it a valid sacrament? I believe the LCMS would have to say "yes" to that as they do teach that even a lay home consecration is valid - though never preferred.

Same goes for Lutheran Church Canada and WELS; actually WELS likely would discourage even attending a service.

 

[Newtheran]

Is communion valid for Lutherans in an Episcopal church?

Not for confessional Lutherans.

 

[FireDragon76]

If you just identify as a Lutheran for personal theological reasons, I wouldn't let that stop you from attending an Episcopal church, as long as you are OK with other people at church having different perspectives. From an ELCA perspective, the Episcopal Church's sacraments are valid. The validity of the sacraments is not dependent on the minister, and we do not recognize any ontological difference between laity and clergy.

 

[tampasteve]

Not for confessional Lutherans.

I am not sure that it is really a "confessional" matter, the confessions do not really deal with this as of course there was no Anglican influence on them. If you mean "Confessional" as in LCMS, WELS and other "Confessional Lutheran" churches then you are correct that members of these churches are discouraged from attending churches that they are not in altar and pulpit fellowship with.

 

[Albion]

If you mean "Confessional" as in LCMS, WELS and other "Confessional Lutheran" churches then you are correct that members of these churches are discouraged from attending churches that they are not in altar and pulpit fellowship with.

...but the question to us concerned the sacrament being valid under the circumstances, not whether communing in the church of another denomination would be right for such Lutherans to do.

 

[tampasteve]

...but the question to us concerned the sacrament being valid under the circumstances, not whether communing in the church of another denomination would be right for such Lutherans to do.

Correct, I was simply clarifying the statement previous.

As I said in post #6 the LCMS has stated that even lay consecration is valid, so I would think even consecration from an Episcopal church would be valid - even though they advise not to attend.

 

[Albion]

Correct, I was simply clarifying the statement previous.

As I said in post #6 the LCMS has stated that even lay consecration is valid, so I would think even consecration from an Episcopal church would be valid - even though they advise not to attend.

My apologies. You did make that clear in an earlier post, but I think I momentarily confused yours with some of those that have not kept the two issues apart.

 

[INeedGrace]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it was the validity that I was concerned about.

Something I had forgotten is the fact that Philip Cary, who's article "Why Luther Is Not Quite Protestant" attends an Anglican church. It was his article that helped bring me to the Lutheran view of the Sacraments.