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The Church Of Ireland
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STANDING COMMITTEE
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
laid before
The General Synod at its
One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ordinary Session
1999
APPENDIX G
COMMITTEE FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
STATEMENT ON EUCHARISTIC SHARING
The Church of Ireland welcomes baptised members of other Churches who are communicants to receive Holy Communion, and regards it as a matter of conscience for members of other Churches whether or not they take up this invitation.
We recognise that a painful situation may arise for members of another Church, when that Church does not permit Eucharistic sharing. Whilst we cannot be placed in a position where we should be asked to implement the discipline of another tradition, we are sensitive to the pain that is felt by those who feel they cannot accept an invitation to receive Holy Communion. On other occasions, pain is felt by members of the Church of Ireland when Eucharistic hospitality is not extended to them in other Churches. It is important that care should be taken not to place any pressure on those of another tradition to receive Holy Communion, and clergy should be sensitive to any related pastoral needs.
For a long time there have been two distinct attitudes towards members of separated Churches sharing together in Holy Communion. There has been the view that sharing together in Holy Communion is a sign of unity that has already been achieved. Within the Church of Ireland, in the course of the last few decades we have increasingly come to see such Eucharistic sharing as indeed being a sign of the unity yet to be achieved, but also a means towards that very end.
Anglicanism has been heavily influenced by ecumenical thinking which looks at the sacrament as a sign of something that God gives, the instrument by which he gives it, and the foretaste of what he still has to give. Looked at in this way, Eucharistic sharing is a sign of what God wants for the Church, a means by which it may be achieved, and a foretaste of the messianic banquet in heaven.
The General Synod of the Church of Ireland in 1969 adopted the resolution (no 45) of the Lambeth Conference of 1968 on the Admission of non-Anglicans to Holy Communion, which affirmed that "in order to meet special pastoral needs, under the direction of the bishop, Christians duly baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity and qualified to receive Holy Communion in their own Churches may be welcomed at the Lord’s Table in the Anglican Communion". (Journal of the General Synod 1969 lxviii.)
In places where there are almost always members of other Churches present at Holy Communion, it is frequently felt to be necessary to issue an explicit invitation. However, on special occasions, such as the Institutions of clergy, confirmations and suchlike, when members of Churches which do not permit Eucharistic sharing are officially invited to the service, sensitivity may suggest that the welcome to Holy Communion should appear only in print. This may save embarrassment to visitors, and yet ensure that the Church of Ireland is true to itself.
It is suggested that the words welcoming members of other Churches to receive Holy Communion, whether spoken or in writing be kept simple, stating something like this: All who are communicants in their own Churches are welcome to receive Holy Communion.
Easter 1998
Return to Standing Committee Report 1999
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