Holy Communion commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. It is a sacrament that is at the heart of all Christian worship. A vision of the Church universal, symbolically united as one body, becomes particularly meaningful when Christians gather together at the same table. Certain denominations practise ‘closed communion’, otherwise known as ‘fencing the table’, which restricts the administration of bread and wine just to believers deemed to be “spiritually worthy” (firm faith, repentant of sins, exemplary life). Congregants whose faith is ambivalent or lacking are welcome to attend the service but may not partake of the elements. Those who uphold this view say it it is justified in order to uphold the dignity and integrity of the sacrament.
However, many Christians object to its exclusivity. Is it right to exclude anyone for whose very sake the Lord instituted the Supper? Dividing a congregation up into ‘them’ and ‘us’ undermines Christ’s commandment to love our neighbours; and it’s not difficult to deduce that those whose consciences are super-charged may never feel they worthy enough. Jesus Himself was radically free in his table fellowship. He shared food with many people on the margins – outcasts, tax collectors, etc. Meals with him were not reserved for those who demonstrated particular holiness or sanctity.
With ‘open communion’ there is transformative potential, and John Wesley referred to it as a “converting sacrament” (Journal, 2:361). For many Christians admission to Holy Communion was often this early experience of the inclusiveness of God’s love, which transformed them from seekers to converts. Certainly, this was my own experience: the Methodist minister who generously welcomed me to the Lord’s Table many decades ago had no idea how momentous that particular occasion was for me, and how it became the cornerstone and turning point of my long-delayed conversion to the Christian faith. Keen evangelists afire with the zeal to garner souls for Christ would do well to be aware of this special reformative potential, and to be mindful that while he church has the honour of overseeing the Lord’s Table, ultimately it is Christ who is the Host. His role should not be usurped.
What then are we to make of Paul’s warning to the Corinthians (1 Cor.11:17-34) not to approach the Lord’s Table in an unworthy manner? I believe that the real issue lies not in measuring spiritual worth, but in gauging spiritual need. Except by God’s mercy no one is ever truly worthy, yet each one of us needs His grace, always freely given. So, if there is to be any fence, let it be one that shows we are all the sheep of His fold.
