Answering Questions About the CREC

CREC Q&A and Tons of Resources

Yesterday's conversation allowed me to answer several questions. Almost all were in good faith, and only a few attempted to set little sacramental traps.

The inquirers were generally interested in whether the CREC was shifting or moving in the natural trajectory. The latter case is evident for anyone self-aware of our history. But the Tucker Carlson interview and the overwhelming free press offered by the internet swifties have added a layer of attention that came at the right time.

I have given plenty of time to address issues on various threads. Still, in my Substack, I wrap up the conversation on the CREC, offering my central theses, answering six questions, and providing dozens of resources on paedocommunion. You should read the post below first to get updated on the context.

Objection #1:

Answer: I really hope not. I know many Baptist churches that are more than willing to accept the membership status of Presbyterian children, and there is precedent for such an acceptance. Die-hard 1689 churches must be consistent and understand who we are as a denomination. Most Baptists I know see how infant baptism and infant communion go hand-in-hand. They may be the ones most comfortable with that allowance.

Objection #2:

Answer: Every denomination has unique features that make it who they are. We subscribe to various confessions that say nothing of paedocommunion, and I have serious doubts (as Tim Gallant noted) that the Heidelberg Q. 81 is addressing who may be admitted to communion or that Chapter 27 of the WCF is specifically addressing infants. The case can be made that WLC 177 may preclude infants. However, the catechisms do not hold the same ecclesiastical force as the confessions, and they are catechetical in nature and do not function as Church dogma.

Furthermore, every denominational group has a list of extra-confessional requirements identifying who they are. Some have exclusive psalmody, and others have the Book of Church Order or Book of Common Prayer that unite them around cultural and liturgical practices. The CREC is no different. Anyone visiting a CREC congregation will notice quickly how integral communing children are to the life of the church.

Objection #3:

Answer: I don't think any committed paedocommunion advocate would intentionally move to a non-paedocommunion congregation. As I said, those of us in the paedocommunion world find the doctrine immensely needful. Further, the idea is never to violate the session's position but to get the CREC in a position where every church coming in will have sessions that already affirm paedocommunion or are genuinely comfortable allowing children to commune while not upholding that practice themselves. Many credobaptist churches are absolutely at ease with that proposition.

Objection #4:

Answer: More bureaucracy or more words regarding our sacramental commitment are unnecessary. Our last Council in September 2023 clarified what was universally known among us.

Objection #5:

Answer: New churches joining must submit to the Council's decision to remain in good standing. So this has nothing to do with parents obliging sessions to do anything. Sessions voluntarily submitted to the decisions made by the CREC body represented by the 14 delegates in 2023 (now 18 delegates representing nine presbyteries). And in this particular case, it was unanimous.

Objection #6:

Answer:

Audio

James Jordan's Four Lectures on Canon+ and Theopolis.

Steve Wilkin’s Eight Lectures on Paedocommunion

Debate on Paedocommunion: Steve Schlissel vs. Tim Gallant

Books

Brown, Dan. Anti-Paedocommunion: Biblical or Pagan? Dan&Mary Publications, 2022.

Gallant, Tim. Feed My Lambs: Why the Lord’s Table Should Be Restored to Covenant Children. Grande Prairie, AB: Pactum Reformanda, 2002.

Leithart, Peter. Daddy, Why Was I Excommunicated? An Examination of Leonard J. Coppes, Daddy, May I Take Communion? Transfiguration Press, 1992.

Strawbridge, Gregg, ed. The Case for Covenant Communion. Athanasius Press, 2006.

Essays

• Brouwer, Kamp, Lunshof, Polman: Committee to Study Clarification of Public Profession of Faith for Covenant Children, "Report B" to Synod 1995 (CRC) (Note: This report is not by itself; it is to be found approximately halfway down this long web page.)

• Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: Children at the Lord's Supper (theme issue).

• Rev Fr Patrick S. Fodor, "Should Baptized Infants Be Communed?"

