2. Communion before confirmation
Deal or no deal?
Deal or no deal – decisions made on the opening of boxes and the information contained within them. The contestant has to decide when enough information has been obtained to ‘deal’. Cannot be compared with communion before confirmation, but information needs to be obtained in order to make an informed decision as to which way to go. So – Communion before Confirmation – Deal or no deal?

3. Biblical perspectives?
Biblical issues – Anglican Doctrine formed by the three-legged stool of Scripture, Tradition and Reason.

4. Biblical perspectives
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.
Mark 9.37
Biblical issues – Anglican Doctrine formed by the three-legged stool of Scripture, Tradition and Reason.
Jesus’ attitude to children – inclusive, not exclusive.

5. Biblical perspectives
If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.
Mark 9.42
Warnings of placing stumbling blocks in the way of a child’s faith development and discipleship.

6. Biblical perspectives
Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. …whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.
Mark 10.14,15
Encouragement to include children and to learn from them

7. Biblical perspectives
New Testament
Baptism is the sole entry rite into the church.
No explicit teaching on children and communion.
Jewish tradition – Passover.
Cannot make a definite pronouncement based on NT teaching though can draw some conclusions – baptism is the sole entry rite. No other rite was needed to become a Christian.
The place of children in Jewish culture, and at Passover, may well have helped inform early church practice as to the inclusion of children at the family meal.

8. Biblical perspectives
Do this in remembrance of me
Luke 22.19
Day by day they broke bread at home…and ate with glad and generous hearts
Acts 2.46
For I received from the Lord…you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes
1 Corinthians
Neither Jesus in his institution nor Paul in his recollection of the institution, used understanding or spiritual well-being as a pre-requisite for receiving communion.

9. Biblical perspectives
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup in an unworthy manner…..
1 Corinthians 11.27
Paul’s rebuke is to the adult community in Corinth who treated the Eucharistic celebration as a private indulgence and in doing so forgot those who were less well-off and pf whom the Gospel speaks so eloquently.

10. History ?

11. History
3rd Century
Cyprian describes infants receiving bread and wine from birth.
Anointing and laying on of hands added to baptism. Children shared in all of this – including communion

12. History 4th & 5th Centuries
Augustine of Hippo and original sin – John 6.53
Growing size of Dioceses
Baptisms performed by local priests
Laying on of hands delayed until the bishop’s visit
Admission to communion associated with baptism
John 6.53 – unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Therefore to deny children baptism by reason of age or lack of understanding was to deny them Christ himself in the form of bread and wine, which in turn denies them a place in heavenly peace.
Bishop had always been central to Christian initiation – president of the unified rite of baptism, confirmation & Eucharist.
Greater distances & greater numbers to be baptised so water rite & signing of the cross delegated to presbyters & laying on of hand reserved for the less frequent visits of the Bishop. Admission to communion STILL associated with baptism.

13. History Eastern practice Western practice
Priest performed full baptismal rite, including infant Communion (oils blessed by Bishop)
Western practice
Baptism was performed locally but anointing and imposition of hands was delayed until a visit from the Bishop
In Orthodox churches infant communion is the norm but both children & adults communicate infrequently.

14. Baptism – Communion - Confirmation
History
The Middle Ages
Baptism – Communion - Confirmation
Growing theology of the ‘real presence’
Laity denied the wine
Children sometimes denied both bread and wine
Growing theology of the real presence led to greater care being taken of the consecrated elements and subsequently either by default or design the laity were often denied the wine and children were sometimes denied altogether

15. History 13th Century 1281 16th Century
recommended age for Confirmation varied from 1 – 7 years
1281
regulation that those not confirmed should be barred from Holy Communion
16th Century
communicating unconfirmed adults and children was finally abolished (Council of Trent)
1281 – Archbishop Peckham at Council of Lambeth issued the regulation that those not confirmed (without good reason) should be barred from communion. An attempt to counter the ‘damnable negligence’ of parents who failed to present their children to the Bishop for the laying on of hands.
Reformation – instruction & learning given high priority. Cranmer’s Prayer Book 1549 – ‘there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as he can say the catechism and be confirmed’ i.e. learning of the Catechism as a prerequisite
Prayer Book 1662 compromise – ‘And there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as he be confirmed or ready and desirous to be confirmed.’ Thereafter adults or older young people were admitted to communion on the basis of baptism + some instruction from the priest. Bishops came to confirm at varying intervals.

