Closed Communion in Chaldean and Malankaran

[Addai]

I’ve heard it said a few times that the Assyrian Churches don’t practice closed Communion.
Here’s an example from a church service review from “Ship of Fools”.

“…The Archbishop told me over breakfast (I was staying with him): ‘It’s not good to turn people away from communion’ – a refreshing contrast to the protectionist approach of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.”

ship-of-fools.com/mystery/1998/027Mystery.html

My Questions for you Catholics that come from that tradition either Assyrian or Indian…

1. Do you agree this true of the original tradition of the rite (or perhaps even Apostolic Tradition). Explain why or why not.
2. Do you practice it, or has your Sui Juris Church taken on the Roman Catholic closed Communion position.

Thanks

 

[SyroMalankara]

My Questions for you Catholics that come from that tradition either Assyrian or Indian…

1. Do you agree this true of the original tradition of the rite (or perhaps even Apostolic Tradition). Explain why or why not.

Not the original Tradition - the Catholic, Orthodox, and Chaldean-Syrian Church in India practice “closed communion” only protestants do otherwise.

Economia - the Catholic, Assyrian and Syriac Orthodox Churches do practice limited intercommunion based on circumstance. However, these are very rare, and concelebration is forbidden.

1. Do you practice it, or has your Sui Juris Church taken on the Roman Catholic closed Communion position.

Our Churches haven’t “taken on the Roman Catholic closed communion position”, it is our position that Communion is only for those who are in union - in addition, even our members must be in good standing, been to confession recently, and have fasted from the night prior (some priests require having prayed the evening prayers/morning prayers/etc).

My impression is that the bishop you spoke with may have attended Anglican seminary. The Assyrian Church of the East was || close to full communion with Canterbury about 50 years ago - that fell apart because of recent Anglican “practices”.

 

[Addai]

“My impression is that the bishop you spoke with may have attended Anglican seminary. The Assyrian Church of the East was || close to full communion with Canterbury about 50 years ago - that fell apart because of recent Anglican “practices”.”

Thanks for the reply and I was wondering about this myself (If it was revisionist history based upon the earlier Anglican association). I did have a friend say that open Communion was mentioned in the Assyrian classic the Marganitha, but after rereading that work today… I don’t see it, It actually looks the opposite.

nestorian.org/book_of_marganitha_part_iv.html#partivchap5

 

[antgaria]

Dear Addai,

I just wanted to confirm what SyroMalankara said. Open communion is the current state of affairs in the Assyrian Church of the East, but this was an innovation from the influence of the interaction with Anglicans.

In Him,
Anthony

 

[Ignatius]

1. Do you agree this true of the original tradition of the rite (or perhaps even Apostolic Tradition). Explain why or why not.

No, all of the available evidence unambiguously shows that as early as the first century, the catecumens were dismissed prior to the Eucharist.

 

[una_fides]

Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you: and many have died. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

 

[janu03]

Dialogue between the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East … They were in communion with the Assyrian Church of Persia, and followed the East … Following an appeal by Malankaran Archbishop Mar Ivanios in 1930