• James A Frey, "Infant Communion: A Look at Lutheran Liturgical Practice"

• Richard Futrell, "Does Our Lord Invite Baptized Infants to His Supper?" (Word document)

• Tim Gallant, "Brief Theses on Communion and Covenant Children"

• Tim Gallant, "Covenant Communion" (MP3 format download)

• Tim Gallant, "Discerning the Body: 1 Corinthians 11:29 & Paedocommunion"

• Tim Gallant, "Examination and Remembrance"

• Tim Gallant, "Paedocommunion & the Church Fathers: A Catena of Quotations"

• Tim Gallant, Paedocommunion Debate (Vs Steve Schlissel)

• Rev Gary V. Gehlbach, "The Discontinuance of the Practice of Communing Infants in the Western Church"

• Syd Hielema, "A Precious Feast, A Tangled Web: A Case for Welcoming Children at the Table"

• Mark Horne, "A Brief Response to Rev. Richard Bacon's Opposition to Paedocommunion"

• Mark Horne, "John Calvin and Paedocommunion"

• Mark Horne, "A Response to Rev. Bacon's Argument that Manna was not a Sacrament"

• Mark Horne, "You and Your Son and Daughter: Christ's Communion with Young Children"

• Tommy Lee, "Appendix:  The Theology of Paedocommunion"

• Tommy Lee, "The History of Paedocommunion:  From the Early Church Until 1500"

• Peter J. Leithart, "Daddy, Why Was I Excommunicated?"

• Peter J. Leithart, "Paedocommunion, the Gospel, and the Church, I"

• Rich Lusk, "For the Children's Sake"

• Jeffrey Meyers, "Presbyterian, Examine Thyself"

• Robert Rayburn, "Our Historic Practice is Invisible in the Bible"

• Robert Rayburn, "PCA Minority Report on Paedocommunion" (This document contains both Majority and Minority Reports; Rayburn’s report begins on p. 503/p. 6 of the PDF.)

• Robert Rayburn, "Studies in Exodus (No. 13): Exodus 12:1–49"

• Sinia, Peter G. From the Least to the Greatest: Children at the Lord’s Supper — Paedocommunion in the Dutch Reformed Tradition.

• Gregg Strawbridge, "Eucharist Participants in the Early Centuries: Biblical and Historical Evidence for Paedocommunion"

• G. I. Williamson et al, "OPC Majority Report"

• Bryan Wandel, "Children and Communion: Why the Eucharist Should Be Given to the Smallest Christians"

• Douglas Wilson, Peter Leithart, et al, That Wonderful Cup (Credenda Agenda 18-1)
  The purpose of the CREC is not to be the PCA without Tim Keller or the OPC without D.G. Hart. We reject third-wayism and dualism, but there is much more that comprises who we are.

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Distinctives of the CREC

We are a communion of Reformed churches deeply interested in cultural renewal within the church and the home, theology that comes out of our fingertips, and a liturgy that enriches God's people with joy.

Our confessions, diverse yet unified, reflect our catholicity. But it's our shared distinctives that truly define us. We acknowledge that these may differ from the trajectory of other Reformed bodies, but they are the pillars of our 130+ churches. Among them are our eschatology, epistemology, and ecclesiology.

Our postmillennialism is deeply embedded in our lives. This is more than a preference for historical optimism. Postmillennialism is how we see the Bible moving. It is far from a mere academic discussion. In fact, it would not be easy to function happily in the CREC without that eschatological predisposition. It impacts everything from our preaching/teaching to our education and interpretation of the times.

Our presuppositionalism asserts that we are not ashamed of the Word of God or its language. The language of the Scriptures is the vocabulary of heaven, and we submit to its wisdom in totality. It further gives us confidence in affirming doctrines like six-day creationism, though many consider us Neanderthals. It is nearly impossible to come into the CREC denying that Genesis paradigm. We do not belittle tradition but restore tradition to its rightful place. The testimony of the church (tradition) leads us to a high and reverent esteem of the Sacred Scriptures.

Our paedocommunion practice is fundamental to our existence as a whole. Without the communing of baptized children, the CREC would fail to offer the grounds for our covenantal theology. Covenant communion is the way we enflesh our theology of children. We affirm that baptized children shall receive all the covenant benefits. We also believe that they are integral members of the body of Christ, without whom worship would be incomplete. While some congregations can function outside this system, they must understand that they are co-laboring with an undeniable majority who believe life and table, water and word, bread and wine, worship, and participation belong unto them.

We are happy to form fraternal relations with many denominations, and we have a growing sense of unity with a host of institutions and denominations who share our conservative political convictions against the insanity of the leftist ideologues. And the goal is to build much more on those in the months and years ahead. While we wish to continue growing, we understand that not every church is a good fit for the CREC.

While we cherish the hundreds of inquiries received worldwide and the overwhelming interest in our communion, we also want to grow in a manner that honors who we are without diluting the principles that made us who we are.

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