16. History The Reformation Catholic View Protestant View
Emphasis on what God does – imparting the Holy Spirit
Protestant View
Emphasis on a person’s response – individual response of faith
Another divergence in tradition was brought about by the Reformation. In the Catholic view, sacraments were conveyers of God’s grace. In the Protestant view, they were to be administered on evidence of a personal response of faith. Understanding became an element in both communion and confirmation
Reformation – instruction & learning given high priority. Cranmer’s Prayer Book 1549 – ‘there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as he can say the catechism and be confirmed’ i.e. learning of the Catechism as a prerequisite
Cranmer’s 1549 Prayer Book emphasised the Catechism as the pre-requisite to Communion
‘there shall none be admitted to Holy Communion until such time as he can say the catechism and be confirmed’

17. 1662 Prayer Book compromise
History
The Reformation
Catholic View
Emphasis on what God does – imparting the Holy Spirit
Protestant View
Emphasis on a person’s response – individual response of faith
Prayer Book 1662 compromise – ‘And there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as he be confirmed or ready and desirous to be confirmed.’ Thereafter adults or older young people were admitted to communion on the basis of baptism + some instruction from the priest. Bishops came to confirm at varying intervals. .
1662 Prayer Book compromise
‘there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as he be confirmed' or ready and desirous to be confirmed’

18. History
19th Century
The rise of the railways! Bishops no longer had to rely on horse power to get around
Confirmation became seen as the completion of baptism and therefore the gateway to Communion
Baptism followed by much later confirmation and communion became the familiar pattern.

19. Just last century… ?

20. Just last century…
The growth of the Parish Eucharist Movement meant children were visible in church and present at the Communion service

21. Just last century… 1954 1971 1974 1985 Baptism and Confirmation Today
Christian Initiation: Birth and Growth in the Christian Society (the Ely Report)
1974
Manchester, Peterborough & Southwark ‘experimental’
1985
Children and Communion (the Knaresborough Report)
Baptism and Confirmation Today
1967 – Ely Commission comes out of the National Evangelical Conference in Keel because ‘some would like the children of Christian families to be admitted as communicants at an early age’
Christian Initiation: Birth and Growth in the Christian Society (the Ely Commission Report). Concluded hat baptism is the complete sacramental initiation rite therefore children should be admitted to communion. General Synod received the Ely Report
1974 – General Synod referred Ely report to Dioceses for consultation. Manchester, Peterborough & Southwark given permission to admit children before confirmation on an experimental basis.
1976 – Synod voted 60/40 majority against admitting children, but Manchester, Peterborough & Southwark continued.
Children and Communion (the Knaresborough Report) - Recommends that regulations be drawn up to admit children to communion. Synod takes note. M, P & S asked to report back on their experiences.

22. Just last century… 1988 1991 1993 Children in the Way
All God’s Children?
1993
Communion before Confirmation – Culham Institute
1988 – Children in the Way - includes recommendation that the issue of communion before confirmation be required as a matter of urgency. It is passed to the House of Bishops
1991 – All God’s Children? Questions whether Sunday is the best day to reach unchurched children. Reveals that only 15% of all under 13s have any form of contact with the church
1993 – Communion before Confirmation. Culham institute commissioned to do a survey of Manchester, Peterborough & Southwark. A survey by Diocesan Children’s Advisers reveals that most Dioceses have parishes that admitting children informally.

