Dr. Eric W. Gritsch

An essay reprinted by permission from Pastor Chris Carr,
of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Richmond, VA 
A congregation of the ELCA

The original article in their LOGOS newsletter (February 2016) is available here.  

Left Out at the Table?

Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ,

In this new year of 2016, as we dig out and thaw out from a January “snowpocalypse,” I have the topic of Holy Communion on my mind, and who it is that can come to the table. Across the ELCA, Bishop Eaton has invited us into theological dialogue about the times and special circumstances where we might allow those who believe but are not yet baptized to receive the Lord’s Supper. However, Holy Communion is primarily the meal of the baptized. As such, it is for the whole Body of Christ, which means that ALL the baptized may share it together. One concern of mine is that we have a whole segment of the baptized who are routinely not communing at the table. I am speaking of many of the infants and children in our congregation.

This was a hot topic in our days at seminary. In the first thousand years of the church the tradition was to commune an infant as soon as she or he was baptized. In the Lutheran tradition, we moved to the other extreme of communing only those who were confirmed. In the mid to late twentieth century, Lutherans in America separated first Communion from Confirmation, and the age for first Communion moved down to 5th grade, and eventually to around 2nd grade. The trajectory continues, and the movement over the past few decades has been to return to the church’s ancient tradition, which was to commune infants and children who were baptized. (The Orthodox Church never left this tradition, in fact). One of the most compelling anecdotes I can recall was a fellow seminarian sharing in class that he remembers being left behind in the pew while his whole family walked forward to commune at the altar. If members of the Body of Christ ever feel left out or left behind, we do not have a gospel experience – it is not yet good news.

Upon occasion, it is appropriate for the pastor or pastors to leave out (excommunicate) an adult from the table for a time. However, that is done because the individual is continually and intentionally acting in a way that is sinful (e.g. an affair) or divisive (e.g. ongoing racist remarks). Paul condemns similarly divisive behaviors in the Corinthian church when he speaks of eating the bread or drinking the cup of the Lord “in an unworthy manner” in I Corinthians 11:27. Other than extreme cases like those, everyone who is baptized is welcome to commune in both elements (bread and wine) or either element at the table of our Lord. Please know that our children have not been excommunicated! All the baptized are welcome at his Meal. [Note: the children are also encouraged to commune using the same wine as everyone else. The grape juice is provided primarily for those who cannot consume alcohol for medical/health reasons, in the same way that gluten-free wafers are provided.]

In his book Who Gets to Eat: Issues of Admission to the Lord’s Supper, the Rev. Dr. Eric W. Gritsch 
writes, “It would be wise to leave the question of infant or family communion open.” In other words, it is not a topic for us to get legalistic about on either side. However, he does note that “God’s unconditional grace in baptism and the congregation’s caring initiation of the new member into the Eucharistic fellowship should not be unduly separated. It is the ‘visible’ words of baptism and the Lord’s Supper together with the ‘audible’ word that constitutes the church as Christ’s body on earth.”What does this mean? It means that the variety we already have is all right. That is, we have an open situation where multiple practices and pieties can find a home. Some parents are bringing baptized children forward so that they may receive Christ in the bread, in the wine, or in both elements. Others are bringing them forward for a blessing and waiting until first Communion instruction occurs in the elementary grades.

Still others find the move toward infant/young child Communion too large a stretch for their family because of past practice, tradition, and precedent, and are choosing to allow their baptized children to commune with the bread only (once they are eating solid foods), and reserve the wine as something to receive after a time of Communion instruction as 2nd graders. As Lutherans, we confess that Christ is fully present in either the bread or the wine.

One practical question for those who choose to commune their baptized babies and young children, then, is, “Where does that leave First Communion Instruction?” This practice of intentional instruction on the topic of Holy Communion is worth keeping. However, it does not have to be seen as a prerequisite to receiving the Lord’s Supper. Many in our congregation already allow their baptized children to receive the Lord’s Supper in both bread and wine, and still participate in Communion instruction in the elementary grades. In the personal experience of my own family, communing from the time of baptism did not diminish the need or the efficacy of participating in a class of Communion Instruction. And indeed, how could it? The thing that makes Communion special is not that it is the first time or the last time, but that Christ is present and God’s promises are present every time!

Generally, it is not beneficial for any of the baptized to wait longer than the elementary ages to receive Communion or to have first Communion instruction. In fact, it actually serves a counter purpose, because it can muddy the waters and confuse us into thinking that we have done something to earn or deserve the sacrament (like completing a class, or getting a certificate, or any good work). So, we do encourage everyone to be involved in first Communion instruction as 2nd graders, or at least while in elementary school.

Regardless of your practice, I would ask you to question what your motives and reasons are, and to be in conversation with either Pastor Randy or myself. Is there a theological reason that compels you one way or another? Is there a practical reason? Or is it simply that you are following past traditions? Or, perhaps you’ve never really given it much thought at all. Whichever way you go, we want to encourage that to be an intentional decision based on prayer and theological conversation.

The good news is that these sacraments are for us! They are not based on our works but on God’s grace and mercy. They are tangible ways that God’s promises are made known to us. Sometimes the children understand that better than the adults! Jesus does not exclude them from the kingdom of God (Luke 18:15, Mark 9:37), and the church confesses that we see God’s kingdom most clearly in the sacraments. So, feel free to “let the children come.” Simply teach them to hold their palms out, placing one hand over the other to make a throne for Christ, and we will put bread in their hands, because they too are the body of Christ.

Peace be with you all,

Pastor Christopher Carr
pastorcarr@ctkrva.org