Entry: Withholding Holy Communion Thursday, May 06, 2004



I found this article in the New York Times this morning to be rather interesting.

Governor Puts Communion Aside After Upsetting New Jersey Bishops

An excerpt:

Bowing to pressure from New Jersey's increasingly outspoken Roman Catholic bishops, Gov. James E. McGreevey said Wednesday that he would no longer receive holy communion during Mass because his support for abortion rights and other social causes contradicts church doctrine.

During the past month, bishops of Camden and Trenton have stepped forward to declare that Mr. McGreevey, a former altar boy who attends services at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Princeton, is not a devout Catholic because of his stance on several political causes that are opposed by the church, including domestic partnership for gay couples, abortion rights and the use of human stem cells in medical research. The Camden bishop said he would refuse to give Mr. McGreevey communion.

Christians (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant alike) seem to have a hard time being in community with people whom they disagree with. If your political ideologies or theological positions differ from us, then you need to find yourself another place to worship. Why can't Christians with radically different positions exist in the same church? Does Christian unity mean uniformity? Are there some things, even political hot issues such as abortion rights and partnership for gay couples, that Christians can disagree on and still be Christians living in community?

Making issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and stem cell research the litmus test for being "Christian" is a horrible mistake. Christians are not people who subscribe to a set of beliefs, but who are committed to a way of life. The table of Christ at which Christians gather for communion is a table that should unite us, not divide us. The beauty of the Eucharist is that Christians of all races, genders, ages and political parties are united in the sharing of one loaf and one cup. May the table of our Lord be a place known for radical inclusion, not withdrawal.

   13 comments

Gustavo Adolfo Santos
May 17, 2004   12:53 PM PDT
 
Married Guy,

There seems to be a problem of concepts in your post.

Those who favor abortion "rights" do not cease to be Christians. They, however, are not IN COMMUNION with the Catholic Church, and through her, with the Word of God as revealed in the Scriptures and interpreted through the Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. Not to mention, of course, those who objectively bring about the public offer of abortion by voting in the Legislative bodies for it.

If there is not objective communion of life and thought - on such a grave matter - how can their participation in communion not be an incoherence, or even a lie?

And as for that desired union: how can they be united with everyone else, if they are not objectively in communion with everyone else? This would be a false union, and no good can come of falsity and lies.

It would, in the end, confuse the children of the Church - us - about the real teachings on the dignity of human life, from conception to death.

Graver still, it would not lead those who are discenting from the Church (who, by the way, is NOT a political party) towards truth. Therefore, it is also lack of charity to simply "ignore" their error.

Yours,

Gustavo.
Name
May 15, 2004   10:31 PM PDT
 
First of all, I AGREE with not allowing imorral people take communion. Now, society is immorally moving forward and sin is takin over the world, as I am SURE you all agree with. THE CHURCH DOES NOT CHANGE BECAUSE SOCIETY CHANGES!!!! If you believe that since society allows gay marriage, that the church should also, you are going againsth the Bible itself. Unless you are completely ignorant, you know that the Bible does not accept homosexuality. These liberals are taking over and we, the church, need to stay in the faith. Having an educated conversation with liberals does not work. As they are too set in their ways they are to ignorant to realize the plain, simple, and obvious truth. So therefore the church has taken strides to making a stronger stance against these "terrorists"(If you would like me to explain this choice of words, I gladly will.) Liberals make loud and clearly heard ignorant viewpoints. So, we have the right to make loud Biblical viewpoints against the immoral. THE TRUE CHURCH IS IN THE HEART, AND IF YOU FIGHT FOR GAY MARRIAGE AND ABORTION, YOUR HEART IS NOT COMPLETELY IN THE RIGHT PLACE. """I am not saying you aren't a Christian!!!""" You just have to evaluate your ignorant views.
Name
May 15, 2004   10:31 PM PDT
 
First of all, I AGREE with not allowing imorral people take communion. Now, society is immorally moving forward and sin is takin over the world, as I am SURE you all agree with. THE CHURCH DOES NOT CHANGE BECAUSE SOCIETY CHANGES!!!! If you believe that since society allows gay marriage, that the church should also, you are going againsth the Bible itself. Unless you are completely ignorant, you know that the Bible does not accept homosexuality. These liberals are taking over and we, the church, need to stay in the faith. Having an educated conversation with liberals does not work. As they are too set in their ways they are to ignorant to realize the plain, simple, and obvious truth. So therefore the church has taken strides to making a stronger stance against these "terrorists"(If you would like me to explain this choice of words, I gladly will.) Liberals make loud and clearly heard ignorant viewpoints. So, we have the right to make loud Biblical viewpoints against the immoral. THE TRUE CHURCH IS IN THE HEART, AND IF YOU FIGHT FOR GAY MARRIAGE AND ABORTION, YOUR HEART IS NOT COMPLETELY IN THE RIGHT PLACE. """I am not saying you aren't a Christian!!!""" You just have to evaluate your ignorant views.
Sozo
May 12, 2004   04:37 PM PDT
 
Well, I see a few responses on what our attitude should be with people we disagree with. However, I don't see anything on how we handle situations in our local fellowships.

