Child Communion, or paedocommunion, is accepted by Eastern Orthodox Christians and rejected by Roman Catholics. Protestants are divided over it.

(It is interesting to note that, while I Corinthians 10 teaches the Lord’s Supper is to be a demonstration of our unity, Christians over the centuries have found so many aspects of Communion over which to be divided!)

“The way we’ve always done it?”

It’s easy to think we’ve always done things the same way. You’ve likely seen TV coverage when the College of Cardinals in Rome picks a new Pope. News channels show workers setting up the chimney on the Sistine Chapel. White smoke from the chimney means a new Pope is chosen. This “ancient” tradition of the chimney and white smoke is only about 100 years old, which is not long compared to the 2,000-year history of the Roman Catholic Church!

When it comes to our Communion traditions, we do the same thing the newspeople do with the chimney at the Vatican: we assume that “this is the way we’ve always done it.” It may have come as a shock to some to discover, for example, that even the Southern Baptists, as recently as 1925 (during Prohibition) used wine for the Lord’s Supper. When we’re talking about a Sacrament instituted by Christ over 2,000 years ago, “as far back as the oldest person in the congregation can remember” isn’t very far, and often it’s not far enough. That is definitely the case with child Communion.

Universal practice of the ancient Church

The Orthodox Church (the “Eastern” church) practices child Communion, while the Roman Catholic Church (the “Western” church) does not. However, the Western church did practice child Communion until the 4th century AD, and some parts continued for many centuries. Back then, they not only gave Communion to children as soon as they could but also communed the children before the adults, reflecting Jesus’ words, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.”

Things begin to change in the West

Child Communion was common in the Roman Church until the 12th century. However, with the rise of the Transubstantiation doctrine in the 12th and 13th centuries, the West started withholding Communion wine from the laity. This made it hard to give Communion to small children, who couldn’t chew the bread alone and needed wine or intinction (dipping the bread into the wine). The Eastern Church never withheld the chalice, so child Communion continued there and still does today. (They also use leavened bread and put it into the chalice, making the bread soft and easy for children to eat. The Roman Church insists on unleavened bread.)

Over time, the Western church began to explain its discontinuation of child Communion in terms of understanding, saying that no Sacrament (except baptism) should be given to those who cannot understand it. We’ll discuss the implications of that idea later.

Something the Reformers did not reform

The churches of the Reformation emerged from the Western (Roman Catholic) branch of Christianity, not the Eastern. For the Reformers and their followers, child Communion was unfamiliar. Although Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers challenged many Roman Catholic practices, most did not question the “age of reason” as the deciding factor for taking Communion. A few Reformers supported paedocommunion, but they were in the minority.

While the rite of Confirmation does not hold the same meaning for Protestants as it does for Roman Catholics, most Protestants continued to observe some sort of Confirmation practice, usually focusing on this dividing line between those communing and those not communing.

In the case of the Presbyterian Church, particularly in the South, Confirmation classes were for many years called “Communicants’ Classes,” and the focus of the class was not only to prepare young people to make a public profession of faith, but also to take Communion for the first time. This created two types of members in the church: “communing members” and “non-communing members,” but, in the popular jargon of most Southern Presbyterians, those young people who went through the Communicants’ Class and were subsequently admitted to the Lord’s Table were said to have “joined the church” upon their profession of faith, a concept more Baptist than Reformed.

When does a child join the church?

Children born into the church don’t “join the church” when they profess their faith. They join at baptism. Baptism is the rite that brings them into the church, not a “Communicants’ Class,” profession of faith, or First Communion. While it’s important to celebrate Confirmation, First Communion, and public professions of faith, calling these events “joining the church” takes away from the importance of baptism as a Sacrament established by Christ and a means of God’s grace.

Covenant meal for all of the covenant people

In the last post, we discussed Passover and how it lays the groundwork for the Lord’s Supper. The Passover was not an “adults-only” activity. Every member of every household was to partake of the Passover. At no point were children turned away from the Passover meal. Similarly, we believe that baptism is the New Testament renewal of circumcision as the sign and seal of the covenant of grace. If we believe that the children of believers are entitled to the covenant sign of baptism just as they were entitled to the covenant sign of circumcision in the Old Testament, then surely they are welcomed at the covenant meal of the Lord’s Supper just as they were welcomed at the covenant meal of the Passover.

What about “discerning the Lord’s body?”

The passage most often cited by people who are opposed to paedocommunion is I Corinthians 11, where Paul says that before partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we must “discern the Lord’s body.” He also says that we should “examine ourselves” before coming to the Table. In that chapter, the issue Paul was addressing in Corinth was certain members’ disregard for the other members: they were going ahead of the others, eating up all the food and drinking up all the wine. So, the body that Paul is calling them to discern is the Body of Christ. The Corinthians needed to “wait for one another,” to show consideration for one another. Since it was certainly not small children who were the culprits in this case, this passage cannot be construed as barring them from the Table. As a matter of fact, Paul doesn’t even bar the wrongdoers from the Table: he simply tells them to shape up and recognize all the members of the Body: rich and poor, male and female, slave and free, old and young.

What about “examine yourself”?

In I Corinthians 11, the need to “examine” oneself before taking Communion has been used to exclude not only young children, but also those with mental disabilities. I recently read about a couple with a thirty-year-old son with Down Syndrome. They told an elder at their church that their son wanted to profess his faith and take Communion. The elder replied, “Your son doesn’t know enough to do either.” Christianity isn’t about being the smartest or having all the answers. It’s not about human effort but about God’s mercy: “Not of works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:9).”

The mention of “self-examination” in I Corinthians 11 has led some to think that taking Communion requires understanding sacramental theology. Others believe “self-examination” means introspection, like comparing the number of sins from one week to another. However, the word translated as “examine” (dokimazo) means “prove yourself.” Paul is addressing the selfish worshipers in Corinth, urging them to show they understand the importance of all members of the Body of Christ before taking Communion. It’s not about introspection.

Meals are for the hungry

It’s not about grasping the details of sacramental theology. Even John Calvin admitted, “I experience it rather than understand it.” The Lord’s Supper isn’t just for theologians; it’s a meal meant for the hungry. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” This includes everyone who belongs to Christ by baptism, no matter their age.

Who practices paedocommunion (child Communion)?

Today, paedocommunion is practiced by the Orthodox Churches, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Reformed Church in America, the Christian Reformed Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and many other denominations. The Presbyterian Church (USA), in the Book of Order, states that baptized children are welcomed at the Lord’s Table:

“Baptized children who are being nurtured and instructed in the significance of the invitation to the Table and the meaning of their response are invited to receive the Lord’s Supper, recognizing that their understanding of participation will vary according to their maturity.” (W-4.2002)

Growing together in grace

As children grow, they will learn more about the Lord’s Supper. We guide them about the Sacraments, just as we, as adults, continue to learn and grow in our understanding of the faith. Just like we don’t expect kids to understand nutrition before allowing them to eat at home, the Lord doesn’t expect them to grasp sacramental theology before coming to His table. Instead, He says, “Let them come to me, and do not stop them.”

“Let the children come unto me”

While paedocommunion is practiced in many denominations, including the PC(USA) and the others mentioned above, it is still banned by many other Christian groups, including Roman Catholics, Baptists, and many conservative Evangelical denominations.

I rejoice that I’m part of a denomination that welcomes and invites all of God’s people, no matter their age or ability level, to feast with our Risen Lord at His Table.