Is it unbiblical to administer the elements to children?
I have long been confused and unsettled by the question of Communion and its administration to children of believing parents (also known as paedocommunion, I think. I say "I think" because there are a multitude of people out there that use a hoard of working definitions). What makes discernment on this issue more difficult is otherwise intelligent and godly men using very poor logic and personal attacks to make a point (see a multitude of posts at Heiebleblog for any number of examples of this). It is often said that Reformed people like to eat their young, and this topic is no different - this debate is not a shining example of brotherly affections.
Yesterday, I stumbled across a quote from Greg Bahnsen that has helped me come to what I hope and pray to be a Biblically centered approach to the topic.
"How about children? Well not children who don't understand these things because at Passover, remember, the child who took the meal had to say 'father what do these things mean?' The child had to be a discerning, understanding child. But now how young can the child be? The answer to that question is 'I don't know.' You bring me a two-year-old who can give me a two-year-old profession of faith and we'll have that two-year-old take the Lord's Supper. Some will say well that's not possible. I don't know, I don't know enough about human psychology to tell you whether it is or not, but if it happens I'm not going to say God's word says eleven years old before you can join the church. There's nothing like that. And if we're going to be true to our principles as Reformed people we should not impose prerequisites that the Bible doesn't impose. There's no age requirement for the Lord's Supper."
There are a couple of things that are incredible about this quote:
1. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see one of the foremost thinkers of our time admit repeatedly that he doesn't know something;
2. Taking the Scriptures at "face value", although an overused excuse at times, is still a must-have on any topic;
3. Bahnsen was deeply Confessional and he doesn't let any confession of men supersede the scriptures on any topic. It's hard for me to admit this, but it very well could be that the Reformers got a few things wrong;
4. A profession of faith can still be a true profession of faith at the appropriate age level.
I still have a few things to work out, that I find a bit problematic with this entire debate:
1. I don't know what to do with the adult suffering from a situation where it is no longer possible to obtain a confession of faith
2. A child of believing parents who is not capable of communicating a profession of faith at any age
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for [1] you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Cor 11:23-29
"Sovereign King, our Father to us and to our Children, we thank you for your Word. We thank you dear Lord for your good graces - Grace that we can touch, taste and feel. Let us not treat your sacraments in an unworthy manner and praise you for your patience with us because of your love for thy dear Son. Amen"
I have long been confused and unsettled by the question of Communion and its administration to children of believing parents (also known as paedocommunion, I think. I say "I think" because there are a multitude of people out there that use a hoard of working definitions). What makes discernment on this issue more difficult is otherwise intelligent and godly men using very poor logic and personal attacks to make a point (see a multitude of posts at Heiebleblog for any number of examples of this). It is often said that Reformed people like to eat their young, and this topic is no different - this debate is not a shining example of brotherly affections.
Yesterday, I stumbled across a quote from Greg Bahnsen that has helped me come to what I hope and pray to be a Biblically centered approach to the topic.
"How about children? Well not children who don't understand these things because at Passover, remember, the child who took the meal had to say 'father what do these things mean?' The child had to be a discerning, understanding child. But now how young can the child be? The answer to that question is 'I don't know.' You bring me a two-year-old who can give me a two-year-old profession of faith and we'll have that two-year-old take the Lord's Supper. Some will say well that's not possible. I don't know, I don't know enough about human psychology to tell you whether it is or not, but if it happens I'm not going to say God's word says eleven years old before you can join the church. There's nothing like that. And if we're going to be true to our principles as Reformed people we should not impose prerequisites that the Bible doesn't impose. There's no age requirement for the Lord's Supper."
There are a couple of things that are incredible about this quote:
1. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see one of the foremost thinkers of our time admit repeatedly that he doesn't know something;
2. Taking the Scriptures at "face value", although an overused excuse at times, is still a must-have on any topic;
3. Bahnsen was deeply Confessional and he doesn't let any confession of men supersede the scriptures on any topic. It's hard for me to admit this, but it very well could be that the Reformers got a few things wrong;
4. A profession of faith can still be a true profession of faith at the appropriate age level.
I still have a few things to work out, that I find a bit problematic with this entire debate:
1. I don't know what to do with the adult suffering from a situation where it is no longer possible to obtain a confession of faith
2. A child of believing parents who is not capable of communicating a profession of faith at any age
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for [1] you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Cor 11:23-29
"Sovereign King, our Father to us and to our Children, we thank you for your Word. We thank you dear Lord for your good graces - Grace that we can touch, taste and feel. Let us not treat your sacraments in an unworthy manner and praise you for your patience with us because of your love for thy dear Son. Amen"