For instance, a self-proclaimed Christian wants to join and be part of your church but denies the deity of Christ. Do you let them join? If so, what roles/positions should they be able to hold or not hold?

Now, this is an extreme example, but I'm just trying to pick something which everyone falls on the same side on.
Tam
May 11, 2004   05:30 PM PDT
 
How do "we" deal with people we don't agree with?

I have to love these people above all. I personally do not agree with someone right now (not on this blog!) and struggle with it. But this person is a Christian and strives to live the life; that I don't disagree with, and therefore I love this person.

Having read a lot of these blogs over the last few months, I find that I personally disagree with some of them...does that mean I don't like them? ( I haven't personally met all of these people yet, I but know of them through "Married Guy!") I have come to love these people of their love for the Lord and striving to do what is right.

So, how should someone deal with it? That's where we find out who Christians are: "and they'll know we are Christians by our LOVE!"

And Travis, how do I respond on you personal blog....you're getting computer happy!!! :) Thought I'd forget to leave you a note huh? :)
Married Guy
May 10, 2004   09:33 AM PDT
 
"So how do you deal with people who don't agree with you?'--Name

I do not think that anyone need to be ashamed of their beliefs. Unity will not be achieved in a Christian community by everyone denying their particular beliefs. What is needed is for each group, each individual to lay out their various beliefs and discuss them in an open enviornment. The goal is not to prove one party right, but to seek a deeper level of truth that can only come when we move beyond our own particulars.

I am not saying that there is no truth. What I am saying, though, is that I am wery of identifying one particular theological position or political party as the only form of truth. We live in a complicated world. People come from particular cultural settings that causes them to see the world in a particular way. No one is unbiased. Understanding that is the first step to "dealing with people you disagree with." I need to understand that my views are as much shaped by my culture as your views are.

Even positions we claim the Bible supports still stem from our own particulars. If this were not so, then there would not be such wide diversity on how to interpret the Bible. It is not that one group has it all right and everyone else has it wrong (this is what I was taught growing up). All groups approach the Bible with their own eyes, each seeing different things. Perhaps this is what God intended. If not, then it seems his Christianity project has failed.
Name
May 9, 2004   02:09 PM PDT
 
So how do you all deal with people who don't agree with you?
Sozo
May 7, 2004   12:28 AM PDT
 
To refuse communion in the Catholic church is to refuse a means of grace and is an entirely different context than what we have in Protestantism.

I'm just curious. Take a scenario where a person who claims thay are a Christian is habitually commiting a certain act. What would that act have to be before you'd consider excluding them from a local fellowship of believers?

And then a similar question with beliefs. Is there any belief a person could hold which would disqualify them from holding a position of authority within the church. They could still attend, though.
Ken
May 6, 2004   04:06 PM PDT
 
"Christians are not people who subscribe to a set of beliefs, but who are committed to a way of life. "

Yes, a way of life of love, holiness and faith. Unfortunately performing, promoting, or endorsing abortion is against all three.

Even the apostle Paul asked, "what fellowship does the table of Christ have with Belial?"
Kindly Viking
May 6, 2004   11:00 AM PDT
 
TG, Since a lot of non-GST'ers read this, why don't you give them a good definition of Newman/Aquino's "illative sense." (I don't think Meriam and Webster even know what it means!) That will help them stay a part of our conversation.
Theologian Guy
May 6, 2004   10:56 AM PDT
 
I think it is important that the church take a stand against practices that happen within our society. Certainly, abortion, except in a very few cases, should be opposed as a practice by the people in the church--but we can not impose such opposition on the wider public. Perhaps Christian researchers should abstain from abusing human tissue in scientific research, and urge others to avoid abuse, but we cannot make a law forcing non-Christians to live by our standard. As much has already been said elsewhere in our discussions.

The church is radically divided politically. All you folks from Aquino's class recognize the importance of the development of the illative sense and cultivating informed judgment as integral to addressing these differences. By excluding the governor (or anyone) from communion because how one's thinking on an issue differs, one has to wonder about the excluder's committment to seeking the truth.
Travis
May 6, 2004   10:50 AM PDT
 
Perhaps it is cheesy (we'll let our resident cheese expert "the cheese and the worms" decided), but these are the words of Christ. He said the world will know his disciples by their love.

Of course, we all know that there are many textual varients out there and that some earlier manuscripts include "by your political beliefs," "by the name on your church building," "by anything but the way you live." I, however, choose the shorter and more difficult reading "by your love."
Holy-Cow
May 6, 2004   10:01 AM PDT
 
I wonder if this problem arises with the idea that Christians are to be apart from the world. And becuase of this have chosen such issues like abortion, gay marriage and stem cell research as issues to make that division. I believe by taking this method of separation we have created a division that is toxic.

Because some churches black ball people because of their political stance they and we are not being very good Christians.

I know this sounds cheesy but I think there is a good point in the song "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they will know we are Christians by our love."

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