Open Communion

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Theologian Jurgen Moltmann in his book The Church in the Power of the Spirit sets out the theological rationale for “open invitation” to the Lord’s Supper (pp. 244-246):

“…It is the Lord’s supper, not something organized by a church or a denomination. The church owes its life to the Lord and its fellowship to his supper, not the other way around. Its invitation goes out to all whom he is sent to invite. If a church were to limit the openness of his invitation of its own accord, it would be turning the Lord’s supper into the church’s supper and putting its own fellowship at the centre, not fellowship with him. By using the expression ‘the Lord’s supper’ we are therefore stressing the pre-eminence of Christ above his earthly church and are calling in question every denominationally limited ‘church supper’…

What is true of theology applies to church discipline as well. The Lord’s supper is not the place to practice church discipline; it is first of all the place where the liberating presence of the crucified Lord is celebrated.”

The United Methodist church practices “open invitation” to communion.  All Means All.

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