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A Training Course for Eldersin Administering the Sacraments

Content

1. Foreword page 22. Rules page 3

Part 1 – PROCLAIMING THE WORDpage 5

Chapter 1 - Proclaiming the Word and the Sacramentspage 5

Work to assess page 13

Part 2 – ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENTSpage 14

Chapter 2 – Christian Worship and Servicepage 14

Work to assess page 17

Chapter 3 – The Communion page 18Work to assess page 30

Chapter 4 – Baptism page 31Work to assess page 37

Chapter 5 – Administering the Sacramentspage 38

3. Bibliographypage 43

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Candidates and Training DepartmentThe Ministries DepartmentThe Presbyterian Church of Wales2017

Foreword

These notes have been prepared for those elders who are approved by their presbyteries to undertake PCW training in administering the sacraments. In accordance with the recommendations of the 2005 General Assembly the place of the sacraments within the church’s worship and in the context of the preaching of the Word is emphasized.

Since the training is expected to take place in tutor-led groups the notes contain suggestions for discussion and it is hoped that within the groups there will be an opportunity to express opinions and share experiences. There is also an ‘assessment activity’ at the end of each section and those following the course are expected to meet these requirements and present their work to their tutor. No firm guidelines have been set regarding the length of the training course, but those following it are asked to give detailed consideration to each section under the direction of a tutor.

The sources used to prepare these notes are noted in the bibliography at the end and all guidance received from them is gratefully acknowledged. I am also grateful to the Rev Dr Elfed ap Nefydd Roberts and the members of the PCW Doctrine Panel for reading the original work and offering many useful suggestions for its improvement. The Doctrine and Worship Group also looked over the current version.

Elwyn RichardsPCW Training Director(June 2006)Delyth Oswy ShawTraining Co-ordinator PCW(Revised May 2017)

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Rules pertaining to the rights of elders who have been trained to administer the sacraments

See the Proceedings of the General Assembly 2005Additional Papers (p.13, No. 2.2.) Elders and the Sacraments

· That permission be given to Presbyteries in consultation with the churches to consider nominating elders to be trained and licensed to administer the sacraments in pastorless churches within their Presbytery when invited to do so by those churches. Where there is a minister, permission will not be given for an elder to administer the Sacraments unless this is with the agreement of the Minister.

· Elders will be licensed for three years, and the licence can be renewed with the consent of both the elder and the Presbytery.

· No elder will be licensed until the appropriate training has first been followed.

· Training is to be arranged and provided by the Ministerial Board and each elder is expected to complete the course before being licensed.

· It is emphasized that the Sacraments should be administered in the context of the proclamation of the Word.

· It is the Presbytery’s responsibility to publish a list of those who have been licensed.

· If an elder moves from one Presbytery, that elder will not be allowed to administer the Sacraments in another Presbytery unless he/she is licensed within that particular Presbytery.

· The Ministerial Board must be informed of the names of all licensed elders.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2011 p.41The relationship between Commissioned Elders and Residential Homes & HospitalsRecommentation: Elders ought to be permitted and licensed to offer communion to members from the churches of their Presbytery who are at a home for the elderly or at a hospital, where there is no minister available to administer the communion, or where there is no minister available to administer communion in the Welsh language. Perhaps they could also be permitted to serve communion to individuals from their own churches who are confined to their own homes. In such cases, it should be recommended that the elders concerned be accompanied by another member from their own home church, whenever visiting the individual house-bound person’s home, as a symbolic gesture of ‘taking the Church to the home’.

ASSEMBLY DECISION – CONFIRMED

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2012 General AssemblyReport of the General Assembly Board - Commission of the Covenanted Churches p.16 No. 7.7.2.1

Administering Communion in Residential Homes – From the General Assembly 2011 the matter of licensed elders being able to administer Communion to members of other Churches in residential homes was raised with the Commission and the following minute noted; ‘Agreement that there was no objection from any of the Covenanted Churches to their members, being residents in Homes for the Elderly, receiving Communion from a PCW licensed elder – the terms of the Covenant Permitted this.’

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PART 1: PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Refer to the following quotation from the Proceedings of the General Assembly 2005:

“Emphasis is placed on administering the Sacraments in the context of Proclaiming the Word”

Every individual who serves the sacraments is to proclaim the Word as part of the worship. The first part of this handbook therefore considers Proclaiming the word, before moving on to the second part of the handbook, which focuses on administering the sacraments.

Chapter 1 - PROCLAIMING THE WORD AND THE SACRAMENTSHere you will consider:

- The connection between proclaiming the Word and the Communion from the 19th Century onwards

- The importance of proclaiming the Word in Protestantism- Biblical text for a sermon/address- Placing the Biblical text in its context- The Leader himself/herself and his/her contribution to the

sermon/address- Who are your congregation and what are their needs?- Composing a sermon/address- Language and vocabulary of a sermon/address

History of the connection between Proclaiming the Word and Communion

Traditionally the Church has closely associated the sacraments with scripture and the preaching of the Word, and this is not surprising as it is through the Bible that the sacraments are presented to us, and because it is by understanding the message of scripture that we come to appreciate their significance and meaning. Indeed, without instruction and explanation the sacraments remain meaningless.

By the fourth century a balance had obviously developed between word and deed within the Church’s worship. A number of scripture readings were included in the service, with a reading from the gospels as the climax. This would then be followed by two or three addresses, with the congregation joining in to sing hymns and psalms, and there would also be extempore prayers in this part of the service.

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Communion would be administered after all, except those who had been baptised, had left.

The importance of Proclaiming the Word in Protestantism

Though the Catholic Church’s increasing emphasis on the sacraments led to proclaiming the Word being ignored and neglected during the Middle Ages, things changed with the coming of the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin, for example, in his final edition of the Institutes in 1559, considered that the sacraments were ‘another aid, similar and close to the preaching of the Gospel, to maintain and confirm faith’. Therefore, the proclaiming the Word and the administering of the sacrament should take place in the same service and traditionally Nonconformity in Wales has emphasized the importance of the address before the Communion and the sermon in a Baptismal service. By no means should the sacraments be separated from the service as if administering the sacraments were a separate service, or an appendage to the main service.

Proclaiming the Word“Proclaiming the Word” is the term used in PCW’s Handbook of Order and Rules rather than “preaching”. Does the Word have to be proclaimed before the Communion? The emphasis is on ensuring that the meaning and significance of the Sacraments are explained as part of the worship. Without understanding their meaning, the sacraments lose their worth.

The important point is to communicate the message and for a contemporary congregation, various media and technology can be just as effective as a traditional sermon.

The Biblical TextThe Biblical text is the basis of proclaiming the Word in a sermon or an address, and the essence of an address is to explain the text and apply it to everyday life. What the text has to say is more important than the presenter’s personal ideas, and forming a presentation means trying to understand the message that stems from the Bible. This becomes evident when we remember Paul’s words to the Galatians; For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:11-12)

Making the Bible’s words relevant to the modern world requires understanding and imagination and it cannot avoid the effort of wrestling with the Word. Though he/she may present on a subject or theme without a particular verse for guidance, the person presenting the message’s intention will be occupied by the Bible’s

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thinking and the Bible’s ideas, and in that respect will be bound to the Word.

But for imagination and current understanding to be effective the text must first be understood and appreciated. To this end commentaries will be useful, and the presenter should try to ensure that he/she has understood the meaning and significance of the words. Only then can they be applied to a particular age and period. It should also be remembered that the original authors had their unique message, and it is sometimes worthwhile to focus on the message of scripture as it is presented in the Bible. That is not always as easy as we think for other voices claim our attention. Consider, for example, the way Mark portrays Jesus’ passion when he is completely removed from all company – he hangs alone on the cross, he shouts to God who has forsaken him, those crucified with him dishonour him and the crowd mock him (15:27-37). However, in remembering the story we also remember what the other evangelists recorded – Jesus’ entreaty that his executioners might be forgiven(Lk 23:34), and the reference to the good thief (Lk 23:39-43), and the cry of victory (John 19:30), and somehow the unique note struck by Mark is lost.

Another temptation is to use particular words as convenient hooks on which to hang our own ideas, or to ignore difficult verses, but to do so is to deprive the Bible of its radical voice, and to deny its right to provoke and challenge us. Similarly, one must guard against turning every sermon into a treatise on our favourite theological theme or subject and replacing ‘all God’s Counsel’ with our personal interests.

Consider

What is your usual starting point, the Biblical text or a topic to be considered?

