Switching faiths

[edie19]

I'm so excited to see folks participating in a non-fellowship thread - this is great.

 

[icedtea]

I wouldn't take communion in a EO, RCC Even if they welcomed me, I'd decline out of respect for their different beilief set.

They would not want you to receive if they knew you were not! No declining would be necessary.

 

[Albion]

I hear that allot about closed communion, some people actually get rather upset. Yet I respect someone who believes during communion you are about to receive the Body & Blood of Jesus, not to allow communion to one who does not believe the same?

I am sure I met Jesus along time ago, I just did not realize it.

Except that that isn't the RCC's policy.

You were responding to Howard Dean talking about the RCC, and the RCC closes communion to anyone who is not a member of the RCC (with a very few, usually emergency, exceptions). You could belong to one of the many other churches which also believe in the Real Presence and you'd still not be allowed by the RCC to commune.

 

[icedtea]

I don't want to derail, but they do trust you. I went to one last summer, after 30 years of being away, carrying my baptism certifictae, and photo of my Holy communion. The priest didn't want to see it, he believed me. And he was right, things had changed. Confession was different also!

 

[Rhamiel]

not to get off topic, but why would you want to commune with a Church that you do not think is right, also if a Catholic is in a state of mortal sin he or she should not take communion either

 

[icedtea]

Long story. Pm me if you wish to know. Lets just say I convinced myself enough to 'pass' and no ill effects.

 

[Simon_Templar]

my views on open vs. closed communion...

The Catholics and the Orthodox as well as some Lutherans, see communion as a sign of unity in the sense that it means all who take communion agree with each other.

Thus they view that agreement must come before communion.

In this view, taking communion with some one that you disagree with doctrinally would be 'partaking of communion in disunity' and would be a violation of Paul's teaching.

In otherwords, their unity is ultimately based on doctrinal grounds and communion is a reflection of that.


I disagree with this view, as does the Anglican Church in general (and some Lutheran Churches). I believe that the true unity of Christianity is nothing other than Jesus Christ himself. The fact that people have doctrinal disagreements is irrelevant so long as they hold to the basic core of truth that unites them to Jesus Christ.

I STRONGLY STRONGLY disagree with the idea that you can admit any person as united to Christ, but divided from me and my Church because of doctrine. Either you are united to Christ and thus united to me, or you are not.

I don't see anything in scripture which makes the unity of believers contingent upon doctrinal disagreements. So long as a person has the core of truth necessary to make them a believer and a member of Christ, I don't have a right to exclude them based on their lack of understanding or their disagreement with non-essential doctrines.

The question may arise, what is an essential doctrine... the short answer is if you can admit a person as being a true Christian despite being wrong about a given doctrine, then that doctrine is not essential.

There are many doctrines which are very important, but are not essential. Among these I would place the understanding of real presense in communion.

Real presense is not found in any of the creeds and virtually all Churches which hold real presense, will still admit Christians who do not as real brothers... thus the doctrine of real presense, while true, and very important, and extremely beneficial... is not essential.

 

[edie19]

They would not want you to receive if they knew you were not! No declining would be necessary.

In all the times I've visited a RCC church (for example) I've never heard them say members only - and I've seen folks who I know are not of the RCC tradition participate in the Eucharist. Since I know "members only" I stay in my pew.

 

[icedtea]

My. I should clear up, re-looking at the op title.
I never switched faiths; I went to a church when young because my parents made me. I was not of the catholic faith.
I can say I was not a christian.
So I've never switched faiths.

 

[edie19]

My. I should clear up, re-looking at the op title.
I never switched faiths; I went to a church when young because my parents made me. I was not of the catholic faith.
I can say I was not a christian.
So I've never switched faiths.

we have sort of strayed from the OP haven't we? Not that I'm complaining - I'm just glad to see some good, friendly discussion going on

 

[Rhamiel]

In the begining of the missle it is written that only Catholics in good standing should take communion, on Christmas and easter and at weddings I have heard it pointed out sometimes that non-catholics should not take communion, if I bring a guest. who is not catholic, to mass I ask them not to take communion

 

[edie19]

In the begining of the missle it is written that only Catholics in good standing should take communion, on Christmas and easter and at weddings I have heard it pointed out sometimes that non-catholics should not take communion, if I bring a guest. who is not catholic, to mass I ask them not to take communion

I knew they had to say something somewhere

 

[edie19]

something else Reformed Baptists don't do (at least none that I'm familiar with) is Ash Wednesday services. My d-i-l is of the RCC tradition - she took my 3 year old grandson to the Ash Wednesday Mass at her 6 year old's parochial school.

Logan (the younger) wasn't overly impressed
http://christianforums.com/showpost.php?p=43460434&postcount=150

I told Kellie she'll have to be careful on Palm Sunday - all of a sudden I have an image of sword fights with the palm leafs.

 

[Rhamiel]

Methodist and other "mainline" protestant denominations have ash wendsay, that is cool that your grandson went to it

 

[edie19]

Methodist and other "mainline" protestant denominations have ash wendsay, that is cool that your grandson went to it

The church I grew up in (Presbyterian) celebrated the various days of Holy Week - I don't remember ashes, but I do remember an Ash Wednesday service, as well as Maundy Thursday, & Good Friday.

One thing my church did that I liked (and took part in), from the time of the Maundy Thursday evening service until the start of the Good Friday service there were always folks in the sanctuary praying (Mark 14:32-41)

Kellie's good about taking the boys to Mass every week - and if they don't go with her, they go to church with me. Lukas is very interested in learning as much as he can about God - lots and lots of questions (darn good ones too)

 

[Rhamiel]

Kellie's good about taking the boys to Mass every week - and if they don't go with her, they go to church with me. Lukas is very interested in learning as much as he can about God - lots and lots of questions (darn good ones too)

it is amazing how children ask great questions about our Lord

 

[edie19]

it is amazing how children ask great questions about our Lord

my favorite Lukas story where he was asking about the Lord

http://christianforums.com/showpost.php?p=19744485&postcount=24

 

[stephenc]

[QUOTEIIf a Catholic is in a state of mortal sin he or she should not take communion either[/quote]

It could be the choice of words; I'm denied communion in my Church because my going on 11 years of marriage to a Protestant (you've heard this before) is a "continuing state of mortal sin".

See; here's the beef; I don't see it that way. How can I? We happened to have a different priest, a different church. So any repentence I make would be utterly false and hypocritical, wouldn't it?

I just can't help this; but I firmly believe one is a Christian first. The denominational technicalities strike me as simply cooked-up.

 

[icedtea]

yes.

 

[stephenc]

...so you'll see I'm caught in the middle; either perform an insincere act of repentence for my "sinful" marriage, or no eucharist.