Children

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Children Holy Communion
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Biblical perspectives on children...

• 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

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Biblical perspectives on children...

• 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

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Biblical perspectives on children...

• 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

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Biblical perspectives on the eucharist...

• Jewish tradition

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Biblical perspectives on the eucharist...

• Do this in remembrance of me.
• Luke 22.19

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Biblical perspectives on belonging...

• Baptism is the
• sole rite of
• entry into
• the church.

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Biblical perspectives on worthiness...

• Whoever... eats the bread or drinks the cup in
  an unworthy manner will be answerable...
• ... Examine yourselves, and only then eat... and
  drink...
• 1 Corinthians 11.27 - 28

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Children Holy Communion
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History - 3rd Century

• Cyprian describes infants receiving bread and
  wine from birth.

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History 4th - 5th Centuries

• St Augustine of Hippo and original sin
• John 6.53

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History 4th - 5th Centuries

• Growing size of
• Dioceses
• Baptisms
• performed by
• local priests

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History 11th Century

• Eastern practice
• Priest performed full baptismal rite, including
  infant Communion.

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History 11th Century

• Western practice
• Baptism was performed locally but anointing and
  imposition of hands was delayed until a visit
  from the Bishop.

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History the Middle Ages

• Baptism Communion Confirmation
• Growing theology
• of the
• real presence

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History 13th Century

• recommended age for Confirmation varied from 1
  7 years
• 1281 regulation that those not confirmed should
  be barred from Holy Communion.

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History 16th Century

• communicating unconfirmed adults and children was
  finally abolished
• (Council
• of Trent
• 1547)

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History 17th Century
1662 Prayer Book there shall none be admitted to
the Holy Communion until such time as he be
confirmed' or ready and desirous to be confirmed
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History 19th Century

• Confirmation seen as the completion of baptism -
  and therefore the gateway to Communion

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Just last century

• The Parish Eucharist Movement

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Just last century
1988 1991 1993

• 1954
• 1971
• 1974
• 1985

1994 1996 1997
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Into the third millennium

• 2005 how was it going?
• 2006 June 15th
• The Guidelines become Regulations under paragraph
  1(c) of Canon B15A

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Children Holy Communion
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Theological issues

• The priority of grace
• Baptism as the
• complete
• sacramental
• initiation
• into Christ

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Theological issues

• Children as fully a part of the covenant people
  the family of God the Church.

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Theological issues

• Understanding or faith?
• Gift or reward?

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Children Holy Communion
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Liturgical issues

• Communion before confirmation means children
  attending communion.
• The need to make
• sense of their place
• in the service
• as a whole.

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Liturgical issues

• Eucharistic prayers for use with children present
• Continued teaching about the Eucharist

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Children Holy Communion
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Pastoral issues

• Parental support
• Sunday group involvement
• Teaching on
• the meaning of
• communion

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Pastoral issues

• Regular parochial opportunities for the renewal
  of baptismal vows
• Engagement
• with local
• church schools

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Pastoral issues

• Making room for differing views
• Developing an
• overall culture
• which enables
• children to be
• worshippers

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Pastoral issues

• Inter-parochial mobility
• A minimum
• age
• The place
• of confirmation

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Children Holy Communion