Luther said something somewhere about how staying away from the Supper causes us to grow cold to it. The practice within our church body (LCMS) for quite a few decades has been to offer the rite of confirmation at the end of eighth grade, associating it very closely with an age typically considered to be a "graduation." Most people interpret this (quite unfortunately) as giving the "reward" of the Supper to those who have "passed the test" for confirmation class, to those who have attained a certain level of maturity or cognition.
Some pastors see how harmful it is for people to draw the conclusion that they earn the right to commune by going through a certain set of theological coursework. These pastors also desire to feed Jesus' lambs who are under their care and who are asking to partake. They realize how easy it is for people to draw the conclusion that the Supper must not really be too terribly important. After all, if they tell me I can get by without it just dandy for 14 years or more, why should I believe what they say about the Supper's importance when they've been teaching me all along (by their actions) that I don't really need it?
Pastor Stuckwisch has a lovely piece about a first communion tomorrow for one of his sheep. Because of some typical objections, Pr Stuckwisch and Pr Grobien make some additional comments on the topic elsewhere.
As a mother, I have been at a loss to explain to my children why they couldn't commune. The rule here (among others) is that children must be able to say the six chief parts of the catechism. My youngest had a much harder time with that than the others. I don't suppose it did her any harm to memorize the words. But she didn't understand them like I would've wished, and that made it harder for her to commit the words to memory. The struggle to accomplish the task did not increase her worthiness to commune. Children (or retarded adults .... or even bright adults, for that matter) are worthy because of what Jesus has done for them, and they have faith in the words "given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins." When they are under the care of the pastor in that place, being shaped by his teaching, saying "amen" to it and desiring to hear more and more, barring them from the Sacrament for years will teach them to despise it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sparkle Kitty (age 5) hasn't yet asked why she can't receive the bread and wine - perhaps the fact that she goes to the table with us, and always has, and that Pr. blesses her by name, helps a bit. But the day is coming when she will ask.
ReplyDeleteI've often commented to Alan that I wished that the LCMS (or individual churches or whatever) would do communion at an earlier age, and confirmation at a later age. It's like they're compromising on both to do everything at once - but when confirmation isn't a sacrament like it is in the Catholic church, maybe the view is that there needs to be something at the end of that confirmation study rainbow. I don't know. I just think that 7th or 8th grade is too young for some (most, these days) to have an understanding rather than just a memorization of the catechism, and I think that 7th or 8th grade is just too long to withhold communion.
ReplyDeleteWe lowered the requirement to exactly what you stated - not with the meanings, but according to Luther's guidelines in the Questions and Answers and elsewhere, when they have been instructed....know the 10 commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Words of Institution, the Apostles Creed, and what baptism is.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how much of a stickler my husband would be on actual memorization, except for the fact that Luther says that EVERY CHRISTIAN should know these and be able to say them at a moments' notice. He does want some understanding of what they mean, but "ready" would look different for a 6 year old than it would for a 13 year old.
I don't know that this is the perfect way to do it. I agree with you, it is about what Jesus has done for us, not our earning a prize.
Our congregation struggles constantly with kids just being overscheduled. They are doing tutoring, Scouts, sports. The parents don't believe how important it is because they have grown up in all of this, and they see the earthly things as being so important. Many of them also remember how tedious it was for them (and probably how it was a carrot at the end of a stick, but they don't make the connection), and don't want the battle of sending their kids to confirmation. Many of them already don't require their kids to go to church.
Elephant's Child....catechize her diligently and lovingly. Have her know these things so that when she does ask, you can be on your way to asking the pastor what good reason there is to keep her from the table.
ReplyDeleteWho knows when that will be, but having her on the way there is good for her anyway.
RBW wrote, "except for the fact that Luther says that EVERY CHRISTIAN should know these and be able to say them at a moments' notice."
ReplyDeleteWe have to be careful with those kind of statements, though. It certainly cannot mean that a 1-yr-old is not a Christian, nor that a 5-yr-old with speech problems due to a misshapen palate is not a Christian, nor that a stroke victim who can no longer talk is not a Christian.
I think those statements by Luther have a lot more to do with hardness of heart and refusal to learn than they have to do with head-knowledge of a set of information.
I agree completely.
ReplyDeleteI also find the tone Luther uses in talking about those who are despising God's Word (failing to attend, to allow God's Word to work), and many pastors today. It is much more harsh, and a stronger call to repentance than the "hope for a change of heart that we often hear today. Sometimes I wonder if we were clearer on what course to take with those who are "inactive," if our communion policy regarding those who should be at the table would be clearer.
To be fair to the pastors who are constantly facing this, it is terribly hard to take a stand against those who are in any kind of besetting sin when he is the only one who is standing up for it. It is still a duty, but it becomes even more heartbreaking of a duty when friends and family, knowing how the "inactive" member is, ignore the situation and refuse to deal with it for the sake of not having conflict, and then get mad at the pastor for being the only one who will not ignore it. The temptation to do likewise is very strong.