Is there a difference between a “sermon”, “address” and “Proclaiming the Word”?

Putting the Biblical passage in context

The text’s contextEvery verse or passage of scripture is part of something larger, whether it be a story, a situation, or a debate or whatever. The person addressing cannot ignore this wider context as it may be extremely relevant to his/her message. For example, if you were to compile a presentation based on the gospels, you would have to consider three or four contexts:

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1. The situation in Jesus’ life – the audience’s questions and requirements, the religious and social practices of the time, contemporary thinking and the place of the extraordinary event in Jesus’ own ministry.

2. The situation in the life of Jesus’ followers and those who heard him preach in the first century, why they remembered these special events, why they discussed them and brought them to the attention of others, and also how and why did they became part of the oral tradition that was the basis of the gospels? What circumstance in the history of the Early Church made these stories important in the eyes of Jesus’ followers thirty years after his death (i.e. before the gospels were written)?

3. The situation at the time the gospel was written – why its author chose and included in his gospel the particular materials we see there? Why John, for example, saw special significance in the seven signs he included in his gospel? Why Luke took the story of Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth and included it, not in the middle of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee as Mark did (6:1-6), but at the beginning of his ministry (Lk 4:16-30)? Thought went into the writing of the gospels and it is part of the preacher’s job in writing his sermon to try to comprehend why the scripture was written in this way and not in some other way. Another way of approaching this question is to ask what effect the author was trying to generate in his readers. In recording the story of Jesus’ temptation (Lk4:1-13), one might think that Luke, bearing in mind the themes and emphasis of Luke’s gospel and the Book of Acts, is trying to;

o Draw up a missionary strategy for the church – it should not rest satisfied with easy choices

o Encourage believers who are face to face with temptation – Jesus himself was tempted

o Warn believers that they will face tribulations – Jesus was tempted directly after a sublime spiritual experience on the banks of the Jordan.

o Re-establish the Christian identity – the believers belong to the new Israel, and Jesus’ answers here show that he is fulfilling the call of the old Israel.

4. The situation as regards the Jewish faith - remember that the

majority of the authors of the NT were familiar with the Jewish scriptures. For example, in writing a sermon on the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand (John 6:1-15) it should be borne in mind that;

o Jesus’ interpretation of this miracle was that he had been sent by the Father to be the bread of life for the believers.

o Jesus’ listeners knew how God had fed their forefathers in a miraculous manner in the wilderness.

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o This story was part of the various oral traditions about Jesus (see Mark 6:30-44,8:1-10; Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39; Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15)

o John and his readers would certainly have linked this story with their custom of meeting in the name of Jesus to eat bread and drink wine in memory of his death and resurrection.

o In John’s eyes, Jesus’ death which happened on the eve of the Passover, was a sacrifice that established a new covenant between God and his people.

Discuss

Have you started to watch a television drama series but then not understand it, before realizing that it is part of a series which began some time ago? How does context help understanding?

The leader him/herself and his/her contribution to the sermon / address

The context of who is proclaiming the WordThe presenter’s situation and experience will inevitably influence his/her address, but care should be taken lest they exaggerate the message. However, it goes without saying that the presentation that is going to touch the congregation is the one that touched the presenter’s heart initially. He/she is also a fellow-traveller with the congregation, and should remember that and refer, not to ‘you’ the congregation, but to ‘us’, Jesus’ followers!

We should not forget either the importance of a prayerful reflection on the gospel, the type of reflection which enables us to hear the particular message embodied in the content. One way of promoting such reflection is to ask ourselves about our attitude in relation to the story.

Context of the listeners – Who is your congregation, and what are their needs?

It is evident from the NT that Jesus paid special attention to his listeners, responding to their questions and their worries. He responded to what he heard, and he tried to get to grips with the questions of the day rather than present set lessons. Although there is a timeless aspect to the gospel’s message, and it is in that respect forever contemporary, the presenter should not ignore what occupies the attention of the congregation at a local and international level, because by connecting with them where they

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stand, one will capture their interest and ensure that they will listen to the message. Every presenter is constantly in danger of answering questions no one is asking; only where the message really connects with the life of the listeners do the words of the sermon become alive.

Consider

How can technology aid more effective communication with modern society?

It should also be remembered that there is more to worship than the address, and that the address should be closely linked to the rest of the service to form one memorable whole in the mind of the worshippers. This is especially true of services where the sacraments are administered – what is said and done should reflect and enlighten the other.

In preparing an address or sermon one can either look for a text and apply this to the congregation, or consider the needs of the congregation and look for a text that will meet their requirements. The downside to the first approach is that it does not take the needs of the congregation seriously, and the downside to the second approach is that it confines the Bible’s message to that which is relevant to the needs of the congregation. One must try to respect the listeners and be true to the Word. Here is one way of preparing a sermon / address that attempts to achieve this;

· Start with the Biblical text· Consider how the congregation is likely to react to this

text – with understanding or confusion? Opposition or appreciation? And try to guess why the congregation might respond in such a way? If current attitudes or the spirit of the age are responsible for such a response, consider whether the Bible commends or condemns that response.

· Consider the original text in the light of the supposed response – will it answer the congregation’s questions, require them to change their minds, support them or criticise them?

· Establish the sermon’s objective, and how your message applies to everyday life

· Outline and complete the sermon.

When preaching in the context of the sacraments the theme will already be familiar, but the central theme can be approached from a number of directions.

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Preparing a sermon / address

A sermon / address should have only one objective, and the presenter should keep that objective in mind when preparing the sermon / address. It will always be a practical objective because Christianity is a practical, rather than a hypothetical, religion. The presenter’s aim will be to change the attitude or actions of the listeners, and this can be achieved by;

· touching their hearts and making them feel· strengthening their faith and helping them to believe· motivating them to do something.

A sermon / address does not aim to help congregations to focus, remember the message and repeat it to others; a sermon / address always aims to change and excite the listener. The message must be digested not merely remembered, and neither is it enough for the presenter to explain the truth, as we do not receive any truth by means of intellectual explanation alone, but rather by finding it for ourselves so that the ‘penny drops’ in our experience. To this end it should be remembered that the presenter must;

· Hold the attention of the congregation by connecting with the listeners’ minds, lives and situations.

· Reveal the message in the text so that the listeners comprehend what it means to them.

· Show the congregation how they should respond in faith in their daily lives so that God’s Word makes a difference in their world.

In order to connect effectively with the listeners’ lives the address will have to include illustrations or stories that will be like windows shedding light on the message. They serve to;

· explain and enable the congregation to hear the message. · assist the congregation to focus on the message and

consider it further later on. · make the address more enjoyable and entertaining.

The Bible contains a number of examples of stories or illustrations with a final twist (see Isaiah 5:1-7,Amos 1;3-2:8, 2 Sam 12:1-7, Luke 18:9-14,).As a rule illustrations that are of interest and relevance to the listeners’ world should be chosen, they should be simple and direct and the presenter should not illustrate the message by continually referring to personal experience. If someone else is referred to, avoid revealing any secrets. Like the Apostle Paul, the presenter should remind the congregation of God’s goodness, what he has done in the past, what he does now and what he will do again in the future.

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Language and vocabulary of a presentation, and communicating your message

Every address should be clear and direct, intelligible and simple in terms of vocabulary and syntax, and any visual element should be clear and relevant. The ‘language of the pulpit’ was once in the ascendant, and the refinement and correctness of the preachers’ language in the past certainly served to enrich the vocabulary and syntax of the listeners. However, one should now avoid using language which is too formal when preaching, although one shouldn’t set out to use vulgar and clumsy language either. The aim will be to make sure the message is intelligible, and it should be remembered that written idiom does not always accord with oral means of communication. When speaking in public; · the vocabulary will be less highbrow and more colloquial· the delivery will be longer than what is printed· the sentences will be shorter, and there will be more of them· the message will be reinforced by bearing and demeanour, the

tone of his/her voice and its pitch. To communicate effectively when preaching / addressing one should;· Avoid using jargon of the religious world · Use natural language used everyday· A twenty minute sermon / address is as much as the normal

congregation can follow. Nothing kills the spirit and atmosphere of a service more than tediousness.

Remember also that effective communication cannot be completely separated from the sermon’s / address’ format. Traditionally the three point sermon was popular as it offered the memory an easy framework and effectively separated different sections of the message. Although a similar pattern should not always be sought, it must be remembered that a structureless sermon / address is bound to be ineffective. The aim is to aid the memory and understanding. Within a framework that supports this by means of reasonable development and coherency, there is scope for a preface and a climax, discussion and declaration.

