Paedocommunion in Presbyterian & Reformed Churches

[Beezer]

Greetings,

The various threads of late on the bringing up of children in the home and church made me curious about the practice/belief of paedocommunion held by some in P&R churches.

For our Presbyterian brothers and sisters, have you ever encountered this view in churches you've belonged to? Does anyone know the background for how this issue developed and why some have come to advocate for this position today? Does this minority position extend back to the reformation?

I understand this view is inconsistent with our Reformed confessions and in need of correction. I'm mostly interested in understanding: 1) the prevalence of the paedocommunion view, 2) how those who hold it came to that position, and 3) any specific examples of how churches you know have dealt with it.

[I ask sincerely in order to increase my knowledge on the issue and not to stir up emotion or debate. Thank you!]

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Some items worth a review:
https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...e-taken-for-paedo-communion.49648/#post636855

https://www.puritanboard.com/threads/paedocommunion-arguments.8260/#post-109740

http://www.opc.org/qa.html?question_id=191
http://www.opc.org/qa.html?question_id=420

Ten part series:
https://heidelblog.net/2009/04/children-at-the-lords-table-1/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/04/children-at-the-lords-table-2/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/04/children-at-the-lords-table-3/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-4/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-5-the-ot-evidence/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-6/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-7-nt-evidence-cont/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-8-nt-evidence-cont/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-9-nt-evidence-cont/
https://heidelblog.net/2009/05/children-at-the-lords-table-10-conclusions/

 

[NaphtaliPress]

These may be useful also,
http://www.cpjournal.com/articles-2...paedo-communion-by-matthew-winzer-cpj-3-2007/
I cannot find Dr. Bacon's What Mean Ye by this Service online any more, but that is good regarding the Passover.

 

[Beezer]

Patrick and Chris,

Thank you very much for taking the time to post the links. I'll pour over these this week! Much appreciated.

 

[Scott Bushey]

Looking for Dr. Bacon's article...

 

[fredtgreco]

I had previously downloaded this. I've attached a pdf of it.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Thanks Fred. The Bacon piece I recalled provided the dating on when this first began to be an issue in conservative Presbyterianism (he dates it to 1975 and Chris Keidel's WTJ article).

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

Here is the Paedocommunion and Covenant Theology Page at APM with all the links to many good articles across the web.

 

[jwithnell]

I believe this is an unorthodox practice followed by very few churches with Presbyterian in their name.

It seems to come about as people begin to truly grasp the covenantal nature of God's work with his people. I remember asking this very question.

You may find break-off denominations which have formed, in part, over this issue and which also likely emphasize man's responsibility for his own sanctification (often but not always in part by participating in the sacraments).

Most concerning, is the possibility that otherwise orthodox churches are pushing too far to the "young" without making the leap to babies -- in some cases leaving all instructions on such matters to the parents.

Paedocommunion seems to have regional influence, particularly in the central US. Are the Tyler Texas folks still around?

For a point of reference on my perspective, I was reared in the mainline Presbyterian church, was a member of two PCA churches and am now OPC. This takes my memory back a long way, but a lady doesn't give her age . When it comes to generic reformed churches, I'm not well informed.

 

[TylerRay]

Paedocommunion seems to have regional influence, particularly in the central US. Are the Tyler Texas folks still around?

They grew into the Federal Vision movement. The congregation itself is in the Reformed Episcopal Church now. Ray Sutton is an REC bishop. James Jordan hangs out in CREC churches, although I don't think he's belonged to a church for a long time. Gary North belongs to a CREC church.

I ran in those circles when I was new to the Reformed faith.

The practice is, indeed, fringe heteropraxy. You'll pretty much only find it in the CREC, REC, CPC, and FORC.

 

[Edward]

The practice is, indeed, fringe heteropraxy. You'll pretty much only find it in the CREC, REC, CPC, and FORC.

R.C. Sproul, Jr. had switched to the Covenant Presbyterian Church denomination last I heard. He was an early proponent. (I don't know if he's in good standing given his recent legal problems).

 

[TylerRay]

R.C. Sproul, Jr. had switched to the Covenant Presbyterian Church denomination last I heard. He was an early proponent. (I don't know if he's in good standing given his recent legal problems).

He's a sad case. I sure hope he's stepped back from all of his ministerial roles.

 

[Edward]

I sure hope he's stepped back from all of his ministerial roles.

I haven't seen anything suggesting that. He didn't let any of his previous issues slow him down.

 

[ZackF]

I haven't seen anything suggesting that. He didn't let any of his previous issues slow him down.

I found out about that when R.C. Sr. died. Real sad.

 

[Username4000]

The closest I've seen is that the PCA's Pacific Northwest Presbytery will admit children starting at age 4, after examination by the elders. This was decided at the presbytery level to account for families moving around the presbytery; they didn't want to have a child commune in one congregation then be denied the sacrament at the one next door. While this is technically paedocommunion, it avoids the primary error of letting the unexamined partake, and also recognizes that young children can truly have saving faith, avoiding the error Mark Dever falls into (denying the ordinances until age 18, under the fear that children would seek to be baptized for improved social standing with peers and parents).