Protestant Last Supper Question

[javier_29]

My wife is protestant and we will be attending a Thursday Passover meal at her Church.
(Obviously I’d rather go to Mass but this is one of those compromises one has to go through when not married to a Catholic….our children are being raised Catholic)

Here is the description of the event;

The Passover Dinner was the turning point between the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and His death on the cross. Passover with all of its symbolism, was used by Jesus to explain His ministry one last time to His disciples. At the end of this dinner, Jesus asked His disciples to “Do this in remembrance” of Him. The early Church took this request seriously. The Passover Dinner was the basis of their gathering together for the next 300 years. On Thursday, April 9th, 7:00pm, MVCC will be offering an experience. We will experience the significance of this ceremony and the connection we all have with our Jewish heritage including coming together around the Lord’s table.

The atmosphere will be simple. When entering, each person will receive a small box containing a “taste” of the foods used in the Passover Dinner. Pastor Bob from Calvary Chapel will lead us through each course of the meal. We will taste the food, understand the significance of each piece, experience together the meal that Jesus shared with His disciples on that night. The evening will be appropriate for all ages as it is an experience for the family and involves all the senses. While this 2 hour experience is a “meal”, each course will only include a small portion of each.

Obviously there is much to disagree on this description and critiqes are welcome as I will be discussing with my wife.

My question is this; Is “tasting” the different foods considered taking communion? If so, obviously I couldn’t participate (or my kids).

My initial feeling is that it is not communion and they are just presenting the different foods that were present at the last supper.

Any advice is welcome

God Bless
Javier

 

[KitSileya]

I think they’re more the Jewish Passover meal, if they’re talking about different tastes, not the Last Supper. Jews eat lamb just like they did in Egypt, with bitter herbs, unleavened bread, something to represent the mortar they used when slaves of the Pharaoh etc.

I guess what they’re trying to do is recreate the meal they would have served in that upper room with Jesus and the disciples?

 

[ChristinaM]

This is an interesting idea - I’ve never heard of a Protestant church doing something like this before. Recreating the Last Supper and involving all the senses…gee, now where have I heard that one before?

This sounds really odd to me, though:

The early Church took this request seriously. The Passover Dinner was the basis of their gathering together for the next 300 years.

What happened in 300 AD? Is that when the “real Christians” were driven underground by the bad old Roman Church established by Constantine?

At any rate, I would be inclined to say it is not a Communion service, as it does sound more like a Passover seder.

 

[baylee]

This is not communion…this is a Reader’s Digest version of the Passover Seder (which was the Last Supper). If you really want to experience a Passover Seder, I suggest to visit a Jewish home.

 

[baylee]

What happened in 300 AD? Is that when the “real Christians” were driven underground by the bad old Roman Church established by Constantine?

I agree…that part bothers me. I sure hope there won’t be subtle, or not so subtle, anti-Catholic sentiments shared there re: Mass.

 

[kennewickmike]

This is not communion…this is a Reader’s Digest version of the Passover Seder (which was the Last Supper). If you really want to experience a Passover Seder, I suggest to visit a Jewish home.

You hit the nail on the head I want to know what happened in 300 AD also!

 

[baylee]

This is not communion…this is a Reader’s Digest version of the Passover Seder (which was the Last Supper). If you really want to experience a Passover Seder, I suggest to visit a Jewish home.

And I would suspect that this sort of treatment of the Seder would be highly offensive to our Jewish brothers and sisters.

 

[baylee]

We will experience the significance of this ceremony and the connection we all have with our Jewish heritage* including coming together around the Lord’s table.***

Hmmm…on second thought the above bolded part may, in fact, mean communion. I would just be prepared that there could very well be “communion” at the end of the tasting party.

 

[javier_29]

Hmmm…on second thought the above bolded part may, in fact, mean communion. I would just be prepared that there could very well be “communion” at the end of the tasting party.

As long as it’s clear that it’s “time for communion” then I’ll be prepared. I was thinking that the actual tasting of the foods may be considered communion.

I had the same initial reaction as everybody else when reading the part about the “next 300 years”

Makes you LOVE the Mass even more (if that’s possible) and proud to be Catholic.

Javier

 

[Catholic1954]

This is an interesting idea - I’ve never heard of a Protestant church doing something like this before. Recreating the Last Supper and involving all the senses…gee, now where have I heard that one before?