PROCLAIMING THE WORD AND THE SACRAMENTS – Work to be assessed

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Consider one of your recent sermons / address / talk, and provide a copy of it.

1. What was your message, and how did you present it? What did you do to communicate with a modern congregation?2. Note your impressions of the services where you delivered this address / sermon. Looking back, what were the strengths and weaknesses of your presentation and service? What would you do differently next time?

PART 2: Administering the Sacraments

Chapter 2 – WORSHIP and CHRISTIAN SERVICE

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Here you will consider- Worship and the emphasis of different denominations- What Christian worship should include- What is “Sacrament”- The element of mystery in worship- 3 essential parts to worship- Preparation- Ministry of the Word- The response of the congregation

WorshipWorship is an unique activity and special activity and the ones leading worship should be aware of what they are seeking to achieve

Home Work

Ask two or three people over the next few weeks what they consider to be the nature and purpose of worship, and consider their responses

The emphasis of different denominations in worship

The lay-out and contents of a building also says much about a worship space and it should also be borne in mind that other Christian traditions bring their own emphasis to worship. The Quakers emphasize quiet contemplation underlining the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding thought and enlightening understanding and encouraging the whole company to pray or give praise. The Eastern Orthodox Church, however, places the greatest emphasis on the whole congregation being part of the worship which itself proclaims and re-enacts God’s purposes. By regularly coming to worship week after week, year after year, the worshippers are instructed in the faith. The colourful vestments of the priests, melodious music, evocative incense and all manner of images, icons and symbols, together with chant and drama, are used to convey the message of the gospel. People come and go during the service, and not every part of the service is comprehensible and meaningful to everybody, for the Eastern Orthodox Church believes that it takes a whole lifetime and more to fully comprehend the Faith.

What should Christian Worship contain?

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Christian worship is, by nature, a celebration. The good news of the gospel, God’s love and its various blessings are recognised, and that leads to thanksgiving, praise and joy. God’s love in Christ is always the focus, the worshippers focus on God not their own needs, and by repeating the story of his involvement with his people, his coming to earth in his Son, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the church, they come to know him.

Every act of worship must therefore reflect the life and belief of the Christian Faith. Believing means taking a particular stance on events from the past that are recorded in the Bible. In a service of worship the divine revelation is repeated and responded to. The elements in a service of worship that express God’s revelation are scripture readings, preaching, reading Psalms together, reciting a Confession of Faith, and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The elements that express the congregation’s response are hymn-singing, praying, the offertory and obedience to the work of the Kingdom in everyday life. The culmination of worship is expressed in the Holy Communion when the suffering and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are commemorated and when worshippers respond by consecrating themselves once more to God. As the prayer following the Holy Communion in the Book of Services says: ‘We offer and present to you ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice…’ (p.135).

WHAT IS A SACRAMENT?

St Augustine, in the 5th century, described a sacrament as ‘an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace.’ To that we have added the requirement that it should be something instituted by Christ and to be repeated for all time by the Church.

The element of mystery in worship

This reminds us that there is a mysterious, supernatural element to Christian Worship, or put another way, that our activity is not all that happens in a service of worship. It is not the correctness of the praise, nor the dignity of the minister, nor the devotion of the worshippers that is fundamental but the action of the Spirit of God. This is expressed by Charles Wesley in his familiar hymn;

Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire; Let us thine influence prove,Source of the old prophetic fire, Fountain of life and love.

Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee, The prophets wrote and spoke;Unlock the truth, thyself the key;

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Unseal the sacred book.

Key verses

John 4:23-4But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Romans 8: 26-27Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Three parts of worship

PreparationAssuming we are obliged to address God in a humble, sincere and seemly manner, the first element of Christian worship, namely the Preparation, cannot be overemphasized. This is our opportunity to prepare our minds and hearts to receive the Word of God and it is appropriate to begin each service with a call to worship, a prayer of consecration and a hymn.

Ministry of the WordFollowing preparation, we come to the Ministry of the Word when the Scripture is read and explained and then related to the life of the believers. People should then be assisted to receive and comprehend the Word, to hear and to respond to what is heard. The Ministry of the Word can also include a Psalm reading, and the recital of our short Confession of Faith.

The Congregation’s ResponseThe last part of the service is the response. The offertory or the collection represents the response of the whole of life and it is an opportunity to show how practical the Christian’s response must be, and to respond too through prayer and praise. As long as the basic elements are included in the service pattern – as long as worshippers approach God in reverential awe, as long as the gospel which brings us out of darkness into his wonderful light is proclaimed, and as long as there are opportunities in the service for all those present to respond to the good news, then one can be flexible with the form of worship.

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Prayer is part of the congregation’s response and it is essential that whoever is leading the service is aware that they are not offering their own personal prayer with the congregation listening, but that they are leading the whole congregation before the throne of grace. This requires careful preparation. Preparing prayers is just as important as preparing a sermon or address, and the various parts of prayer, such as praise, confession, thanksgiving and intercession should be included and given prominence. Prayers that are read can be just as sincere as extempore prayers and a variety of books of prayers are available in both Welsh and English.

Consider:How can you achieve a balance between emphasizing God’s majesty on one hand and his closeness and love on the other hand?

WORSHIP and CHRISTIAN SERVICE – Activity to be Assessed

1. Present an outline service (50-60 minutes – including any hymns, prayers, children’s address, visual elements, sermon or address)

2. What do you understand by Christian worship and sacrament?

3. Preparation / delivery of the Word / Congregation’s response – how does your ‘service’ follow this pattern?

Part 2

Chapter 3: THE COMMUNION

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Here you will consider the history of the Communion from the time of Christ to this day

- Worship in the New Testament and the influence of Judaism on the worship of the early church

- The origins of the Communion in the Jewish tradition- The significance of Communion- Communion and the Passover- Communion in the Early Church- The history of communion in the early centuries after Christ- Communion in the Middle Ages- Trans-Substantiation - its meaning, origin and history- Martin Luther – his challenge to trans-substantiation- The Creed and emphasis of Zwingli concerning the Communion- The Creed and emphasis of John Calvin concerning the

Communion- The Anglican Church and the Protestant Reformation- attitudes

towards the Communion

Worship in the New Testament and the Jewish influence on worship in the Early Church

It is evident from the NT that the earliest Christian worship was mainly influenced by the Jewish Synagogue and what happened in the Upper Room on the night Jesus was betrayed. In describing the believers’ life Luke says in the Book of Acts; ‘Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.’ (2:46-47a)

The emphasis on reading and explaining the scripture, praying and singing Psalms can be traced back to the Synagogue. However, the content of these traditional elements gradually changed and more emphasis was placed on the writings of the prophets than on Jewish Law, a collection of the sayings of Jesus and the stories about him became more popular, and the letters of the Apostles began to be read, especially those of the Apostle Paul, during the services. In time the gospels came to be afforded a special place and respect, but right from the start there was also one other unique element in a Christian service of worship, namely the Communion.

The roots of the Communion in the Jewish Tradition

It cannot be denied that the Communion, as a ritualistic meal, is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition. Some believe that the supper eaten by Jesus and his disciples in the Upper Room was probably a traditional meal that would be eaten as a preparation for a feast by a rabbi and his disciples (Kiddush). Like the Communion that emanated from it, such a meal would be held often, and it included

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unleavened bread and one cup of wine mixed with water. Others say that the meal in the Upper Room should be associated with the feast of the Passover since many of its features reflect the Passover meal. For example, the Passover meal had to be eaten within the walled city of Jerusalem, and the Last Supper was eaten within the city walls. The Passover night had to be spent within greater Jerusalem, and unlike other nights during their visit to the capital, Jesus and his disciples spent the night following the Last Supper in Gethsemane, within greater Jerusalem, and not in Bethany. It is also stated that Jesus and his disciples reclined as they ate (Mark 14:18), and it was customary to sit at ordinary meals but to recline at the Passover. The meal was also eaten in the evening (1 Cor 11:23, Mk 14:17, Math 26:20), it ended with a hymn (Math 26:30, Mk 14:26) and during the meal the meaning of the elements was interpreted, and these again were features of the Passover meal. A counterargument, however, is that it would not have been legal, according to Jewish law, to hold a court or execute someone during the feast of Passover, and another suggestion is that the supper was a special meal held every week to mark a religious community (haburah). (For a detailed discussion see N Clark’s book and R H Stein’s article in the Bibliography). In view of the various accounts of the supper found in the NT(Mk 14:22-25, Mth 26:26-29, Lk 22:15-20, I Cor 11:23-25 ) scholars have long debated whether Matthew, Mark or Luke, who envision the Last Supper taking place within the time frame of a Passover meal, associate the Christian Communion with the Jewish Passover.

