Generally, for the Church of England the issue of children and communion began to arise in the 1950s… it was around that time that parishes began to adopt Holy Communion as the normal pattern for Sunday worship. In the scheme of things a regular weekly Communion service is a new not an old tradition.
Since the 1950s there have been conferences, reports and trials about how children could be welcomed at Communion. Parishes can now opt to communicate children.
Since Jesus said broke the bread and shared the wine saying ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ a bewildering array of different practices, customs and traditions have developed across the world in different churches for services of Holy Communion, the Eucharist or should it be the Lord’s Supper?
Should we use leaven or unleavened bread, a common cup or individual cups, who is allowed to preside, what clothes should be won, where should it be done, how often should it be done and who is allowed to receive what… and are children allowed to receive before confirmation.
We might observe that Jesus could have made his intention much clearer… but in his great wisdom chose not to do so.
The question about children receiving isn’t one that some churches ever ask! In the Orthodox Church… children have always been admitted to Communion on the same terms as adults. The church in the west developed different practices.
As an expression of ‘The Last Supper’ Communion is rooted in the Jewish Passover… a celebration in which children would have always shared. Exodus 12 lists the restrictions but then says: ‘The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.’ So it is suggested that those present at the Last Supper would have understood the bread and the wine to be for children as well as for adults.
It leaves us with quite a few questions…
What are actually doing at Communion? What is the purpose of Communion?
Baptism and Communion are both sacraments, what do they mean to us and other people who might be with us at a service?
What are the sacraments a sign of… belief, belonging or both. The reality in our country is that most of those who say they believe rarely go to church. And we might wonder what many of those who do go to church actually believe.
How do we feel about other traditions that treat the sacraments very differently? Traditions that may have a much longer history than our own!
We currently give children a blessing if they come forward to the rail… some people would suggest that to include children they could be given a sweet or a grape… others would ask why? What is it about the bread and wine that makes it suitable for adults but unsuitable for children?
Many would say that baptism and Communion go together: baptism is said to be sign of ‘beginning to belong’ and Communion is the sign of ‘being in belonging’.
The line of reasoning goes that whether baptized as an infant or as an adult… there is only one baptism. And it isn’t something we do to ourselves… it is a means of grace done unto us. If there is no difference… where is the logic in denying family members a share in the family meal? It amounts, some would say, to ex-communication!
What is our reaction to the invitation: ‘All the baptized (including the very young) are welcomed at the Lord’s Table?’ It is a table that isn’t ours! I wonder: who would Jesus welcome?
Some suggest that the desire to include children is merely pandering to current social trends… where so many things are now considered family activities? Some would say that children don’t understand… and there is a caution in 1 Corinthians 11:29 ‘anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.’
Others would ask: who does fully understand. If you do fully understand… please see me afterwards and explain it!
Some would ask: at the baptism of an infant whose faith is at work: the faith of the infant, the parents, god-parents, priest or Jesus Christ? And what is different at Communion?
Others would ask… if children can receive then what is the role of confirmation… it is not a new question! Some would reply the prayer of a Holy Man remains powerful and effective… confirmation can still mark the transition from relying on the promises said on your behalf as an infant to affirming the promises for yourself.
Some suggest children should wait until they are able to begin to understand the concept. The ability to think conceptually begins around 6 or 7. Others would note that conceptual thinking isn’t the same as spiritual development… and that trust develops at a very early age… is any age too early to learn trust at the Lord’s table?
Some would suggest that the ritual is important… that it is like a dinner party with the best china and it is not appropriate for children to be present. Children talking, laughing, crying or running around would spoil the beauty and solemnity of the ritual… others would say… that attitude is presuming that Communion is for adults and suggest that Communion is or should be more like a Christmas meal… a meal for everyone in the family.
Some people express concern that children joining the service at the Peace haven’t prepared properly for Communion by missing the confession, creed etc. Others would respond that it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility to think those things could be done in their own groups.
When allowing children to receive certain pastoral issue can arise… one of the harder ones is what to do for unbaptized children of church members… those parents who hold a ‘baptist’ theology or those who are not convinced by infant baptism.
There would be health & cleanliness issues… they are important but practical issues. Suitable methods of administration are implemented in hospitals and nursing homes… and suitable methods can be found for children.
Bishop’s guidelines
