Traditional Baptist Communion

You ask a strange thing. There is no: The Baptist Church. There are dozens of groups called Baptist which have no fellowship with each other. There are some Baptists who think they are Protestants. There are some who have had nothing to do with Protestantism, tracing their faith and practice back to the First Church; and not passing through Rome or Wittenburg. They cannot all be right. They could all be wrong--an interesting study.

The so-called Baptist Communion is open, close and closed--a test of fellowship in most circles.

God said He would preserve a remnant through the Gates of Hell. I believe He has done so. He needed the help of no one.

Shalom,

Bro. James

 

This is a false start.

 

My point about the remnant is that the scriptural communion is still out there, somewhat shrouded perhaps by what happens with the bread and wine. This has been a major schism for centuries. Also the practices of close, closed and open communion have separated many groups called Baptist. I am persuaded that there are still some groups practicing the same as those who are referenced in the NT.

Shalom,

Bro. James

 

Daniel, what do you mean when you say "scriptual communion?"

The Baptist Seminary in Prague has communion at chapel every Wednesday morning. It is always stressed that each person take communion according to their tradition. What does this mean?

The group forms a circle. A common cup is passed. from one individual to the next. They do not use the little glasses so common in the States. As one person offers the bread to the next they say, "The body of Christ broken for you."

When the cup is passed from one to another the person passing the cup says, "The blood of Christ shed for you."


Some people eat the bread and then sip the wine when it is passed around.

[Yes, is wine. They call it Baptist wine as centuries ago German Baptist, know for their excellent work in vineyards, were invited to what is now the Czech Republic, to rebuild vineyards destroned in war.]

Others take the bread and hold it and then dip it in the wine as the cup is passed.

 

I must say that I have never come across any "pomp and ceremony" regarding the Lord's Supper in any baptist church I have known. Nothing (for instance) to compare with the elaborate robes, ornate altars bedecked with candles, and ritual of some Anglican churches. But possibly you meant something different by your phrase, "pomp and ceremony" - could you give and example or two? What do you mean by "traditional baptist communion"?

I don't know of a resource dealing specifically with the history of the way the Lord's Supper has been observed among baptist churches, though some general histories of baptists will have references to it.

 

The memorial supper, aka: communion, Lord's Supper, has been a test of fellowship for centuries even among some Baptists. I hasten to add: True Baptists are not Protestant and have never been a part of Rome. There is no entity called The Baptist Church. There are dozens of groups called Baptist which cannot fellowship with other Baptists because of doctrinal differences, including the practice of the memorial supper. There are probably not any "Baptists" who think the bread and wine are literally transformed into the flesh and blood of Jesus. However, there is a serious schism regarding who may partake in a given Supper.

There are three basic lines of thought: open, close, and closed. Open meaning available to all those present regardless of their church affiliation. Close meaning available to those of like faith and practice. Closed meaning available only to the members of the particular body there present.

The ones who practice closed communion say this practice goes back to the first supper.

The ones who practice close communion say like faith is O.K.

The ones who practice open communion must do so to be consistent with their belief in the universal church.

I am persuaded that there is a faith and practice handed down, Jude 3, and that no one has authority to change it.

When these changes came to be is difficult to pinpoint.

Selah,

Bro. James

 

Bro Daniel,

I have a question that I hope doesn't hijack the thread. When you are talking of "Baptist Communion", are you only giving the reference to "Bread and Fruit of the Vine/Wine", or also including "Feet Washing"? Around here, our communion consists of the Bread and Fruit of the Vine, followed IMMEDIATELY by feet washing. Will you please elaborate? Thanks!!

Willis

 

Thanks, I think I see what you mean now. I still don't recognise it though. (Perhaps things are different in America). I suppose our equivalent to your "Mrs. Johnson" might (understandably!) raise her eyebrows if we started covering the table with a cloth showing pictures of "The Simpsons", or placing the bread on a plate with pictures of the four "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", but not if we used a disposable cloth, or a cloth of a different colour to the one we normally use. We don't have anyone "coaching" anyone else in the praying at the Lord's Supper - we don't have any set wording, in other words, no "reciting" of prayers. And we don't have a special "communion message"; the Lord's Supper forms part of our morning service, and follows straight on from the sermon.


I was looking for a book I have called "The Baptist", by Jack Hoad, published by Grace Publications, but unfortunately I could not find it. Here are the details anyway:

Hoad, Jack. The Baptist - A Historical and Theological Study of the Baptist Identity. UK: Grace Publications Trust, 1986. 355 pages.

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If I succeed in finding it, I will see what it says about the Lord's Supper, and post again. Meanwhile, I see that rlvaughn posted a list of books on baptist history, in a thread in 2003 entitled "History Recommendations", on the history foum of the Baptist Board.

 

I've not participated in one, either. And I would be very surprised if our church ever had one. We don't footwashing as meeting the criteria for an ordinance.

 

We consider feetwashing to be a "part of" the ordinance of communion,and not another ordinance. We do not consider the communion to be complete without the act of "feetwashing".
Jesus included it as part of His Communion service and said "what I do now,ye know not, but ye shall know hereafter". If we don't wash feet, how we going to know, hereafter???
The clincher is the Lord saying the servant is not greater than his master, and if I your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another. If you know these things, (servant not greater than the Lord) Happy are you if you do them. Believe you me, It sure brings humbleness and rejoicing to be able to wash your brethren's feet. Let me die as one who has washed his Brethren's feet.

BBob,