Given the circumstances surrounding the supper, it is little wonder that the accounts in the NT vary so much, since it is hardly likely that any of the disciples could have relied totally on their memories of such an exciting night. However, broadly speaking, it can be said that the accounts contain;

1. An assertion that the bread is Jesus’ body and that it is ‘for you’.

2. An assertion that the cup represents the blood of the new covenant – i.e. the new relationship between people and God made possible by the life and death of Jesus.

3. A command to hold the meal in the future to keep fresh the memory of what Jesus did

4. A declaration of faith in the coming of the Kingdom in fullness.

The significance of Communion

Central to our faith and worship are the events of the first Easter. Below is a brief list, by no means comprehensive, of the main themes which should be referred to in the Communion Service.

· Grace and Forgiveness· Love· Salvation

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· Atonement· Justification· Resurrection and Eternal Life· Christ’s victory over Death· Christ’s second coming· The unity of God’s people with the cloud of witnesses· The New Covenant

Passover

There are many parallels with the Passover when God’s people were set free from slavery in Egypt. There they were saved ‘by the blood of the lamb’ daubed on the doorposts and lintels of their houses so that the angel of death ‘Passed Over’. Jesus is now our Passover Lamb. In the Passover meal the bread, which is broken, is made without yeast to remember that they left swiftly. There was no time to wait for the bread to rise. Ever since they have cleared their houses of yeast before Passover and afterwards begin with a fresh batch to signify a new start.Also there would have been four cups of wine for:-

SanctificationSalvationBenedictionRedemption

All of which were accomplished at the Passover (in terms of physical slavery) and by Jesus (in terms of slavery to sin).

Consider

Read the various descriptions contained in the NT of the Last Supper and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26 / Mark 14 / Luke 22 / 1 Cor. 11:23-25); note how they differ in terms of content and emphasis. What main themes do they have in common?

Communion in the Early Church

It would appear from the Book of Acts that the Supper became associated very early on with ‘the first day of the week’ (20:7-11) and the Apostle Paul gives us an insight into the earliest Christians’ understanding of this supper; ‘The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.’ (I Cor10:16-17). Here the emphasis is on the unity that comes to believers by means of the Communion, and it is significant that Paul’s account of the institution of the Supper, which is recognised as the first such account in the NT, emphasizes that the practice of communicating is a common one shared by all the churches. It is

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also evident from his rebuke to the Corinthians (I Cor 11:17-22) that the Supper is not only held in a public place (‘Do you not have homes to eat and drink in? ’ verse 22) but that it consists of two parts, namely an ordinary meal known as Agápe or the love feast, and a Supper or Sacrament that would follow it. It would appear, therefore, that the Communion originally was a ritual held at the end of the meal, but by the end of the first century it was already developing into a separate ritual. II Peter refers to false prophets and teachers who were ‘blots and blemishes, revelling in their dissipation while they feast with you’ (2:13), and in the Letter of Jude reference is made to those who were ’blemishes on your love-feasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves’ (verse 12).

The History of the Communion in the early centuries after Christ

The same complaint is echoed outside the NT in a letter by Ignatius (c35 – c107) to the Smyrnians and in the Didache (c100), and it becomes apparent from the comments of Justin Martyr (c100 – c165) that the Agape had been separated from the Communion by the second century. According to Clement of Alexandria, writing at the end of that century, the love feast would be held at a different time to the Communion, but he also complained about the behaviour of the revellers. However, the practice of holding a love feast continued until the seventh century and the practice seems to have been supplanted because of the constant tendency to abuse its purpose.

Consider

The Alpha Course gives prominence to socializing and eating together. Did the Church lose something valuable in neglecting the love feast? How do you think the emphasis on eating together and socializing could be restored today?

Because the early Christians kept the details of their sacraments a secret it is no surprise that their critics accused them of immorality, such as cannibalism and adultery. In order to dispel such doubts St. Justin Martyr described the Communion in his First Apology written circa 155 and addressed to the Emperor Antoninus Pius;

And this food is called among us ‘Eukaristia’ [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the one who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive

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these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of his word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, “This do ye in remembrance of me, this is my Body;” and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, “This is my Blood;” and gave it to them alone.

(www.earlychristianwritings.com/ text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html)

Justin goes on to describe a typical act of early Christian worship and it may be concluded from his writings that the Christians of the second century would come together to worship before daybreak so that the administration of the Communion would coincide with the hour of resurrection. One person would lead the worship and others would take part by reading and praying and the entire congregation would also join in occasionally. After the ministry of the Word the Supper was administered and the entire service was characterised by set liturgical prayers and impromptu prayers.

Consider

To what extent is the Communion service something that is carried out by the minister? How can the congregation be further engaged in the service?

From the start the bread and wine were referred to as the body and blood of Jesus and it becomes evident from Ignatius’ works, for example, that literal emphasis was not given to this interpretation. In a letter we find him encouraging ‘renewal in faith, namely the body of the Lord, and love, namely the blood of Jesus Christ’.

By the time of Justin Martyr, as already mentioned, the bread and wine were thought to become the body and blood of Jesus by means of the ‘prayer transmitted from him ’, but a more substantial development is reflected by Irenaeus (c130-c200) who believed that the bread and wine changed as the prayer was recited, becoming the body and blood of Jesus in a spiritual manner.

During the third and fourth century there is considerable confusion as to the position of Christian writers on this matter with some referring to the bread and wine as if they were Christ’s body and blood in a literal manner, whilst others emphasize their symbolic nature. The elements certainly came to be held in greater esteem

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during this period, and St. Hippolytus (c170-236), for example, emphasizes that not one crumb of the bread nor one drop of the wine should be lost. The different positions are reflected by St. John Chrysostom (c347-407) who talks about eating and biting Christ’s flesh and holding in our hands the one who sits with the Father, before adding that the gift of the Sacrament can only be found with the mind’s eye, not the senses.

The position of St. Cyril (c.315-386), bishop of Jerusalem, is however more clear-cut and based on the evidence of the Apostle Paul (I Cor 11:22-25) and the story of Jesus turning water into wine in the marriage in Cana (John 2:1-11). He insisted that the bread and wine turned into the body and blood of Christ as they were consecrated. He invites worshippers to partake of them and discover God’s goodness, but they cannot do that, he says, without faith. Like Cyril, Ambrose of Milan (c339-397) also emphasized that the bread and wine turned into the body and blood of Jesus, and he based his opinion on the fact that grace is stronger than nature. There were plenty of examples in the Bible, he said, of people distorting the laws of nature, such as Moses turning his rod into a serpent before turning it back into a rod (Ex. 4:3-); therefore, how much more could Jesus accomplish through grace? The Virgin Birth showed clearly how grace could distort nature, and by means of the prayer of consecration, bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus, spiritual (not bodily) food for the believer.

Communion in the Middle Ages

Between the fifth and eighth centuries two ideas as to how the bread and wine changed vied with one another. According to some, their nature changed as they were transformed into the body and blood of Jesus. Others were of the opinion that one had to differentiate between the elements and that which they symbolized: their physical nature as bread and wine and their spiritual nature as Christ’s body and blood. The elements had two natures, and it was faith that caused the change from one nature to the other. In the East, the belief that the consecrated elements were Christ’s body and blood was embraced, and John of Damascus, circa 750, maintained that it was the actual body of the historical Christ that was eaten in the Communion. However, in the West, through the influence of Augustine, the dual nature (dyophysite) of the elements was embraced. He believed that the sacrament was a visible sign of something invisible – the invisible thing was honoured and comprehended, and the believers’ faith had a central place in the sacrament. Although the elements were more than signs and were, according to Augustine, a means of bringing life, the eating and drinking was a spiritual process and it was spiritual life that was received through the sacrament. It was not the real body of the historical Christ that was received, and Christ could not be received

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through the Communion without one being ‘in Christ’. Whilst the East maintained that the elements turned into the body and blood of Christ in a literal manner as they were consecrated, Augustine believed that they turned into a ‘sacrament in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice’, and that the believers would receive no benefit from the sacrament except through faith.

