These two quotes are at the very heart of the matter. How often those who wish to "protect" children from the table, completely throw John 17, all of Christ's words about children and infants, as well as ignore Paul's admonition for unity.
"Paul’s rebuke is not aimed at the simple, but at the divisive. It is not the child who fails to discern the body, but the adult who despises it. Practically, all one has to do is bring a child to the center of a group. How do people react? Does it provide disunity? Or does it draw people closer? The answer is obvious. Children draw people together.
So, what does it mean to discern the body? It means to act in such a way that unites the body. It means to recognize that this Table is not a private meal, but a family feast. It means to come not as an isolated individual, but as a member of Christ’s people. If you are a divider of the body, if you harbor contempt for your brother, if you erect barriers where Christ has torn them down, then you are not discerning the body. And I would urge you to refrain."
With respect Presiding Minister Brito. Amen for children’s ability to quickly forgive, forget and get back on the playground after an altercation (and perhaps a swat on the butt from mom or dad). They truly more resemble the children of the kingdom. But what unites us all together during worship is not physically recognizing one another as if to say hello, but the cross of Christ and our sin that equalizes everyone. Communion should not be a morbid introspection of sin diminishing the efficaciousness of Christ’s sacrifice. However, as we gather together and all reflect upon our sinfulness, young and old, communion should be partaken of in humble reverence, thankfulness and awe of our redemption in the cross of Christ. Communion is a family meal, but it is not a picnic meal. It is not a place where adults and children alike hold up Christ’s broken body and wave it around as if in an evangelical rock concert saying Christ is the light of the world. Communion was instituted during the night Christ was betrayed and we partake proclaiming His death until He comes, not His resurrection. First comes the sacrifice of great price, the Lamb of God. Children should see their own parents in worship bowing their heads before the cross at the time of communion, rather than acknowledging each other in fellowship. The performance of lifting and waving Christ’s broken body around can also shield a person’s refusal to either shake hands or say hello as an aggrieved brother or sister.
As a point of reference, she is not waving the bread, she is passing the peace of Christ to one another by greeting another with the bread. The same is done with the wine also.
1 Cor. 11:27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
The grammar is sequential: imperative → οὕτως (and so / in this manner) → imperative. Examine yourself, and in this way, eat. The first action is logically and temporally prior to the second. There is no conditional language on the self examination, as if it only applied to a divisive man. Rather, Scripture commands all who eat the bread to have examined himself. Self-examination is a condition precedent — a qualification that must be satisfied before access is granted.
You invert the logic of Scripture. Paul's imperative ("a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup") has been converted from a universal gate into an ad hoc reflection/reaction. The sequence has been reversed. Instead of examination → admission, it becomes admission → exclusion-if-divisive.
And so you put families and these little children at risk of forfeiting the blessing that flows out of this prior self-examination: "But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world."
You have ignored the whole context of 1 Corinthians. It's based around unity of the church, not introspection. The self examination is about unity. Period.
Paul has not told anyone not to partake. But all are to partake in unity. Including infants.
Lastly, the imperative is to adults, not infants. Infants and children are more aware of being excluded than anyone.
There is no "universal gate" in Uri's logic. That is your own projection. All who are baptized with a Trinitarian baptism and not under church discipline are welcome. Baptism is the entrance.
Is there a historical pattern of church fathers who held to this view? I’m just curious. Its a bit new to me, but I am still learning (and have much more to learn).
These two quotes are at the very heart of the matter. How often those who wish to "protect" children from the table, completely throw John 17, all of Christ's words about children and infants, as well as ignore Paul's admonition for unity.
"Paul’s rebuke is not aimed at the simple, but at the divisive. It is not the child who fails to discern the body, but the adult who despises it. Practically, all one has to do is bring a child to the center of a group. How do people react? Does it provide disunity? Or does it draw people closer? The answer is obvious. Children draw people together.
So, what does it mean to discern the body? It means to act in such a way that unites the body. It means to recognize that this Table is not a private meal, but a family feast. It means to come not as an isolated individual, but as a member of Christ’s people. If you are a divider of the body, if you harbor contempt for your brother, if you erect barriers where Christ has torn them down, then you are not discerning the body. And I would urge you to refrain."
Thanks again Uri. That is what we practice at King's Kirk as well...as you know. See you this coming Lord's Day the Lord willing.
Thank you for this! It was very eye-opening when I realized that restricting communion to an “age of discernment” was a western medieval innovation. 😳
With respect Presiding Minister Brito. Amen for children’s ability to quickly forgive, forget and get back on the playground after an altercation (and perhaps a swat on the butt from mom or dad). They truly more resemble the children of the kingdom. But what unites us all together during worship is not physically recognizing one another as if to say hello, but the cross of Christ and our sin that equalizes everyone. Communion should not be a morbid introspection of sin diminishing the efficaciousness of Christ’s sacrifice. However, as we gather together and all reflect upon our sinfulness, young and old, communion should be partaken of in humble reverence, thankfulness and awe of our redemption in the cross of Christ. Communion is a family meal, but it is not a picnic meal. It is not a place where adults and children alike hold up Christ’s broken body and wave it around as if in an evangelical rock concert saying Christ is the light of the world. Communion was instituted during the night Christ was betrayed and we partake proclaiming His death until He comes, not His resurrection. First comes the sacrifice of great price, the Lamb of God. Children should see their own parents in worship bowing their heads before the cross at the time of communion, rather than acknowledging each other in fellowship. The performance of lifting and waving Christ’s broken body around can also shield a person’s refusal to either shake hands or say hello as an aggrieved brother or sister.
As a point of reference, she is not waving the bread, she is passing the peace of Christ to one another by greeting another with the bread. The same is done with the wine also.
1 Cor. 11:27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
The grammar is sequential: imperative → οὕτως (and so / in this manner) → imperative. Examine yourself, and in this way, eat. The first action is logically and temporally prior to the second. There is no conditional language on the self examination, as if it only applied to a divisive man. Rather, Scripture commands all who eat the bread to have examined himself. Self-examination is a condition precedent — a qualification that must be satisfied before access is granted.
You invert the logic of Scripture. Paul's imperative ("a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup") has been converted from a universal gate into an ad hoc reflection/reaction. The sequence has been reversed. Instead of examination → admission, it becomes admission → exclusion-if-divisive.
And so you put families and these little children at risk of forfeiting the blessing that flows out of this prior self-examination: "But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world."
You have ignored the whole context of 1 Corinthians. It's based around unity of the church, not introspection. The self examination is about unity. Period.
Paul has not told anyone not to partake. But all are to partake in unity. Including infants.
Lastly, the imperative is to adults, not infants. Infants and children are more aware of being excluded than anyone.
There is no "universal gate" in Uri's logic. That is your own projection. All who are baptized with a Trinitarian baptism and not under church discipline are welcome. Baptism is the entrance.
Jesus condemned those who keep children from him.
Is there a historical pattern of church fathers who held to this view? I’m just curious. Its a bit new to me, but I am still learning (and have much more to learn).
Yes, check http://paedocommunion.com for resources.