23. Just last century…
1994
On the Way – Towards an integrated approach to Christian Initiation
1996
July – House of Bishops Guidelines, November – Guidelines accepted by General Synod
1997
House of Bishops’ Guidelines are published
1994 – On the Way includes an option for the consideration of communion before confirmation
1996 – HoB Guidelines prepared in July, accepted by Synod in November
1997 – Guidelines published in March

24. Into the third millennium…?

25. Into the third millennium…
2005
Synod received a report on the current state of play in England
Most Dioceses permit parishes to admit children to Communion before Confirmation
2006 – June 15th
The Guidelines become Regulations under paragraph 1(c) of Canon B15A
2009
About 10% of parishes now admit children to communion before confirmation
Diocesan Bishops decide whether to permit communion before confirmation in their Diocese. This can be revoked at any time. However, it should not prejudice any parishes which have already been given permission, or any children who have been admitted.
Applications in writing must be made by incumbents accompanied by a resolution in support of the application passed by the PCC.
Provision must be made for preparation and continuing nurture.
Baptism is the pre-requisite and any person having parental responsibility must be content for the child to be admitted.
Register of admissions must be maintained and baptismal certificates endorsed (or certificate of admission given)
Holy Communion cannot be refused to a child who has been admitted even if she is in a parish that does not admit.

26. Baptismal theology ?

27. Baptismal theology A sign and seal of new birth
Adding to those whom the Lord calls
The start of a life-long journey of faith
Calling out of darkness
Images found in the Common Worship baptism service

28. Baptismal theology Dying to sin and rising to new life
Claimed by Christ
Cleansed from sin
Images found in the Common Worship baptism service

29. Baptismal theology Received into the Church Touched with God’s love
Welcomed into the fellowship of faith
Images found in the Common Worship Baptism service
Images found in the Common Worship baptism service

30. Eucharistic theology ?

31. Eucharistic theology Sacrifice Forgiveness
Trusting in your manifold and great mercies
Images found in the Common Worship Holy Communion service

32. Eucharistic theology Covenant of grace We are not worthy
Telling the story – hearing our part in it
Sending out into the world
Images found in the Common Worship Holy Communion service
Images found in the Common Worship Holy Communion service

33. Theological issues ?

34. Theological issues The priority of grace
Baptism as the complete sacramental initiation into Christ
Children as part of the covenant people of God
Understanding or faith?
Gift or reward?
What does the outworking of baptismal theology mean? Does it require prior discussion – is infant baptism ‘right’?
Is there a special place for children of Christian families?
Are sacraments dependent on understanding – raises questions of special needs, Alzheimer's
Are sacraments gifts from God which we administer or rewards for whom we decide the recipients?

35. Liturgical issues ?

36. Liturgical issues
Communion before confirmation means children attending communion
The need to make sense of their place in the service as a whole
Eucharistic prayers for use with children present
Continued teaching about the Eucharist

37. Pastoral issues ?

38. Pastoral issues Parental support Sunday group involvement
Teaching on the meaning of communion
Regular parochial opportunities for the renewal of baptismal vows
Engagement with local church schools

39. Pastoral issues Making room for differing views
Developing an overall culture which enables children to be worshippers
Children who want to emulate their peers
Inter-parochial mobility
A minimum age?
The place of confirmation

40. Children’s voices ?

41. Children’s voices
‘Why does the vicar say we are one body because we share one bread, when I don’t get any?’

42. Children’s voices
‘There are lots of things I don’t understand yet. But my family still feed me.’

43. Children’s voices
Why do you think Jesus wants us to share bread and wine?’
‘So that he can be really near us.’

44. Children’s voices
‘I like carrying the bread or wine up to the front. It’s like you’re helping Jesus get things ready for the supper.’

45. Children’s voices
‘What do you think about when you have the bread and wine?’
‘Being at the Last Supper with Jesus and His friends. It’s like being one of them.’

46. ? ?

47. ? Further reflection Help from the Diocesan Officers
Consultation with the church
PCC
Parents
Children
Consultation with local school

48. Communion before confirmation
Deal or no deal?
Mary Hawes, 2007