Trans-substantiation- its meaning, origins and history

From the start of the eighth century until the sixteenth century the disagreement concerning the nature of the elements continued with some claiming that the elements changed from one nature to the other, from being bread and wine to being the body and blood of Jesus, and others maintaining that, having been consecrated, they had two natures. However, by the twelfth century the word ‘transubstantiation’ began to be used in the context of the Communion, as a result of the influence of the philosophy of the Scholastics who believed that everything had a common invisible and intangible substance (substantia) together with visible and sensuous characteristics (accidentia) which become apparent when the common substance is clothed in matter. Every flower, for example, has the substance of a flower, but different flowers have different forms or characteristics that come into being as the common substance becomes incarnate in a particular species. So in consecrating the elements of the Communion, according to those who believe in transubstantiation, their substance is changed into the substance of the body and blood of Jesus but their external characteristics remain unchanged. The characteristics of the original bread and wine are still to be seen, but the substance has been changed. According to Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) the substance of the bread and wine did not remain after the consecration, because the substance was completely changed to be the substance of the body and blood of Christ, although the external characteristics remained. According to Thomas this was the work of God and not something natural. However, the external characteristics remained those of the bread and wine, for three reasons; a) it is not right for people to eat human flesh, b) non-believers would mock the Christians if they partook of Christ’s body in its usual form , c) in partaking of the bread and wine in an invisible manner they must be received in faith.

Transubstantiation was accepted as the official doctrine of the Church in the West in 1215 and continued as such until the Protestant Reformation. In the Council of Trent (1545 - 1563) the Doctrine was again given official expression by the Roman Catholic Church.

With the emphasis on transubstantiation prominence was also given to;

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· honouring and worshipping the Eucharist – the climax of the sacrament was the moment when the bread and wine were consecrated and became the body and blood of Christ

· the priest’s ability, by virtue of his ordination, to cause the elements to change, that ability being totally independent of the moral character of the individual priest.

· the mechanical nature of the blessing resulting from the Communion – if the priest’s intention was for everybody to receive the sacrament, all who ate the bread and wine would receive a blessing regardless of the nature of their faith and their spiritual condition.

· the sacred nature of the elements – this led to infrequent communion and the congregation being prevented from receiving the cup.

· Eucharistic sacrifice – because Christ was present in the elements it was believed that he was sacrificed once more, by the breaking and eating of the bread, for the sake of the communicants.

Consider

The Catholic Church has seven sacraments – confirmation, marriage, ordination, penance, extreme unction (or the last rites), Baptism and Communion.Protestantism decided to keep only two sacraments, i.e Communion and Baptism, as these are the only two sacraments ordered by Christ seen in the gospel. (see page 13 “What is Sacrament”? What value is attached to the other ordinances?

Martin Luther – his challenge to transubstantiationThe Church’s doctrine of transubstantiation was challenged by Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) who rejected the five points highlighted above. When Jesus said in the Upper Room ‘This is my body’, his unique connection with the bread was established, through an act of God in Christ, before there was any mention of it being consecrated by a priest. Luther considered the grace of God and his promise to sinners to be the central planks of the sacrament and the believer would be ensured of salvation through the objective reality of the Communion. According to Luther believers partook of the Communion by faith, and faith was confirmed by receiving communion. The sacrament, according to Thomas Aquinas and the Scholastics, was an effective sign of grace, but according to Luther it was only a sign of grace to those who believed – without faith it was worthless.

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Having rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation, Luther set about explaining Christ’s presence in the Eucharist by a) emphasizing Christ’s ubiquity, and that he was therefore present in the bread and wine, and b) the idea of transferring personal characteristics (communicatio idiomatum). Two natures, he said, were to be found in Jesus, the divine and the human, with both transferring characteristics to each other – if so, Christ’s human body possessed the divine attribute of being omnipresent. And because his body was omnipresent it had to be in the elements of the Communion. However, this viewpoint claimed too much by saying that Jesus was everywhere, and Luther had to explain that he was present in a special way in the sacrament since he was there ‘for us’. Luther’s stance is known as ‘consubstantiation’ and he himself expressed the idea in an illustration by saying that the bread and wine of the Communion are the body and blood of Jesus in the same way as a red hot piece of iron is both fire and iron.Zwingli’s belief and emphasis on the CommunionThe stance adopted by Huldrich Zwingli (1484 – 1531), the Swiss reformer, was in direct opposition to that of Luther. Luther emphasized the individual seeking peace with God and receiving it through the Communion, but it was fellowship and the concept of the believers’ union with one another that was important in Zwingli’s view. ‘We eat this bread’ he said ‘in order to become one bread’. He also emphasized that through the sacrament Christ’s sacrifice was commemorated – it could not be repeated as it was a once and for all sacrifice, but worshippers could partake in the blessings it bestowed. The blessing was received through faith, and such faith was the same as the union portrayed in John’s gospel where believers dwell in Christ and Christ in them (6:53-57). Through the sacrament this union is renewed and in that respect God, through the sacrament, feeds his people. To Zwingli, the Communion was a commemoration triggered by the signs of the bread and wine, and through it believers developed a closer relationship with each other and with their Lord.John Calvin’s belief and emphasis on the CommunionIn his position on the Communion John Calvin (1509 – 1564) stands between Luther and Zwingli – he could not accept Luther’s ideas about Christ’s omnipresence, and yet he believed the bread and wine were more than symbols. He agreed passionately with the idea that the sacrament commemorated Christ’s dying for us and he also believed that through the sacrament we receive Christ. Through the Communion Christ’s strength and splendour come to the believer in a way that surpasses the usual influence of the Spirit. The bread itself is only a dead thing; Christ through his Spirit comes to the believer in the Communion and the bread and wine are signs and a promise of his presence. So the material signs confirm the gospel promises which the congregation hear through preaching, and to

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Calvin’s mind the sacrament cannot be separated from preaching. As an official document must have written words and an official seal, so the gospel requires the preaching of the Word that awakens faith and the sacraments that confirm and seals that faith.

Calvin calls the Communion elements ‘signs’ as the Supper is a spiritual feast signifying that Jesus is the living bread given by God to sustain and feed souls. The elements denote the presence of Christ and all his blessings. Calvin rejects the word ‘symbol’ as the bread and wine are more than symbols. They are visible signs of Christ’s presence and power, and in that respect they not only represent but also present, display and offer the living Christ to the communicants. However, Calvin emphasizes the difference between the visible signs and the spiritual reality which they signify; ‘The Blessed Sacrament contains two things, the visible signs given us in our weakness, and the spiritual truth that is indicated and revealed to us through it.’

According to Calvin the ‘substance’ of the Communion is Jesus Christ himself,and every blessing and benefit that exist in him through his death and resurrection, and the ‘efficacy’ of Communion is salvation, sanctification, eternal life and every grace brought to us in Christ. But we do not receive the substance and we do not experience the efficacy except for the signs; ‘those good things would never reach us without Jesus Christ first giving himself to us. Therefore I say that Jesus in the Supper is being given to us in truth under the signs of bread and wine.’

The bread and wine are the signs of the mystery and through them the Lord bestows upon us communion in his body and his blood. This is a spiritual communion and it is only efficacious through the pledge of the Holy Spirit; there is no need at all for Christ’s flesh to be present in the bread or his blood in the wine. Because although Christ was risen up to heaven and left the world in which we are still pilgrims, yet no distance can remove his ability to be a source of sustenance to his people. Though they be far from him, through this power he permits them to enjoy close communion with himself. John Calvin, Instruction et Confession de Foy (1537)

But despite the importance of the signs, the elements had no intrinsic value, according to Calvin. Their significance stemmed from the promise they represented – it was the words of the promise that gave the sacrament meaning and there was no point in eating a morsel of bread and drinking a little wine without the words that gave them meaning. But although the signs needed the words to make them meaningful, nonetheless the promise was communicated through them.

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Neither was Christ’s presence in the Communion to be connected to the elements themselves and Calvin distinguished between the elements and Jesus’ body and blood. The spiritual feast is given to the communicants at the same time as the signs, he said, and in receiving the bread and wine through faith the reality of Jesus in his death and resurrection becomes apparent to the communicants and they receive all the benefits and blessings of his passion as food for their souls. This is not transubstantiation nor consubstantiation nor commemoration, but the recognition that the signs direct us and bring us into contact with Christ’s holy and glorious body. This happens through the Holy Spirit, and Calvin does not rely on any idea about Jesus’ omnipresence to explain his presence in the sacrament. Instead, Christ is presented to the believers, or the believers are raised into contact with his body and blood, by the action of the Spirit. ‘I see nothing unreasonable in saying that we in truth receive Christ’s body and blood…as long as it is agreed that Christ descends among us not only in the external symbols, but also in the hidden action of his Spirit, so that we may ascend to him in faith.’ Without the believers having faith the Spirit cannot operate, but where there is faith the sacrament nourishes faith.

