In my last post I briefly discussed the issue of communion (i.e. The Lord's Supper), and in what contexts it should be offered and recieved. This has led to a bit of dialogue among the bloggers here at B&B, and I am hoping we flesh out this subject further. I want to direct your attention to a short but helpful discussion on this issue (in a a broader context though) found at the wonderful blog, Standing on Shoulders. Take a look at this, and then give us your views! (NOTE: For some reason I cannot get this link to work so that you can click on it and go directly there. I am computer illiterate. So copy paste the link to your address bar and I will try to fix this in the future).
http://standingonshoulders.net/2008/08/28/strict-communion-less-exclusive-than-paedobaptists-or-should-the-water-divide-us/
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3 comments:
Hey John, I looked at this site. I think Adams oversimplified the paedobaptist practice of receiving children into membership, particularly from a Reformed paedobaptist position. I'm not in agreement with my Presbyterian friends on this issue. However, the PCA churches that I am familiar with do require personal faith in Christ as evidence of the new birth before someone can participate in communion. Thus they distinguish between children as members of the covenant community and communing members. For them the emphasis is on whether or not a person is a believer, not only that they are baptized. I realize that outside of the Reformed tradition this distinction is not as strong, as the RCC and other mainline churches only require the acquisition of knowledge through the catechism before taking communion.
Josh,
I don't think he was trying to oversimplify a clearly difficult subject, but I do think he drew out some helpful thoughts. While i agree with you about our reformed PCA friends, they are not the only paedobaptists who must be considered in regards to communion. I think many reformed churches do practice communion the way you describe, but to be CONSISTENT, they should offer it to infants and children who have been baptized, as that is the criteria many of those churches emphasize. The article leaves much to be discussed, but it did open a great conversation between two friends!!!!!
A great argument for a close or closed communion, that relies less on deductive arguments and more on biblical exegesis can be found in John Hammett's book "Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches." It is an excellent book on ecclesiology that a person from any denomination would be well-served to read. Not to mention that Dr. Hammett was my systematic theology professor in seminary.
He makes a good case exegetically, theologically and historically (from a Baptist history perspective)for close or closed communion. Obviously I'm not convinced, but it is a good case nonetheless.
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