More communion readings

I was recently charged with the responsibility of bringing forward a presentation regarding communion within our Menno culture and some current practice.  What I have found within a short period of research that we're all over the map with how we engage in this rite.  There are those congregations that hold to the baptized believers only practice and there are those that practice an open table.  A professor at Conrad Grebel recently said that, "Big issue is whether we have a biblically and theologically and missiologically resilient understanding of what it means to become a part of the body of Christ. That largely missing piece is at the basis of our lack of clarity on the rite of communion, is my suspicion."  That, I believe is an encompassing statement that most congregations are less willing to delve into.  It's much easier to make a decision with regard to how we do things, appealing to the lowest common denominator within our group-think and then get on with things, leaving those who question the decision, puzzled, confused and saddened.

My readings in preparation for the presentation took me largely to Thomas Finger's "Contemporary Anabaptist Theology".  He's done a wonderful work in pulling together a variety of our confessions of faith and also in providing a summary of the effects particular leaders had on their congregations and how those influences differed in geographical regions with the germanic speaking people groups.  After all was said and done, we came to no further conclusion that we'd begun with and having done even this little bit of preparation, it is evident to me that we are unlikely to come to a harmonious conclusion.  It is probably better for us to expend our discernment energies on the statement raised by my friend from Conrad Grebel.

Communion and the very young

In the previous post, I outlined something of the dilemma regarding the practice of communion; whether it should be reserved for those who profess Christ and have submitted themselves to baptism or whether it should be an open table.  That question was posed to our church council recently.  It was of great interest to me that the question quickly moved to what should be done when the very young might come forward to an open table.  There of course, was the legitimate question as to whether the very young would have a significant enough understanding of what this practice of communion meant.  It was also suggested that the very young might in fact be subject to the very same types of peer pressures that they already are subject to in other environments, leaving them to come just because everyone else was but not really wanting to.  I would suggest that we as adults are likely also to be subject to these same pressures and are thinking that others who sees us not coming will wonder at what grievous sin we have committed that holds us captive and keeps us from the communion table.

It was of significant interest to me that the conversation really did not deal with the question of being able to include those who professed Jesus Christ yet had not taken baptism.  This was the real core of why the question was being raised in the first place.  It was unfortunate that we really couldn't get to the core of that question because of this earlier concern.

We were, however, informed that should anyone come to the communion table and hold out their hands to take part in the elements our pastor would not turn them aside.  A courageous and quite appropriate response; I would suggest, however we still did not get to the point where we could be of a unified voice around our council table to be able to approve a proposal to our congregation.

I did mention in the earlier posting that I found it interesting that in the Mennonite congregations I am familiar with, we have almost without fail opted to use a loaf of bread and grape juice.  I suggest that the use of real wine, as used in many other traditions, will virtually eliminate the question that held us up during our deliberations at council.  The use of real wine within the context of communion practice will in fact, put the onness on all parents.  Those who bring their children to church with an understanding of communion can also give explanation to their children as to why their participation is something they don't want them to do just yet and the fact that real wine is being served reinforces the special nature of this event in the life of the church.

That then brings us to another question as to the character of communion itself.  There are many understandings as to what happens when the bread and wine are consecrated/blessed.  The most common definitions include the terms transubstantiation, consubstantiation and representation.  Transubstantiation being the position that says the bread and wine mystically become the body and blood of Christ.  Consubstantiation, the position that says that the body and blood of Christ reside with the bread and wine while not being changed in nature or form.  Then finally the position which the Anabaptists and many others hold to, that being the position which says that the bread and wine are a representation of the body and blood of Christ and no mystical event occurs to the elements themselves.

Thomas Finger in his book "A Contemporary Anabaptist Theology" posits another term which has a resonance for me.  He uses the term transignification.  It is my understanding from my reading that even though there is no material or mystical change to the elements themselves, we as participants in communion bring a new meaning to these elements.  For us as participants, we no longer view these elements as JUST bread and wine but we imbue them with a significance far beyond their original manufacture.  It is we who are changed and it is we who change these elements.  Therefore, going back to what kind of elements are being used, it really wouldn't matter what we chose.  Be it Weston's Bleached White bread and Welch's Grape Juice or be it unleavend bread and wine, we are bringing a new meaning to these elements.  Transignification.

Therefore, the question that held us up at council as to whether children be allowed to the table, needs to be reviewed once more with the thought that all of us participating, in some way are changing the elements and at the same time are being called to change.

Table of Christ

This past Sunday, a song was sung in our church which I believe was very ' thick' in theology.  The piece is entitled, "This is the Table of Christ".  The text included; "...you who are weary come, you who are hungry come, if you would follow him come, if you have failed him come.  Come to the table, Jesus would meet you here...".  This selection comes from a tradition other than my own and has called me to think about our practice of communion each and every time I have heard it in the context of the songs' home faith tradition and I think about it when I participate in communion in my home congregation.

The congregation in which this song finds its' home, practices an open table with bread and wine; real wine.  In contrast virtually every Mennonite congregation that I am familiar with, practices a communion that invites the baptized believer to come and in almost all cases now, it's bread and watery grape juice.  I find myself torn between the two positions.  On the one hand, I have a respect for the position that says that those who have a relationship with Jesus are the ones that have been invited.  On the other hand, this open practice that faces me, seems also to reflect the character of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel accounts in which he invites all the outcasts to come.  What are we to do with this?

If the understanding of communion is as a representation of the body and blood of Christ, then should the opportunity to take part in accepting of that representation not be available to all who would come?  There is of course, the admonish not to come to the table unworthily.  If we have something against our 'brother' we are admonished to deal with that before coming, but that seems to be more in reference to the bringing of an offering.  It logically follows of course, that our relationships with those whom we call brothers and sisters need to be reconciled frequently and most assuredly when we take part in this service of communion.  This is something that we are called to do.  The text of the song initially mentioned, points rather at the work of Christ and His presence with us in the here and now and His invitation to us in the here and now and not at what we've got to do and be before we're good enough to be a participate at the communion table.

There of course, is some significant resistance to practicing an open table in most of our congregations but I would suggest it would do us all good to review our practice of communion.  We may come to the conclusion that the way we do things now, is the way we'll do them in the future but going through the exercise of asking the question again, is a healthy one. 

One of the more interesting aspects of the Mennonite way of viewing a variety of issues, is the way discernment is achieved.  To discern, is to diligently seek out direction from God's word, to call on the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we seek that direction from God's word and then to do that together as a body of believers.  That last element seems unique to the anabaptist perspective.  Outgoing general secretary for Mennonite Church Canada said during one of his last addresses to us; "...the church has spoken and the church will speak again...".  The church is us and by following the previously mentioned method of discernment, the church will speak again.

I would welcome the thoughts of others.

Initial entry

Welcome to Mennothink blog.  The intent is to explore some of the current thoughts associated with contemporary thoughts within the context of the Mennonite community as it is reflected within my own experience of my faith position and how outside influences from other faith perspectives have and continue to influence how I experience my faith.

I hope to share some thoughts on books that I've read and discussion that I've engaged in.  More to come.