Because of Calvin’s emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit sanctifying and using the bread and wine to signify the body and blood of Christ, beseeching the Holy Spirit to bless the bread and wine is an important element in the Communion prayer, ‘that through them we may receive in faith the body and blood of our living Lord’ (The first Communion Service in the Service Book, p.133). Epiclesis is the name given to this entreaty in eucharistic theology.

Calvin also emphasized the idea of thanksgiving and sacrifice in connection with the Communion. He maintained that through the sacrament due worship was given to God and that it was in no way an attempt to mitigate his anger or win his forgiveness. The only suitable sacrifice was the sacrifice of the worshippers themselves, given in submission and response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. On no account should it be thought, as Catholics did, that Jesus was being re-sacrificed through the sacrament, as that would deny the sacrifice made once and for all on the cross.

ConsiderCalvin believed that the Lord’s Supper should be administered as often as the congregation could receive it. His personal wish was to administer the Supper once a week in Geneva but the city council decided that administering it once a month

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would be enough. How often do you think the Lord’s Supper should be administered?

The Anglican Church and the Protestant Revival – attitudes towards the Communion

Calvin’s doctrine of Communion was adopted by the Anglican Church of England and we find John Cosin (1594 – 1672) bishop of Durham, for example, stating that Anglicans disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church and denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, the idea that Christ is re-sacrificed through the Eucharist, and the claim that the Communion was effective in shortening the time spent by souls in purgatory. The official stance of the Church of England is seen in the Thirty Nine Articles written in 1563 and revised in 1571. Since the first leaders of the Methodist Revival in the eighteenth century were members of the Church of England their understanding of the Communion was also a Calvinistic one.

It is interesting to note how important the Communion was in the history of the Methodist Revival in the eighteenth century. It was at the Communion Table in Talgarth church that Howel Harris experienced his ‘conversion’, and throughout his life he encouraged his followers to attend Communion regularly in the parish churches. Similarly English Methodists, under the leadership of John Wesley, were encouraged to communicate regularly. Wesley believed that Communion should be received every week. And when the crowds flocked on their pilgrimages to Llangeitho, they went to receive Communion from the hand of Daniel Rowland. A lack of priests to administer Communion to them was one of the reasons the Methodists decided to ordain their own ministers in 1811. The Holy Communion was absolutely central to the life and worship of our Connexion from the very start.

In a recent development in the Connexion’s history the General Assembly sanctioned administering communion to baptised children. This is done in accordance with the local church and at the minister and elders and parents’ discretion. The children should receive guidance from their family and the church. Permitting children to receive communion does not mean they are received into all the privileges and responsibilities of church membership. ( see Handbook of Order and Rules, No.9.3, p.55, and PCW Book of Services (2009) pp. 104-108)

ConsiderA number of Christians, such a Howell Harris, have had profound spiritual experiences at the Communion Table. How important is

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the Communion in your personal experience? Has any special communion service stuck in your memory?

THE COMMUNION – Activity to be assessed

1. What was the history of the Communion in the early centuries (explain in your own words)

2. Why is the Communion so important in the Christian Church?

3. What are some of the differences between the creed of the Church of Rome and the Anglican Church concerning the Communion?

4. Why is the Communion important in the history of our denomination (Calvinistic Methodist / Presbyterian)

Part 2Chapter 4: BAPTISMHere you will consider

- The origins of Baptism in the Jewish tradition- The Baptism of John and Baptism in the Gospels and its

significance- Baptism of Children and Baptism of Adults- Immersion Baptism

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- Baptism of Children- the role of parents, the church, God- Baptism and its link to the Holy Spirit; faith; laying on hands- “To be confirmed as a full member”- “Ana-Baptists” and Baptists

Roots of Baptism in the Jewish Faith

Christian Baptism is deeply rooted in the NT and the synoptic gospels begin the story of Jesus’ ministry with an account of John baptizing Jesus in the river Jordon (Mt 3:13-17, Mk1: 9-11, Lk 3:21-22 cf John 1:26-34). John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance and the story of John the Baptist prefaces the story of Jesus’ ministry in each one of the gospels. The Jewish custom of using water in cleansing rituals and of baptizing those who joined the Jewish faith from the outside, provide the backdrop to John’s baptism. Therefore John’s baptism was clearly significant because it denoted; · Acceptance into the true Israel, the remnant, who were expecting

the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist’s unique emphasis was that every Jew, and not just gentiles from the outside, needed to be baptized since the nation had turned its back on the Lord and that the basis for becoming a part of the true Israel was a moral not an ethnic one.

· Moral change – according to Mark (1:4) John’s baptism was a ‘baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’, and Luke adds Jesus’ answer to those who asked what they should do - ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food, must do likewise’, (3:11). The prophets used water as a symbol of cleansing ( Isaiah 1:16-20; Jer 4:14; Ezek 36:25-27) and John’s followers would have viewed his baptism in that context.

· The coming of the Kingdom of God – according to Matthew, John proclaimed ‘Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand’ (3:2) and all the synoptic gospels state that John was baptizing in anticipation of the one who is to come (Mt 3:11-12; Mk 1:7-8; Lk 3:16-17). In the OT there was also an obvious connection between water and cleansing and between judgement and the outpouring of the Spirit of God.

John’s Baptism and baptism in the Gospels, and its significance

For the evangelists Jesus’ own baptism marked the beginning of his ministry, confirming that he was the Messiah, and emphasizing how he identified himself with sinful humanity. Like the Servant in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, he too would ‘make many righteous, and bear their iniquities’ (53:11) and it has been suggested that he insisted on being baptized by John in order to underline this (Mat 3.15).

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Although Jesus was baptized by John there is no mention in the synoptic gospels of anyone being baptized in the Christian sense during Jesus’ ministry, although John makes an oblique enough reference (3:22; 4:1-2) to Jesus and/or the disciples practising baptism, but it is suggested that that baptism was similar to the baptism practised by John rather than that of the Early Church. There is also some doubt regarding the command to baptize given by Jesus himself at the end of Matthew’s Gospel and Mark’s Gospel. In many contemporary Bibles it is stated that verses 9-20 of the last chapter of Mark’s Gospel do not appear in the best manuscripts. Although there is no textual reason to query the validity of the end of Matthew’s Gospel, and that the command to baptize was included from the outset, it is also significant that Eusebius (c.260-340), bishop of Caesarea, who quoted the conclusion to Matthew’s Gospel a number of times, did not refer as a rule to the command to baptize, which suggests that he was familiar with a shorter version of the conclusion which did not contain any mention of baptism. Moreover, it can be seen from the Book of Acts that the Early Church initially baptized ‘in the name of Jesus’, and this cannot easily be reconciled with the alleged command given by Jesus himself to baptize ‘in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’ (cf Acts 2:38).

However, despite all this, it must be acknowledged that in the NT it is assumed that the only way to become a member of the Church is through baptism, and there seems to have been no disagreement on this point in the Early Church amongst the Jews or the gentiles. Jesus was also baptized himself by John, as already mentioned, and on two occasions he refers to baptism in the context of his death - ‘Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ (Mk 10:38), ‘I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!’’ (Lk 12:50). It is no wonder, therefore, that baptism has been closely linked in the minds of Christians with the death and resurrection of Jesus, and it is significant that the believer at his baptism was thought to die and rise up with Christ to new life. So Christian baptism is given a wider meaning here than the baptism of John the Baptist, and that meaning is connected to Christ himself, even if there is uncertainty about the authenticity of the Lord’s command to his disciples to baptize.

As well as the idea of dying with Christ and rising to new life (Rom 6:3-11; Col 2:13, 3:1; Ephesians 2:5-6) the moral meaning of baptism is also emphasized in the NT with the idea that baptism washes away sin and justifies the believer ( Acts 22:16; I Cor 6:11; Heb 10:22; I Peter 3:12). Those baptized are washed and sanctified in Christ, and guided by the Holy Spirit begin a new life. Baptism is linked to the promise of the Holy Spirit who confirms the believers and seals them as God’s children (2 Cor1:21-22, Ephesians 1: 13-

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14). They become part of Christ’s Body and one with their fellow believers in him; ‘There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.’ (Ephesians 4:4-6). Baptism, therefore, is a sign that the believers have begun a new life, and are born anew (I Peter 1:3, 23 cf 2:2). According to John a person had to be born from water and the Spirit before he could enter the kingdom of God (3:5, cf 7:38-9).

