Why there is a huge divide among churches on Holy Communion

By LILLIAN ALUANGA-DELVAUX

It is considered one of the key sacraments among Christians, regardless of denomination. And now its role in family values has been thrust to the fore.

While there is generally a consensus on its meaning and symbolism among the faithful, questions of who is qualified to take it, how often it should be celebrated and the elements used continue to elicit heated debate.

Just last week, Catholic Church head John Cardinal Njue urged faithful in ‘come-we-stay unions’ to solemnise them to enable them take the Holy Communion. Cardinal Njue, who was speaking at the Nyahururu diocese, said it was evident  the informal relationships were the reason many couples abstained from taking the Holy Communion.

The Cardinal’s remarks underline one of the requirements, within the Church, for those seeking to partake of the Holy Communion. While similar specifications may not necessarily determine one’s qualification to take Communion among other congregations, there are other issues that have evoked debate.

Presidential canditate

For instance, wine, once strictly considered a key element shared during Holy Communion, has found replacements like sodas and fruit juices. On the other hand, rice cakes, biscuits, bread and raisins have in some cases replaced Communion wafers.

Several reasons have been advanced for these substitutions, including cultural adaptation, and concern for recovering alcoholics. There are churches that advocate total abstinence from any form of alcoholic drink, thus avoid wine altogether.

Other reasons advanced include allergies, cost and unavailability of items traditionally used. It is believed, for instance, that banana bread and banana beer were served during the first Eucharist in Uganda because these were staple food items at a time when bread and wine were unavailable.

According to the Institute of Sacred Music website, Bishop Alfred Tucker, a missionary with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) had, by 1896, ‘provisionally’ sanctioned the use of native wine from bananas when it became evident that procurement of Communion wine was difficult. The church would later find itself in a similar situation during the economic collapse of the Ugandan nation under Idi Amin’s rule, prompting the use of banana wine alongside other materials.

Such incidences could have informed provisions within the country’s Canon laws, that allow use of banana juice wine, pineapple or passion fruit wine for Communion, in the absence of grape wine.

But it is perhaps the question of who qualifies to take Holy Communion that appears to stir most debate. Take for instance, the furore caused two years ago over administration of the Holy Communion by Uganda’s Catholic Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga to an Anglican, Olara Otunnu. The latter is leader of Uganda Peoples Congress and was a presidential candidate in Uganda’s 2011 elections.

According to an article in the Times of Malta, prohibition of cohabiting couples from taking Holy Communion ‘is not imposed as a punishment but because this way of life goes against the sacrament’.

Come-we-stay unions

It is, however, a provision that some within the Church say should be reviewed. A member of the Catholic Church who has been in a come-we-stay relationship for the past two years says the rule is ‘discriminative’ and should be reviewed to allow more people take Holy Communion.

“I haven’t taken it (Holy Communion) for two years.” he says.

Rectifying the situation, he argues, is costly, and could be one reason many are no longer taking the Holy Communion.

“I would have to have a wedding. But it’s a cost I cannot afford at the moment,” he adds.

According to a priest of the Nairobi Archdiocese Father James Wesonga, one qualifies to take Holy Communion from the age of ten upon completion of catechism classes, and continues doing so even as they take up other vocations like marriage, sisterhood, priesthood and brotherhood.

“Come-we–stay unions are often highlighted because Church doctrine teaches that a couple should not be relating intimately if they are not married,” says Wesonga.

Those married under civil or customary law are also required to have their unions blessed in the church to be allowed to take Holy Communion.

While couples in ‘come-we-stay’ unions are also restricted from taking Holy Communion within the Anglican Church, there are other debates. An example is the use of wafers instead of bread as an element in Communion that is yet to be fully accepted.

Those that support substitution argue there are instances where it may be difficult to get bread and so using wafers would suffice since elements used in the Holy Communion are symbolic.

This view differs from that of Catholics who believe the bread and wine offered becomes the actual body and blood of Christ (Transubstantiation). The belief here is that the bread and wine are transformed beyond human comprehension into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.

Differences in opinion over the shape, size, type of flour, and whether to use leavened or unleavened bread have also sprung up in the past.

Food items

“There has been a debate over what elements to use but it’s not been a major point of departure within the Anglican Church,” says Chuka University’s Rev Dr Dickson Nkonge.

Nkonge, an Anglican priest, says although the Church recommends the use of wine there are instances where fruit drinks like Ribena are used.

“The argument held by those that refuse to substitute bread is that Jesus Christ, during the last supper with his disciples, used bread and wine. Another school of thought however argues that what a congregation uses should be contextualised,” says Nkonge.

Among the Presbyterians, an up- to -date ‘Communion Card’ could make a difference on whether an individual will be allowed to marry in the church or even have their final rites conducted by it. The card serves as a register and is marked every time an individual takes the Communion.

“One cannot take communion if he or she is not a member of the church. The card in this case also serves as a certificate of membership. Failure to take communion for a period of time shows you have ceased being a member of the church,” says retired cleric Reveren Timothy Njoya. That time, according to Njoya could be up to two years, but exceptions can be made if, say, an individual was ailing or out of the country and could therefore not participate in the celebration.

Methodist Church pastor Joseph Obwanda says there are no major doctrinal issues around the use of different elements when serving Holy Communion.“We believe elements used are merely representative but for the most part we use what is recognised as standard. But the issue is not to concentrate too much on the elements but stay focused on the meaning of the Sacrament,” he says.

Organisation of Africa Instituted Churches Vice Chair Stephen Marete says issues of one’s marital status do not necessarily arise when considering those qualified to take Holy Communion among its members.

“We don’t bar persons not married in Church from taking Communion but we nevertheless encourage them to solemnise their unions because we recognise there are congregants married customarily,” says Archbishop Marete.

There are, however, other churches that do not believe in sharing any food items when marking the Eucharist. At the African Israel Church, for instance, reading of scripture marks Holy Communion since its believed Jesus already sacrificed his body and blood for all believers. Others like The African Church of the Holy Spirit believe the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer takes the place of the Eucharist as a constant reminder of Christ.