This sounds really odd to me, though:

What happened in 300 AD? Is that when the “real Christians” were driven underground by the bad old Roman Church established by Constantine?

At any rate, I would be inclined to say it is not a Communion service, as it does sound more like a Passover seder.

I think this is becoming more and more popular in the Prostestant world, in recent years, in my part of the country anyway. A few years ago, a co-worker of mine went to such a meal at her church on Holy Thursday, and was amazed that had wine instead of grape juice!

 

[kage_ar]

I would NOT advise taking kids to this. It is not only confusing to them, it is offensive to both Catholics and Jews. Nah, your Catholic kids need to be at Holy Thursday Mass instead of make believe fake passover.

 

[vester44]

Maybe set up some ground rules with her before you go.

If they start disparaging the Catholic Church (and they might - you wouldnt BELIEVE what I heard around Christmas time of all times, at a Lutheran church, about Mary…whew…) then you have the right to leave, and she must come with you, to honor Catholicism, you and your family.

 

[jwashu]

As a former Protestant this would have been pretty cool, however our Church would have said nothing about first 300 years. I believe from that statement alone there is an underlying assumption that something changed at that point and it wasn’t positive. Thus the anti-Catholicism is there, just slightly hidden.

What’s interesting is I bet the pastor nor any of the elders/deacons have actually read any of the writings during that 300 years. If they had, they would realize that the ECF were Catholic and that they are in the wrong church What happens when you actually start trying to make your church like the early Christian Church stanwilliams.com/Hanson.htm

While I’m blessed that my wife converted when I did, even though her family are all Baptist / Non-Denominational and her late Grandfather was a Baptist Minister, I do not know what it’s like to be married to someone who doesn’t follow our beliefs. Given my wife was hesistant at first and still has issues with certain teachings but accepts them so we fully share our faith.

Thus you know your wife, you know how she will react if you say you aren’t going and thus you have to make that decision. While I still attend events from time to time with extended family I won’t tolerate ignorance of the Truth if it comes up… thus if I were in your shoes I would be concerned that was walking in to a possible argument.

Don’t get me wrong, I fully believe that many Protestants have enough of the Truth to find salvation, but you have all the Truth in the Catholic Church. Your children need to understand that as they grow up.

Joe

 

[ckempston]

Anyone else find it odd that they refer to Jesus’s words as a “request?”

 

[Cat]

Our Catholic Bible study, led by one of the most traditionalist Catholic couples that you will ever meet, did a “Seder Supper” two weeks ago!

It’s not anything awful. It’s a history lesson! That’s all.

I attended several Seder Supper programs with Jews for Jesus groups in Protestant churches when I was evangelical Protestant. I don’t remember anything insulting to Catholics. If anything, I remember wondering at the time “hey, this sounds like what Catholics do.” (Not that I knew anything about the Mass.)

In fact, I would credit these Seder Supper experiences as something that helped me think very hard about why Protestants even do Communion in their worship services.

Here is the link to the Jews for Jesus website. jews-for-jesus.org/ I have the book, Christ in the Passover. Like I said, it points to Catholicism, not Protestantism, if people will just see what is right in front of them.

I think that Jews for Jesus might also be able to answer questions about whether these Seder Supper programs are insulting to Jews. I don’t think they are at all–they’re just programs and they help us to understand what exactly Jewish families are celebrating and all their many traditions.

I hope your experience is a good one, and that you will discover in the Seder Supper many links to the Mass.

 

[rolltidefan]

I am protestant and I have never heard of this before. I find it interesting though. They might do communion at the end, it sounds like. However, I have never been a protestant church that even if a protestant didn’t want to take that somebody held you down and force feed you. I know at mine, you either take it or you don’t, no big deal made about it. That is between you and God and not for someone else to decide. It sounds to me like they are just trying to do a “tasting” of foods in which Jesus would have eaten in those days. Kind of like going to a Japenese or Italian restaurant. Not sure that is accurate, but that is just the way I took it. I don’t know where that would be offensive to anyone. I know in my church I have never heard anything negative about any church. I guess my pastor finds that there is enough to teach and preach on besides what some other church is doing.