ConsiderBaptism is based on the concept that there is no such thing as a natural Christian and that we are all sinners (1 John 1:8).

Baptizing Children and Baptizing Adults

Although there are a number of references to baptism in the NT not one of them specifically states that children were baptized in the Early Church. Yet there are enough grounds for believing that this would have occurred in some cases, such as when Lydia and her family were baptized (Acts 16:15), or the prison guard in Philippi and his family (Acts 16:33), as baptizing parents without baptizing their children would also be totally at odds with the Jewish way of thinking.

Immersion Baptism

As to the method of baptism, it is doubtful, even during the period of the NT, whether everybody was baptized by immersion, since, for example, three thousand are said to have been baptized together in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Certainly much emphasis was placed on the idea of dying with Christ and rising to new life which was reflected in the act of immersing in water and rising from it. This act represented the truth that the believer died to sin and rose to new life in Christ, but this was not the only conceptual idea that was relevant to baptism. In the OT the sprinkling of water was a symbol of cleansing (cf Ezekiel 36:25) and in the context of baptism there was an awareness of receiving forgiveness for past sins and salvation from the bonds of sin. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was also central to the Early Church’s thinking on baptism, and it must be realized that death and resurrection, cleansing and outpouring of the Spirit were not separate ideas, but different aspects of the same truth, all referring to renewal and a new beginning.

Consider

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Is an immersion baptism richer in terms of its symbolism than the practice of sprinkling?

As mentioned previously, it is the baptism of believers that is most clearly depicted in the NT, and it must be asked what is the significance of baptizing children who are unable to profess a Christian faith for themselves? We certainly find Jesus in the NT (cf Matthew 18:1-6; Mk 10:13-16) giving children a central place, and in the same way as parents make decisions on behalf of their children, so the Church and the parents, when children are baptized, make promises on their behalf. In response to the parents’ and the church’s faith (and possibly the child’s faith too), God, according to the Book of Services, ‘claims’ the child as his own, enfolds him/her in his mercy and leads him/her from darkness to light, from death to eternal life (p.145).

Infant Baptism – the role of the parents, the church and God

The Introduction to the Baptism of Infants Service in the Book of Services states that three things happen in a service of infant baptism. In bringing the child to be baptized the parents do something, namely they vow to nurture the child in the Christian faith; the church also does something, namely it promises to provide the child with instruction in the gospel and the support of Christian fellowship, and God also does something, namely he claims the child for himself and leads him/her from darkness into light, from death to life. The parents’ and church’s responsibility, and the belief that God blesses and seals the child as his own, are essential elements in the theology and practice of baptism.It must also be remembered that when children are brought to be baptized that God’s grace precedes all human consciousness and deeds.

Baptism and its link with the Holy Spirit; faith; laying on of hands

As baptism is a sacrament, and thus a special means of grace, it is deemed to have a special effect and this has often been associated with the idea of ‘the baptism of the Holy Spirit’ referred to in the story of the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts (2:38). Although we cannot say for sure that the Spirit came upon the believers on that day through baptism, there is obviously a close link in the story between the external water baptism and internal spiritual baptism, and that the baptism of the Holy Spirit on that day was associated in particular with speaking in tongues, although the Apostle Paul warns that it was usually revealed through less obvious characteristics and graces (ICor.12:1 - 14:5). It is also stated in the account of Philip baptizing converts in Samaria that the Holy Spirit did not come upon

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them until Peter and John came from Jerusalem and laid their hands on them (Acts 8:12-17), but in Caesarea it was because the converts there had already received the Holy Spirit that Peter baptized them (Acts 10:44-48).

Consider

The act of baptism in itself has no effect, and God can impart his grace without baptism. Although, the Church believes that Christ himself ministers to his people through baptism and that his ministry is not only beyond our comprehension, but also beyond our control.

Discuss this in relation to baptizing children.

Despite the obvious connection in the NT between baptism with water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit they should not be regarded as being one and the same. Indeed, God works through baptism, which is not only a sign of something that happened or is happening in the life of the believer, but also as a sign that contributes towards it. In the words of John Calvin; ‘This does not mean that water is the cause or instrument of our cleansing and rebirth, but that the sacrament is a means of knowledge about these gifts. We receive and possess the things we believe the Lord has given to us, whether for the first time or as confirmation of them.’ (Instruction et Confession de Foy))

In Calvin’s eyes baptism would be ineffective without faith, and since it was only the elect that had sufficient faith baptism was not effective for anyone else. For Zwingli, however, baptism was a sign denoting that a person had been received into Christian fellowship and it could be omitted, since on no account was it to be regarded as being absolutely necessary. In this regard Zwingli, to some extent, was reflecting a point of view that has been present in the Church from the outset, that baptism is unnecessary in some circumstances. The foremost example, of course, was martyrdom, and those martyred were considered to literally die and rise again with Christ.

‘Confirmation as Full Member’

Also closely linked to baptism in the NT is the practice of the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14; 19:5), but as the Christian faith grew and developed this practice became separated from baptism, and

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Christians previously baptized by a priest, would come in due course before the bishop to receive the laying on of hands as a sign that they belonged, not only to the local congregation, but also to the worldwide Church. However, as the practice of baptizing children increased, ‘confirmation’ or ‘reception into full church membership’ came to be regarded as an opportunity for those baptized to be instructed in the faith and to make a public confession. By being ‘received’ young people brought up in the church are given the opportunity to confirm for themselves the promises made on their behalf at the time of their baptism and God is asked to confirm and strengthen them through the Holy Spirit. Although Anglicans have argued amongst themselves as to whether confirmation confers on those who are confirmed an additional grace to the grace of baptism, the Anglican Service Book has settled for the wording ‘May your Holy Spirit rest upon them’, as that would satisfy those who would emphasize God’s activity imparting the gift of his Spirit through the confirmation and those who would emphasize the individual’s confession, defending the principle that on no account should God’s grace be restricted.

Activity - considerWhen and under what circumstances should young people be accepted as full church members? What in your opinion is the meaning and significance of the service of confirmation?

What can be done concerning “The Confirmation Service” to make the experience as memorable and positive as possible for a young person?

“Ana-Baptists” and Baptists

Although some leaders of the Protestant Reformation advocated the baptism of children, there was a more extreme faction within the Reformation that insisted on emphasizing the individual’s confession of faith and that refused to acknowledge the validity of infant baptism, insisting on baptizing adults only. These were the Anabaptists, who did not acknowledge the baptism of children and who considered themselves to be baptizing for the first time adults whose baptism as children was considered invalid. The Anabaptists were persecuted for a number of reasons, but they gave expression to a principle held dear by a number of other groups within the Church and which is reflected today by Baptist churches all over the world. And as many children today are not baptized, it is no longer uncommon for adults to be baptized in our church. That is why our Book of Services (pages 151-157) provides for the Baptism of Believers (adults).

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The Baptism – Activity to Assess

1. What did baptism mean to the Jews and John the Baptist?

2. What evidence/examples do we have of baptism (apart from the baptism of John) in the gospels and Acts, and what do they tell us about the early practices of baptism? E.g. Acts 2/16.15/18.25/19.5

3. What are the foundations of children’s baptism compared to adult baptism?

4. What does Calvin and the early Protestant reformers have to tell us?

Part 2

Chapter 5: ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENTS

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Here you will consider- the order of a baptism service- the order of a Communion service- Serving communion in the home or hospital

If Baptism or Communion are to be administered effectively, we must decide on suitable orders of service. Although appropriate forms of service can be found in the Book of Services, these might not be used in their entirety, and can be adapted to meet the needs of a particular congregation and service. It must be remembered that the shape and form of a building, particular vessels or a disability can have a bearing on the form of the service. A copy of the “PCW Book of Services” should be available for reference.

BaptismIf possible one must ensure that the baptism service is always administered during a normal Sunday service, although there may be occasions when a family will want to baptize a child at home. When that happens one should ensure that a church representative is present (eg an elder or official) because Baptism places a particular responsibility on the congregation. Sometimes requests are received to baptize a baby in hospital when that baby is ill or weak. When the baby comes home from hospital one should take the opportunity to introduce the infant to the church and confirm the members’ commitment to provide him/her with a spiritual home.

