Who can "consencrate" communion in Protestant Churches

[SteveVH]

SteveVH,
True. Consecration is not a consideration in non-Sacramental Churches.

It is an issue in Southern Baptist Churches only to the extent that one who has been baptized in a Sacramental Church must be baptized again in the Baptist Church, in order to receive the Lord’s Supper–which SB’s believe is a symbolic act of obedience, memorializing the death of the Redeemer and anticipating His second coming. See The Baptist Faith and Message, VII. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, Link: sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#i.

There is an interesting “position” paper on the Southern Baptist Convention website, though it has not yet been adopted by the board of trustees. Final editing is to be made by the chairman of the board.

Southern Baptist Convention Link: imb.org/main/news/details.asp?LanguageID=1709&StoryID=3840

**Position Paper Concerning the IMB Guideline on Baptism
a. Baptism is a church ordinance.

"Baptism must take place in a church that practices believer’s baptism by immersion alone, does not view baptism as sacramental or regenerative, and a church that embraces the doctrine of the security of the believer.

b. A candidate who has not been baptized in a Southern Baptist church or in a church which meets the standards listed above is expected to request baptism in his/her Southern Baptist church as a testimony of identification with the system of belief held by Southern Baptist churches."**

Baptism that meets the SBC guidelines is a prerequisite to the "privileges of church membership and to the “Lord’s Supper.” Link: sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#i

So, basically, anyone coming into the Baptist church must break ties with Sacramental beliefs, embrace the Baptist system of beliefs (which includes “security of the believer,”) in order to be baptized and participate in the Lord’s Supper. By the time a person reaches this point, they are partaking of a Lord’s Supper that denies clear revelations in Holy Scripture–and, of course, denies Christian Tradition.

It was really heartbreaking for me to finally recognize such a grave error in the Church of my family and upbringing. Most of my family are still in the Baptist Church.

Peace,
Anna

So baptism is a “testimony of identification” with a particular church. Interesting. It would seem that to come to this conclusion would require almost complete ignorance of the practices and writings of the early Church.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

It depends entirely, in my experience. Some churches only allow an ordained person to do that, others don’t have that rule. In my own church, one of our ordained pastors will lead the Communion on a Sunday, but at smaller gatherings like in a homegroup, any believer in good standing, male or female, may officiate. I do it fairly regularly myself (and it’s a great privilege).

The Biblical reference for that practice is in 1 Peter 2, where Scripture refers to us as a ‘holy priesthood’ (v5) and a ‘royal priesthood’ (v9).

But not all are called to ministarial priesthood.

 

[Anna_Scott]

SteveVH,
True. Consecration is not a consideration in non-Sacramental Churches.

It is an issue in Southern Baptist Churches only to the extent that one who has been baptized in a Sacramental Church must be baptized again in the Baptist Church, in order to receive the Lord’s Supper–which SB’s believe is a symbolic act of obedience, memorializing the death of the Redeemer and anticipating His second coming. See The Baptist Faith and Message, VII. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, Link: sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#i.

There is an interesting “position” paper on the Southern Baptist Convention website, though it has not yet been adopted by the board of trustees. Final editing is to be made by the chairman of the board.

Southern Baptist Convention Link: imb.org/main/news/details.asp?LanguageID=1709&StoryID=3840

**Position Paper Concerning the IMB Guideline on Baptism
a. Baptism is a church ordinance.

"Baptism must take place in a church that practices believer’s baptism by immersion alone, does not view baptism as sacramental or regenerative, and a church that embraces the doctrine of the security of the believer.

b. A candidate who has not been baptized in a Southern Baptist church or in a church which meets the standards listed above is expected to request baptism in his/her Southern Baptist church as a testimony of identification with the system of belief held by Southern Baptist churches."**

Baptism that meets the SBC guidelines is a prerequisite to the "privileges of church membership and to the “Lord’s Supper.” Link: sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#i

So, basically, anyone coming into the Baptist church must break ties with Sacramental beliefs, embrace the Baptist system of beliefs (which includes “security of the believer,”) in order to be baptized and participate in the Lord’s Supper. By the time a person reaches this point, they are partaking of a Lord’s Supper that denies clear revelations in Holy Scripture–and, of course, denies Christian Tradition.

