At what age should I allow my daughter to receive communion?

[GQ Chris]

She professes trust in Jesus Christ, but is still learning all the more profound aspects of Theology. At what age is the appropriate time to allow her to receive communion at church?

 

[hedrick]

I believe different Reformed bodies take differing points of view. PCUSA encourages it fairly early. Basically as soon as they can in some age-appropriate way "discern the body." Typically it's in the early primary grades. We provide some specific training before their first communion. The Book of Order actually says it's up to the child. It says when they show interest, we should provide the necessary training. However there's an implicit assumption that they have to be capable of going through the training.

 

[twin1954]

She professes trust in Jesus Christ, but is still learning all the more profound aspects of Theology. At what age is the appropriate time to allow her to receive communion at church?

If you think that she truly has faith in Christ she should be allowed to partake at whatever age. We are not given any instructions to withold the elements from anyone who has faith. If she is old enough to be baptized she is old enough to take communion.

 

[Eddie L]

If you think that she truly has faith in Christ she should be allowed to partake at whatever age. We are not given any instructions to withold the elements from anyone who has faith. If she is old enough to be baptized she is old enough to take communion.

My daughter can never remember a time that she didn't believe the extent of what she understood. She was raised in a Christian home and was never regarded by us to be an unbeliever. She's an adult now, but while she was younger, under what context could I have rightly stood between her and the table without throwing doubts her way? What would I have said? "Daughter, I know you say you believe and that we all assume that you do, but you've not yet met the yardstick. One day you'll demonstrate your faith enough, but not yet."

Yuck. What would she have done then, tried harder?

We're not faith inspectors (and I'm sure the writer of the OP isn't trying to be). If she believes, let her join.

 

[CalledOutOne]

If she's professing faith let her receive. If she is falsely converted that guilt will be on her, not on you for letting her participate.

 

[freezerman2000]

In my church,the youngest age of Confirmation is 12 to 13..
If she understands what the Eucharist is all about and is a professing Christian, I wouldn't prevent her from partaking if she were my daughter..Talk to her,ask her if she understands what it means..you will know.I'm happy that she wishes to partake.

 

[Erinwilcox]

At what ever age she feels that she loves Jesus and wants to publicly stand as His child. Withholding the elements from a saved child because she isn't "old enough" to understand when she clearly believes that she does is incredibly discouraging to one's faith . . . I speak as one who was told that I had an incredibly credible profession of faith (at 15) but that I had to wait until 17 because that WAS "old enough."

 

[bricklayer]

One should participate in communion from birth, re-birth that is.
If one is regenerated spiritually, that one is therefore in communion and should participate in commemorating such.