The Search for a Wholesome Grail in the Rite Administration of our Lord's Supper

Max A Forsythe Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA)

I. Introduction & Purpose.

In the course of this century American Evangelicals have separated themselves doctrinally and organizationally from the older Main Line groups. Certainly, I can appreciate the spiritual necessity for those realignments. However, in the ongoing cultural reorganization to put as much distance between ourselves, our congregations and denominations and THEM - much conventional and traditional wisdom has been tossed out if only because it was tainted from being practised by liberalism or modernism.

The use and abuse of the sacraments and the whole of the worship experience are in my mind areas where too much change has and is being made for all the wrong reasons. These factors were left alone by the liberal denominations until fairly recently because, they were that part of Christiandom that were most noticeable and cherished by the lay members. Had these aspects been the first focus of change and challenge, many of the mainline denominations might still be orthodox in theology as well!

However, now that evangelicals have had most of a century to tinker with every aspect of the Christian faith - there are any number of areas of ecclesiology, scholarship, doctrine, discipline and worship where the changes in practise and symbolism of the faith are now worse off than those same areas in the older traditional groups. This evangelical toying with these areas have freed the older groups to also modernize and reimage their own administration of the ancient rites of sacrament and worship.

For our purpose here, I want to discuss Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and focus on the ritual administration of that sacrament.

It is time to learn again in the evangelical churches that Chalice and Grail are not a part of our Reformed Christian heritage.

II. A Legendary Appreciation.

Many years ago I chanced to read, in that "scholarly" Parade Magazine which was inserted in the Sunday papers of that time, a short article on a moden quest for the holy grail. I remember the bare gist of the story which was fascinating reading not only for my use as a Literature teacher but for the pastoral implications as well. According to the story the modern author had heard a rumor of the Grail's presence in England. A rumor that reaches back to Roman Brittorium before our modern calendar was even calculated.

So he drove to a remote part of the English coast and walked back several county miles down a rutted lane to a small private village on the estate of a minor noble in the landed gentry of England. This village made most of its travel, business and livelyhood from the sea - so land communication links were hardly ever used. Somehow, this little corner of England had escaped the architectual "improvements" not only of the Vikings but even the countless civil and uncivil conflicts of England's history.

In the ancient library of the village Manor Castle the author was shown the object of his quest. A silver chalice imbeded with rare and beautiful gems. The owner even opened the top of the chalice to show the ancient sea shell stored in a carved recepticle to preserve the treasured contents. Family records could only account for the last half millennium of history. However, the author's research indicated that such shells could very well have been used by the poor for drinking vessels at the time of Christ.

Grail: the cup or the platter used (according to legend) by Christ at the Last Supper and in which Joseph of Arimathea received drops of Christ's blood at the Crucifixion, sought in prolonged quests by knightes in the Middle Ages. Chalice: a vessel like a large goblet for holding wine, one from which consecrated wine is drunk at the Eucharist. Cup: a small open container for drinking from, usually bowl-shaped and with a handle, used with a saucer.

Now, I share this neat little legend to make a point. The contents of that Chalice, Grail or whatever you want to call the often quested cup, was a vessel for the use of one person as the picture in the article well documented. Somehow or another American popular legend, which is just as strong and durable as that of the English would seem to visualize a large goblet from which many folk could take a drink. Certainly the artistic license of both literatures would lead us to such a conclusion? Sorry to burst any legendary bubbles or babbles - but if there is any merit to this story we should understand that the original cups used at the first Lord's Table were probably very normal every day household items which would be common in the homes of many people for the use of one person.

Oxford American Dictionary (Avon: New York, 1980)

 

III. A family experience in the administration of the Sacrament.

Now, I'm not a drinking person and I base my complete abstinance on the thirty-fifth chapter of Jerimiah as well as the habits of my father, grandfather and great-grand father. However, I've seen enough movies and been to a wedding or two to know what a toast is. In that "pagan" ritual every one drinks in unison and in some cases they ritually destroy the drinking glass! Of course you have to be fairly well off to do that on a regular basis. I can well remember my father faithfully washing the tiny glass cups used in our small rural congregation of the United Presbyterian Church in North America. Being of Scot's ancestry and economy - he would lament the chipping or breaking of even a single cup.

"Poterion": A vessel for drinking from, of a variety of material (gold, silver, earthenware), patterns and elaboration. Luke 22: 17 1 Corinthians 11: 25.	"Within a community of those having the same interests or lot, each received his apportioned measure, just as at a feast, each cup is filled for the individual to drain at the same time that his fellow-guests are occupied in the same way."
"The use of the word "cup" for the sacrament shows how prominent was the part which the cup had in the Lord's supper in apostolic times. Not only were all commanded to drink of the wine, but the very irregularities in the Corinthian church point to its universal use. Nor does the Roman church attempt to justify its withholding the cup from the laity (the communin in one form) upon conformity with apostolic practice, or upon direct Scriptural authority. This variation from the original institution is an outgrowth of the doctrines of transubstantiation and sacramental concomitance, of the attempt to transform the sacrament of the Eucharist into the sacrifice of the Mass, and of the wide separation between clergy and laity resulting from raising the ministry to the rank of a sacerdotal order."
Jacobs, H.E. "cup", The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Volume II, page 766)

Since I was early drafted to dry and stack the cups and trays as I was being trained in the methods of becoming a future communion steward. Not only was I told the habits and practises of our family and congregational traditions within the extended Scot's community, but even reasons were sometimes given for why we did things certain ways in those ancient days of the fifties & sixties of the twentieth century.