It was really heartbreaking for me to finally recognize such a grave error in the Church of my family and upbringing. Most of my family are still in the Baptist Church.

Peace,
Anna

So baptism is a “testimony of identification” with a particular church. Interesting. It would seem that to come to this conclusion would require almost complete ignorance of the practices and writings of the early Church.

SteveVH,

Well, you know my journey. It was really a shock for me to realize that much of what I had been taught about Christianity, since my childhood, was not even Biblical, much less in line with the Tradition of Christian beliefs and practices.

My most profound “aha moments” occurred here on these forums, with the help of a good friend who sent me some excellent books by a Catholic author.

I’m still rather amazed by the effect of indoctrination. If you hear something from the pulpit long enough, you read Scripture through that lens.

The Baptists basically scrapped most of 1500 years of Christian history and Tradition; and I didn’t even know this----until I started my own study and found my way to this forum.

In all the years I spent in Church and in Baptist Bible studies; I didn’t even realize what was going on in John Chapter 6. How did I miss that? I’d been told the Lord’s Supper is only remembrance, and that is the filter through which I read Scripture.

As for Baptism, I was shocked that a Scripture passage existed that connected Baptism with the forgiveness of sins, or that Baptism is the “circumcision made without hands.” Again, I can’t believe I missed that. All I can say is that indoctrination is a powerful thing.

Peace and blessings to you, “old friend,”
Anna

 

[Mountain_King]

Dave in Dallas,

In my Anglican Catholic Church (Anglo Catholic,) only a Priest can consecrate. The Eucharistic Liturgy is almost identical to the Liturgy of Catholics in Communion with Rome.

In the Southern Baptist Church (the Church I grew up in), there is no consecration. There are no Sacraments…

Similar experience here. I grew up PCA Presbyterian, which officially believes in (two) sacraments. The ordained pastors were the only ones who could prepare the elements and speak the words of institution. They believed that any evangelical body had authentic Communion, but that those who called them ordinances rather than sacraments were merely mistaken about their nature. When I moved to Anglicanism, I found the procedure there exactly as Anna described it.

 

[Anna_Scott]

Similar experience here. I grew up PCA Presbyterian, which officially believes in (two) sacraments. The ordained pastors were the only ones who could prepare the elements and speak the words of institution. They believed that any evangelical body had authentic Communion, but that those who called them ordinances rather than sacraments were merely mistaken about their nature. When I moved to Anglicanism, I found the procedure there exactly as Anna described it.

Hello Mountain King,
I see you just came to CAF in August. Welcome! These are great forums.

I appreciate your comment.

Peace,
Anna

 

[KathleenGee]

Anna…

We all behold you as a precious gem!!!

Kathleen

 

[KathleenGee]

I had an employer who is Southern Baptist. She believes that the bread becomes the body of Christ.

But she does not believe in the consecrated priesthood. I asked her then what happens?

She simply consecrates the bread herself through prayer.

 

[Anna_Scott]

Anna…

We all behold you as a precious gem!!!

Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,

You may be in the minority on that one.

Good to bump into you again. I’ve been off the forums for awhile.

Hope all is going well in your life,

Anna

 

[Anna_Scott]

I had an employer who is Southern Baptist. She believes that the bread becomes the body of Christ.

But she does not believe in the consecrated priesthood. I asked her then what happens?

She simply consecrates the bread herself through prayer.

KathleenGee,

Maybe a flicker of truth is getting through; but you’re right to ask what happens. If one believes the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, then one must contemplate by what means this change occurs, at what point does it occur, and what to do with the remaining Host.

Peace,
Anna