The faithful practice of closed Communion is challenged in our day both culturally and ecclesiastically. As Western culture continues to careen down a path of individualism and autonomy, the privatization of faith leads many to regard participation in the Sacrament as a matter of personal entitlement. But the issue of admission to the Lord's Supper is neither a matter of personal entitlement nor of being a welcoming and affirming church. Rather, it is a matter of both the nature of the Sacrament and the character of the Church. The essays brought together in this book are both old and new. Taken together, they assist both pastors and laity in understanding the biblical and confessional basis for closed Communion, and they bear testimony to a common Lutheran conviction Book jacket.