There is even an old family receipe for communion bread that goes back as far as my family's service in Christ's Church. Our Forsythe family records of fathers & sons go back to 1715 and as far as we know all eight generations have served as ruling or teaching elders in our beloved Presbyterian congregations.

Communion Bread
Ingredients: 2 cups light cream (sour) 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp soda flour	1. Flour enough to make a pie dough. 2. Mark a grid pattern for breaking during communion. 3. Put wax paper on a pan and over the bread. 4. Bake at 350o until done.
When you mark the grid pattern on the dough, do it in half inch squares. The first time I used this receipe I thought that the traditional servings were too small and marked them twice as large. Once we partook of the bread for communion I quickly realized after a healthy chew that the smaller size is more appropriate - particularly if you have to continue with the ritual and use your voice!

You will notice that there is no yeast in what was baked to be unleavened bread. That fact was impressed upon me as an imitation of the bread used by the Jewish community in the Exodus meal.

For "wine", Welch's grape juice was used exclusively. The reasoning for this is that in the 19th century - the churches desired a less toxic wine than was becoming available. The Welch's company was supposedly founded for this very purpose - to provide a sweet wine with next to no alcoholic content for communion.

Now, a word of explanation here is in order. As it was explained to me, back before the Civil War in the North and the War Between the States in the South - most beer, wine, whiskey and such was produced local regional brewers who knew their craft well enough to control the amount of alcohol. The taste of the product was the desired end, not the buzz stimulated from the alcohol.

As the corporate era took hold and companies began to advertise and compete for greater shares of the market - the percentage of alcohol was increased to attract the customers of the less toxic local products. For this reason we may understand that the drinking generation at the turn of the century was poisoned in more ways than they understood. Their wives and families were aghast at what had happened. In many cases they did not understand that two drinks of the newer brands were the equivalent of six or more of the old receipes.

Thus, the popularity of the war against "demon rum". The number of drunks had increased dramatically and while the real reasons for this were not understood publically - the church reacted and helped encourage the movement towards abstinance.

Yes, of course, there have always been drunks who loved the "alcohol" part of the receipe. Even in biblical times, the older wines and beers were watered down to lessen the impact and also to purify the water that was added.

When I was small, we always made fresh cider from our Apple trees. Then from late September through Thanksgiving we enjoyed the fruit of our trees. By late November, the cider began to develop a bite! Some of the older men in the community who had given up drinking the real stuff looked forward to the the final dredges of the cider barrels.

One fall, my sister asked why the cider tasted funny. When she understood the implications of the alcohol content - she and my brother began to imitate Red Skelton and pretend that they enjoyed the by product. I was almost beginning to develop a taste for the abberated cider - so dad immediately threw out the rest of the season's collection! And we all were given a solemn warning about addiction and taste for such products.

While we never kept grape juice much beyond the first month, I understand that the fruit of the vine is similar in its increasing alcohol content as it ages. One commentator on Scripture once observed that the reason wine was stored in a wine skin was to subdue the alcoholic content. To accomplish this, a goat skin would be sewed tight, with the hair on the inside! As the alcohol increased, the hair disolved and tamed the process somewhat. Was this a reason you had to have new wineskins to store the new wine?

All of our local Presbyterian churches had in storage large wine pitchers and elaborate ornate silver cups. Until late in the nineteenth century these cups were shared by the elders with the people. I would suppose in those small churches where everyone shared a common germ pool, this was not too dangerous.

Then in that era of increased drunkenness and whiskers, the good ladies began to complain that there was too much mustache hair getting into the cup and they were unhappy with the sanity of the administration of the sacrament.

It was also at this time that the greatest invention in public health was achieved - wooden flooring and woven carpets became common rather than luxurious. No longer did the average family have to contend with a dirt floor or even straw for the winter. Pets became better trained and often were encouraged to stay outside. Screens were introduced for the windows and a public concern for cleanliness became the standard. Water, milk and all manner of foodstuffs were evaluated for proper care and storage.

The ritual administration of communion was also affected. And for these reasons, small individual cups became the normative method. In the Presbyterian churches the elders simply passed the trays throughout the congregation and in the Methodist churches, the same trays and cups were passed to the kneelers at the communion rail. A friendly Reformed Baptist pastor even sent me a historic clipping of a Lutheran pastor a the time complaining about the sudden popularity of these changes much to his chagrin.

In some congregations the table had been symbolically fenced with a cloth covering which was then verbalized in the ritual. If it had not already been done so for that sacramental reason, the elements of the supper were carefully covered by table cloths to keep the flies, dirt and coal dust out of the table bread and "new wine" cups.

 

IV. