Altar and pulpit fellowship

{{short description|Lutheran term for full communion between church bodies}}

Altar and pulpit fellowship describes an ecumenical collaboration between two Christian organizations, and is a Lutheran term for full communion,{{Cite web|url=http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Called_To_Common_Mission.pdf|title=Called to Common Mission: A Lutheran Proposal for a Revision of the Concordat of Agreement|date=1999|website=Evangelical Lutheran Church in America}} or communio in sacris.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs/faqs/denominations|title=Denominations - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod|website=www.lcms.org|language=en-us|access-date=2018-05-04}} Altar refers to the altar in Christian churches, which holds the sacrament of Holy Communion. Pulpit refers to the pulpit, from which a pastor preaches. Altar and pulpit fellowship is therefore a specific understanding of "doctrinal agreement and confessional unity" that "allows the pastors of one church to preach and celebrate Holy Communion in the church of another".{{Cite book|url=https://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=2287|title=The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship|publisher=Office of the President and Commission on Theology and Church Relations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod|year=2000}}

Most European churches that arose during the Reformation are in altar and pulpit communion (full communion) through the Concord of Leuenberg, forming the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe. The churches who signed the agreement are Lutheran, Reformed (including Presbyterian), Methodist, and United churches, and also the pre-reformation Waldensian, Czech Brethren, and Hussite church. All members also recognize the valid ordination of other churches within the Communion.{{Citation|last=Adogame|first=Afe|title=From European to African Reformation|date=2019-09-25|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvrnfq8p.8|work=Reformation in the Context of World Christianity|pages=53–66|publisher=Harrassowitz, O|doi=10.2307/j.ctvrnfq8p.8|isbn=978-3-447-19914-8|s2cid=211329180|access-date=2021-07-14|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite journal|title=Leuenberg Concord|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_sim_12936|access-date=2021-07-14|website=Religion Past and Present|doi=10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_sim_12936|url-access=subscription}}

Anglican churches have full communion with Scandinavian Lutheran churches through the Porvoo Communion, and with several other churches such as Old Catholic, Mar Thoma Syrian, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, and the Philippine Independent Church.{{Cite journal|date=January 2005|title=Finland: Helsinki and Provoo|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00665983.2005.11770983|journal=Archaeological Journal|volume=162|issue=sup1|pages=29–31|doi=10.1080/00665983.2005.11770983|s2cid=220274183|issn=0066-5983|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite web|date=2018-08-22|title=The Bonn Agreement of 1931|url=http://www.willibrord.org/bonn_en.html|access-date=2021-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822113746/http://www.willibrord.org/bonn_en.html|archive-date=2018-08-22}}

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has altar and pulpit fellowship with 38 other churches: seven in Africa, eight in Asia, 12 in Europe, eight in Latin America, and three in North America. The LCMS also calls these organizations "partner churches".{{Cite web|url=https://www.lcms.org/partnerchurches|title=LCMS Partner Church Bodies - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod|website=www.lcms.org|language=en-us|access-date=2018-05-04}} The American Association of Lutheran Churches says their altar and pulpit fellowship with the Missouri Synod means the two church bodies are "separate but interdependent",{{Cite web|url=http://www.taalc.org/inter-church-relations|title=Inter-Church Relations|website=American Association of Lutheran Churches|language=en|access-date=2018-05-04}} and that pastors of each organization may be called to permanent pastoral positions in the other.{{Cite web|url=http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/taalc/taalc-lcms_operating_agreement_2_movement-of-congregations-pastors-between-rosters.pdf|title=Operating Agreement II: Issues Resulting from the Movement of Congregations/Pastors between Rosters|website=American Association of Lutheran Churches; Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod|date=November 9, 2009}}