email to God Whisperers

Dear Manly Doctors,

I have been thinking way too much lately about something you guys commented upon a while back. I talked about it with a fellow Pastor who told me to write in and mention these concerns. Sadly, I desired to overlook it but was unable to do so.

After several months hearing Pastors at our winkle about the practice of self communion. They were wondering why or where this practice came from. Then I listened to your Podcast and you guys brought up this idea of self communion and thus my many thoughts continue to flow like bad diarrhea. This might get a little tangential but you guys should be used to that.

First, the biblical question must be asked. Does the Bible say anything about it? Well recently in episode 4 of The Bible Jesus drinking and eating his own body and blood at the Last Supper. But I don't actually find this self communion in the Scriptures. I also thought of St Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 where St Paul talks about the other things to be addressed when he arrives. This might be where he told them how to venerate/ lift up the corpus and cup. But still we do not have a biblical description of how the officiant should administer the sacrament other than the Words of Institution and the giving of the bread/body and cup/blood.

This got me to think well I guess we all really self commune. Someone takes the wafer and eats it. Or if you like he receives the wafer upon his tongue and then still pulls the tongue into his mouth and chews on Christ's body. Squirrel! Again in the History Channel the bible had Judas forced to eat and later spits out this bread identifying him as the betrayer of Christ.

It is a great discussion textually about taking or receiving around the words used. But still you could identify the eater and the drinker as administering communion to themselves. This is not to say that there is not one who is the officiant or proper administer of the sacrament.

I could go two places from here but want to stick with self application and ask the question: Can someone baptize themselves? I first thought of a long analogy about a Pastor who did not know he had not been baptized as a child. But then anyone can baptize. So it simply can be asked: can someone baptize themselves? You can pour water over yourself. You can speak the words or the promises of God. The concern of the pre-baptized individual without the Holy Spirit performing the baptism, but it is not about the person performing it. And if you are concerned to baptize yourself there would be faith in the promises of Christ (hopefully not just the act).

Likewise, if you could baptize yourself, then what about confession and Absolution. Maybe continuing down the road is too much but think about how true this one actual is. Many people would love this. They do not have to bother with confessing their horrible griefs or sins to other people. They simply can confess their sins and proclaim their own Absolution. They become their own confessor.

As a Pastor this is even more poignant, when I can make a distinction between myself and the office. One can just walk into his office and shut the door. There he can confess his sins to the Pastor of the congregation (himself). Then he can forgive/absolve the sins of the parishioner (himself) trusting in this as from God himself. Squirrel!

This has solved the greatest problem I hear about: Who is the Pastor's Pastor? Well it is just that simple, he is his own pastor. TRADITION. But does this also apply to all Christians?

There is part of me that really likes the idea that a Pastor's entire congregation is his Pastor. The Pastor and his Congregation have a relationship helping them to forgive each others sins like in compline. This as a single Pastor always feels a little strange when I listen to Compline on my iPod (by myself) and wonder who is really forgiving my sins and whose sins am I forgiving. But I get past it knowing that I receive these words as from God himself.

So, if I can Baptize myself and absolve myself then maybe I should even look to the other quasi-sacraments namely: Marriage, Ordination and Extreme Unction or Anointing of the sick. This now really sounds great. I can ordain myself? Squirrel! Or does this act of communing oneself as the Pastor stand as something completely different from all these things. Does the Sacrament of the Altar have some other level of being a sacred act that one can treat it differently?

Now, this is just simple reason and addressing scripture. But now what does the act show or imply (weak argumentation). I am the pastor of two small congregations. They both have communion on the same Sunday of the Month. (Forgive me for not pushing them into communion every Sunday). I take communion at both churches, I mention this because I was asked whether I would take communion at both churches, and I immediately thought about fellowship. If I would trade off where I received communion, I would feel like I was stating something about my fellowship with these people of that congregation.

Thus, I make sure that everyone knows that I am taking communion with them in the same way they receive it. I receive it from someone else's hands. I take and eat as well as take and drink to show my proclamation of Christ crucified for my sins and that we are joined together in that proclamation.

It is also concerns me that if I was up at the Altar saying the words to myself or shouting them it would still set me apart from them. As if God treats Holy Pastors different than the Holy laity of God.

Similarly, by allowing the Assistant to commune me helps settle any fear or doubt in a mind that only the Pastor hands out forgiveness rather than the Assistent. (Granted that is done differently at both congregations.) It is also not the Pastor or Office that makes it the Sacrament but the Word of God combined with the elements (and done in good order). The Pastor as recipient of the Sacrament is no different than anyone else. To think this or give this impression seems a little difficult. (Granted I do not believe you have any of these intents nor goals.)

One of the things that was really interesting was the comment on the Canon of Nice. I really was almost completely sold on this idea of Bishops communing themselves. But then I read it.

"Deacons must abide within their own bounds. They [deacons] shall not administer the Eucharist to presbyters, nor touch it before them, nor sit among the presbyters. For all this is contrary to canon, and to decent order." 

"The present canon does not take away from deacons the authority to distribute the Eucharist to laymen, or to the minor clergy, but only reproves their insolence and audacity in presuming to administer to presbyters who were concelebrating with the bishop or another presbyter." This sounds like: When you have 2 or more Pastors don't have the lay person distribute communion to the Pastors. Then you have Pastor do that.

Later it says. "'Let them receive the Eucharist according to their order, after the Presbyters and let the Bishop or the presbyter administer to them.' In these words it is implied that some deacons had presumed to receive Holy Communion before the presbyters, and is the third excess of the deacon which is condemned by the Synod."

After reading this along with all the other Canons from Nice in my copy of the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided church vol. 14 of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Name Dropper! This canon should be really applied to lay readers or Pastors desiring for lay people to take over their rolls during the Church service. Or specifically related to communion for the couple of Pastors to let the laity do all the work, is just plain wrong! I even thought that this could imply that the Bishop or Pastor of a congregation should not desire for other Pastor(s) to take his Altar or Pulpit (while he sits in the pew).

But it does imply or say that they can assist in the distribution of Communion. Laity may assist in the distribution. It does not say anything about anyone giving themselves communion. If those people can distribute communion to the congregation than outside of an Ass. Pastor they can distribute it to the Solitary/single/only one there Pastor. The words say take, eat not give yourself to eat. Reach across the table I am not passing it.

Finally, I really did not want to write this. But like I said older Pastors have expressed their concerns repeatedly over this practice. I personally would not feel comfortable communing myself, because I need to receive the blessings from someone outside of myself. I hope this finds you well and happy.

Squirrel!

Not your Greatest Fan (But a fan),

David Knefelkamp

PS: Don't miss pronounce my name.

PPS: Like the Nagel Sermons.

Hope you Guys enjoy this!