On to my next point! lol I don’t recall if you said if your wife actually attends mass on Sunday with the family. But assuming that she does…I don’t think it is asking too much from her that you attend with her. If she is attending with you, then in my opinion she has every right to ask that you attend with her on special occasions and I think as a good spouse you would not have any objections. It sounds like you do attend with her at special times, so I am not beating you up for that. But for people to tell you not to attend is wrong. No, I am not saying sit there and take them downing your church, but if that has not happened then you have no reason not to respect her beliefs as much as you and everybody here expects her to accept yours. As far as confusing the kids…hmmm, don’t think they will be anymore confused than knowing that their mom and dad isn’t believing the same anyway. They will probably make a decision to whatever they want as adults anyway. I know for me and my husband, I have never asked him to attend with me, because I don’t want to feel obligated to attend with him especially on Sundays. I will not miss my church, just as you will not miss yours. I will go with him if and when his church as special activities. However, now he actually attends with me, but again that is not because I have asked him or complain about it. He made the choice to so that he could be with me and the kids. Just as your wife is making the choice for your family. Anyway just my 2 cents. I hope it works out. You sound like a good caring man anyway. God Bless You!

 

[baylee]

It sounds to me like they are just trying to do a “tasting” of foods in which Jesus would have eaten in those days. Kind of like going to a Japenese or Italian restaurant. Not sure that is accurate, but that is just the way I took it. I don’t know where that would be offensive to anyone.

Because they are reducing what is a very serious religious observance to a mere food tasting…in a box no less (perhaps they should dub this “Passover in a Box”). I’m sure they mean well, but many churches actually do a full-fledged seder … that is how it should be done if it’s going to be done at all.

 

[rolltidefan]

Because they are reducing what is a very serious religious observance to a mere food tasting…in a box no less (perhaps they should dub this “Passover in a Box”). I’m sure they mean well, but many churches actually do a full-fledged seder … that is how it should be done if it’s going to be done at all.

Maybe that was just poor choice of wording on that particular churches part. I have never been to one, so therefore I am not going to condemn a church for doing it. Also not going to condemn this particular church by saying they are being disrepectful, as I don’t know that they are. Sounds pretty neat to me and would attend one if there was a church nearby that done this. Sounds like Cat tried it and thought it was pretty neat and not disrepectful, so she/he apparently has been to one, so I would probably take that advice before listening to someone that has never been. Not saying you haven’t or have been, I don’t remember you stating either way.

 

[baylee]

Maybe that was just poor choice of wording on that particular churches part. I have never been to one, so therefore I am not going to condemn a church for doing it. Also not going to condemn this particular church by saying they are being disrepectful, as I don’t know that they are. Sounds pretty neat to me and would attend one if there was a church nearby that done this. Sounds like Cat tried it and thought it was pretty neat and not disrepectful, so she/he apparently has been to one, so I would probably take that advice before listening to someone that has never been. Not saying you haven’t or have been, I don’t remember you stating either way.

Hmm…never condemned this church. In fact, if I remember correctly I stated that their intentions were probably good. First of all, Cat went to a Seder…not a Reader’s Digest version with bits of food in a box (and I think it’s great when a church does a SEDER). Secondly, I’m a Jewish convert to the Catholic faith, so I do know a bit about the Seder…and I think I have a pretty good idea what might come across as disrespectful to Jews.

 

[rolltidefan]

Hmm…never condemned this church. In fact, if I remember correctly I stated that their intentions were probably good. First of all, Cat went to a Seder…not a Reader’s Digest version with bits of food in a box (and I think it’s great when a church does a SEDER). Secondly, I’m a Jewish convert to the Catholic faith, so I do know a bit about the Seder…and I think I have a pretty good idea what might come across as disrespectful to Jews.

Again, not sure what this particular churches intentions are but it is his wifes chuch and it doesn’t sound like they are dragging out snakes and drinking venom, so my point is if she is having enough respect for him to attend his church, then he should have enough respect to do the same. Doesn’t mean he has to participate just as she does not participate in mass. She is not asking him to miss a Holy Day of Obligation. And it sounds like he is more than willing to attend with her as a good spouse should which will probably mean a lot to her and in the end make her marriage stronger in spite of the differences. As far as being Jewish, I don’t know much about it, as I am not. However, have 2 friends that their families are. I will ask them if this would be offensive. I know from growing up with them, there is alot about our Christian beliefs that are offensive to them. Just like whenever they would do their some of their ritual beliefs, other Jewish families would come from all over to participate but we were not welcome to stay. So, to get a fullness of this would be a little hard to do when you can’t see first hand how it is actually done. Now that is just my experience…perhaps all is not like that.