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Friday, April 20, 2012

Readings on the frequency of the Lord's Supper

The linked readings deal with the frequency of which the Lord's Supper is observed. I have divided the links into the following categories: annually, monthly, weekly, often, and daily. In some cases it represents only the practice of the author rather than a dogmatic position for which he stands. In other cases it may represent a plea for the Supper to be held at a certain time -- only weekly or annually, for example. I do not purport this be exhaustive view of all the frequencies used for the Lord's Supper. Other churches observe it quarterly or semi-annually (twice a year), and some may do so only randomly or seldom. A few Baptists hold it annually on 14 Nisan (Passover), but I found no online defenses of that position. It is worth noticing that those who maintain the same practice do not always conclude to do so for the same reasons. For example, some may deduce weekly communion because the Lord commands us to break bread every time we meet. Another may do so because they believe it should be observed every Lord's Day, while another may choose weekly communion simply because they think it should be done often. The linked articles represent various viewpoints that are solely those of the authors. This blog makes no endorsement of any of the linked sites. At the end I have included a brief reference to the Roman Catholic Mass because they are the only ones that I know that practice a version of communion daily. I do not recognize their practice as a valid representation of the biblical ordinance; neither would I of some of the other authors/churches whose views are linked. But the "frequency" discussion is an important one. That the majority of the readings favor or promote weekly communion is a reflection of the fact that weekly communionists are likely to be either more dogmatic or more zealous for their viewpoint.

Annually
Individual Preparation For The Lord’s Supper/ (Scroll down to "Why We Observe “The Lord’s Supper” Once a Year On The Tuesday Before Easter")
The Lord's Supper (once a year the Tuesday before Easter)

Monthly
We Celebrate the Lord's Supper Frequently But Not Weekly
Worshipping through the Lord’s Supper: Frequency

Weekly
How Often Should a Church Take the Lord’s Supper?
How Often Should Christians Observe The Lord's Supper?
How often should we celebrate the Lord’s Supper?
Thoughts on Weekly Communion
Three Arguments for Weekly Communion

Often
How often should the Lord’s Supper-Communion be observed?
The Frequency of Communion Calmly Considered

Daily
The History of Daily Mass in the Roman Catholic Church

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