Comments on: How often to the Lord’s Table? http://thoughtpaths.com/archives/130 ThoughtPaths with Ken Wilson et al Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:18:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: cnaphan http://thoughtpaths.com/archives/130#comment-65 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:53:43 +0000 http://thoughtpaths.com/archives/130#comment-65 Some people take the view that the Supper is primarily a memorial of Christ's passion, and, as a memorial, it shouldn't be invoked too frequently. Nobody celebrates the day of the week they were born on, because it's just too frequent. Likewise, the Supper originated in the Jewish Passover Supper, which was strictly yearly. Before the Reformation, I believe Communion was generally received once per year at Easter. Calvin wanted weekly, but the Church of Geneva decided on monthly, which, like everything else Geneva did, became a model for the rest of Protestant Europe. Now, the apostles and their successors seemed to have practiced weekly. Weekly communion is hinted at in Acts 20:7 and the Didache instructs to break the bread on every Lord's Day. Myself, I have always been familiar with weekly communion. But I acknowledge that our superiors have the authority to decide how often it should be done, whether it be yearly or daily. Surely when Peter was charged to "feed the sheep", he was given the power to decide how often the sheep should be fed? Some people advocate less frequent communion because it breeds impiety and irreverence. Weekly communion might breed complacency, but I'd argue this is a separate vice that needs to be dealt with independently, without denying more frequent communion to the congregation. If people are complacent and irreverent because only 6 days have lapsed since they last received Christ's Body and Blood, they are probably irreverent and complacent all week long. I'll be the first to admit that I rarely revere the sacrament as I ought to, but surely we can't consider how the impious might react when deciding on such things? So, based on the traditions of the apostles and Fathers, the weak arguments for monthly or yearly practice, the irrelevancy of potential complacency or irreverency, and the benefits of frequent general communion, I would agree with you. Individuals can always refrain from receiving it on a given week, if they feel they are not sufficiently prepared or other important reasons. Some people take the view that the Supper is primarily a memorial of Christ’s passion, and, as a memorial, it shouldn’t be invoked too frequently. Nobody celebrates the day of the week they were born on, because it’s just too frequent. Likewise, the Supper originated in the Jewish Passover Supper, which was strictly yearly. Before the Reformation, I believe Communion was generally received once per year at Easter. Calvin wanted weekly, but the Church of Geneva decided on monthly, which, like everything else Geneva did, became a model for the rest of Protestant Europe.

Now, the apostles and their successors seemed to have practiced weekly. Weekly communion is hinted at in Acts 20:7 and the Didache instructs to break the bread on every Lord’s Day. Myself, I have always been familiar with weekly communion. But I acknowledge that our superiors have the authority to decide how often it should be done, whether it be yearly or daily. Surely when Peter was charged to “feed the sheep”, he was given the power to decide how often the sheep should be fed?

Some people advocate less frequent communion because it breeds impiety and irreverence. Weekly communion might breed complacency, but I’d argue this is a separate vice that needs to be dealt with independently, without denying more frequent communion to the congregation. If people are complacent and irreverent because only 6 days have lapsed since they last received Christ’s Body and Blood, they are probably irreverent and complacent all week long. I’ll be the first to admit that I rarely revere the sacrament as I ought to, but surely we can’t consider how the impious might react when deciding on such things?

So, based on the traditions of the apostles and Fathers, the weak arguments for monthly or yearly practice, the irrelevancy of potential complacency or irreverency, and the benefits of frequent general communion, I would agree with you. Individuals can always refrain from receiving it on a given week, if they feel they are not sufficiently prepared or other important reasons.

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