Consider

How would you prepare adults who wish to baptize their child?

How could we better include new parents in the work of the church?

If parents asked you to baptize their child, would you agree every time, or would you ask them whether they have some belief- what would be your basic requirement?

Traditional order of service for baptism in chapel

· Call to worship and a word of welcome (especially to the family of the infant being baptized)

· A suitable hymn for a baptism· The Sacrament of Baptism – the Book of Services can be

followed, pages 109-115.Having asked the congregation to be seated and before the child is returned to his parents, he/she can be taken around the church, to be introduced to the members and especially to the Sunday school children.

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· Present a certificate of baptism to the parents – an elder can do this

· Hymn· A word to the children – referring to what has just happened.· Hymn · A prayer of intercession· The announcements· Sermon· Hymn· The Blessing· Bidding the congregation farewell at the door

See also ‘Short order of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Book of Services, pg 98)

Consider

What other elements could be included in a baptism service- especially for families and children and for those who are not familiar with church services?Compare the two forms of the services in the Book of Services.

The CommunionThere is more than one way of administering the Communion; sometimes the bread and wine are distributed together so that the congregation can take communion together. On other occasions the elements are distributed separately so that everyone can take communion individually, or else take the wine together after the bread has been taken individually. It should also be noted that the Book of Services contains two different communion services, but in practice elements of the two can be combined in the same service.

A possible order of service in chapel· Call to worship and welcome

The greeting and prayers on pp. 77-79, 90-91, 98-100)in the Book of Services can be used without using the responses.

· Hymn· Scripture Reading· The Short Confession of Faith – the congregation standing · Prayer· Announcements and offering and offertory prayer· Hymn· Proclaiming the Word / sermon· Hymn (during this hymn the minister will leave the pulpit and

approach the Communion Table to unveil the elements. It is also appropriate for the minister to offer a silent prayer at this point and it is customary for some to kneel to do this.)

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· The words of institution and the invitation, pp. 83-84, 94-95.· The elements are set apart· A hymn is sung by the congregation seated or a suitable piece

of music is played on the organ whilst the minister and/or the elders distribute the elements.

· A prayer of thanksgiving (the prayers in the Book of Services should be used [pp. 84-87,95-96] or prayers modelled on them, ensuring that the prayer contains the elements of thanksgiving, remembrance, invocation of the Holy Spirit, grace to approach the Table worthily and an entreaty to be made one with the communion of saints. It is important that these elements are included.)

· Communion is taken together sharing in the bread and wine (pp. 87-88, 96-97.)· Prayer· Hymn· The Blessing· Bidding the congregation farewell at the door

Consider

What else could be included in a communion service - especially for families and children, and for those who are not so familiar with attending service?

When the elements are distributed individually the minister partakes first, then serves the elders who in turn serve the congregation.· Prayer of thanksgiving· The Minister partakes of the bread and wine· The Minister distributes the bread and wine to the elders· The elders having partaken of the bread and wine distribute

them to the congregation

When the congregation is required to take only the communion wine together the minister partakes of the bread, and then has the bread and wine distributed before inviting the congregation to partake of the wine together.

· The Minister takes only the bread· The Minister serves the bread to the elders· The elders having partaken of the bread share out the bread and

wine to the congregation who partake of the bread on receiving it· Everybody partakes of the communion wine together

See also ‘A Short Order for the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper’ (Book of Services pp98-103)

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Consider

Are there any other methods of administering the Communion that you have seen or experienced?

What elements of communion are important to you and why?

One should always be open to new methods and practices with regard to the Communion. On some occasions there may be an opportunity to use one cup, or share the bread by having everybody tear off a piece of a loaf. Everything should be done with dignity and sensitivity to the occasion.

Remember also that an address in a communion service is an opportunity not only to preach the Word in general, but also to explain the meaning and significance of the sacrament. There have been many famous conversions in the history of nonconformity at the Lord’s Table.

Communion in the home or hospital

When administering communion in residential homes or hospitals, or at home, one should focus on the specific circumstance and only do that which is appropriate at the time. A service in the home will obviously be shorter than a congregational service. See ‘Short Order of Service for The Lord’s Supper Sacrament’ in the Service Book (pg.98 – 103), but on occasion even this service may be too long. Words of establishment, beseeching the Holy Spirit’s blessing on the elements and a prayer of thanksgiving before sharing the bread and wine is the minimum requirement, but you shouldn’t be too fixed even with this. Those who receive communion can greatly influence what is appropriate, and it should be ensured before starting that there are no medical reasons for the patient not to receive communion.Generally, the service should be prepared beforehand, at a convenient time, and attention given to the following points;

· Ability or willingness of the person who receives communion to take an active role in the service through reciting a Psalm or creed or singing a hymn. The words of familiar verses can be of great comfort to some and they will be eager to recite them or to pray the Lord’s Prayer with you. Similarly, singing or reciting familiar hymns could be appropriate and considerate.

· The room where the service shall be held – in care homes, for example, the size and available facilities within the room will

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influence the service. As far as possible an appropriate environment for the sacrament should be provided.

· Some people will find it hard to concentrate for long on what is happening. In care homes, one should expect residents to come and go during the service, or to interrupt what is being said. Support is needed when administering in this situation and some people will need help to take the elements.

· When administering at homes or residential homes it is important also that representatives of the church are also present – another elder, maybe, or family members of the one who receives communion. They can be of practical help to you as you minister, as well as being representatives of the local congregation.

· There are appropriate communion vessels available for administering in hospital or in homes. Special ‘bread’ (gluten free) can also be acquired for those who cannot eat ordinary bread.

Bibliography

Donald M. Baillie, The Theology of the Sacraments (Faber & Faber, 1958)

William Barclay, The Lord’s Supper (SCM, 1967)

Roger Bowen (ed.), A Guide to Preaching (SPCK, 2005)

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John Calvin, Stuart Olyott [Translator], Truth for all Time (Banner of Truth,1998 ); Euros Wyn Jones [Translator], Ffydd i’n Dydd (Llangefni, 2003)

Nevill Clark, An Approach to the Theology of the Sacraments (SCM, 1956)

David Day, A Preaching Workbook (SPCK, 1998)

B.A. Gerrish, Grace and Gratitude (T & T Clark, 1993)

J.B. Green, S. McKnight & I.H. Marshall (eds), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (IVP, 1992) see. tt.444-450 – chapter R. H. Stein, ‘Last Supper’

Alasdair Heron, Table and Tradition (Handsel Press, 1983)

E. Stanley John, Beth yw Addoli? (Cymru i Grist, 197 -?)

Glyn Tudwal Jones, ‘Saernio Pregethau mewn oes weledol’, Diwinyddiaeth 2004 (No. LV), pages 34 – 37; ‘Beth yw Addoli?’, Cristion, Mar./Apr. 2003 (No. 117), pages 10-11

Glyn Tudwal Jones and John Tudno Williams, ‘PCW – Book of Services’ (Gwasg Pantycelyn 2009)

Richard G. Jones, Groundwork of Worship and Preaching (Epworth Press, 1980)

R. Tudur Jones (ed.), Ffynonellau Hanes yr Eglwys (University Wales Press, 1979)

John Maquarrie, A Guide to the Sacraments (SCM, 1997)

I Howard Marshall, Last Supper and Lord’s Supper (Paternoster, 1980)

Colin Morris, Raising the Dead (Fount,1996)

Sue Page, Away with Words (Lynx, 1998)

Elfed ap Nefydd Roberts ; Dehongli’r Damhegion (2008), Dehongli’r Bregeth (2010), Dehongli’r Gwyrthiau (2011), Dehongli Bywyd Iesu (2014), Dehongli Meddwl Paul (2016). Published by ‘Cyhoeddiadau’r Gair. – a useful series for reference when preparing a semon or address.

A. M. Thomas (trans.), Cyffesion Awstin Sant (Llyfrau’r MC, 1973)

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Michael Welker, What Happens in Holy Communion (SPCK, 2000)

Megan Williams, ‘Arolwg o’r Arfer o Dderbyn Pobl Ifanc’, Diwinyddiaeth 2002 (No. LIII), pages 16-39.

PCW Handbook of Order and Rules 2015, No.9.1-9.3; pp. 53-55Others:

Gathering Around the Table: Children and Communion; Baptist Union of Great Britain; ISBN: 9780901472519; £3.50; Booklet: 52 pages‘An attempt at a fresh understanding of the place of children in the church and their place at Communion’