History of Closed Communion

[ByzantineDixie]

Hi fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

I would like to do a little research on the history of closed communion. As you may be aware, my church (Lutheran) also has a closed communion practice. While the primary authority in my church is Scripture...tradition comes in second. So I would like to look at the traditional practices.

I understand the origin of the practice was to ask the catechumens and uncommitted attendees to leave the service...then the Lord's Supper was celebrated among baptized members only.

At the time of the origin of this practice...there was only one church...so you were either a baptized Christian and could commune or you were not, and did not.

When was communion in the one Christian church first restricted to people who had been baptized, claimed to be Christian but were ulitmately regarded as heretics or otherwise unacceptable to the church and consequently, restricted from communion. I am not talking about the periodic excommunication. I am interested in groups...followers of x or y no longer being permitted at the table.

If you can point me in a direction, I can take it from there.

Many thanks for your help!!!

Peace

Rose

 

[Nikolas222]

I wasn't aware there was a histoy of closed communion. Basically, it just is closed in the Orthodox church. I thought most services in other denominations were closed anyways. This is not true?

Anyways, how I understand it, since all Orthodox doctrine is basically unchanged, it has always been closed to baptized Orthodox church members, as it has been closed to the original church before the great schism.

 

[Philip]

When was communion in the one Christian church first restricted to people who had been baptized, claimed to be Christian but were ulitmately regarded as heretics or otherwise unacceptable to the church and consequently, restricted from communion. I am not talking about the periodic excommunication. I am interested in groups...followers of x or y no longer being permitted at the table.

Take a look at the Montanists and the Donatists.

 

[Rilian]

If you believe the church is a visible body of believers joined in a shared faith by the sacraments, I don't see how you could not have closed communion.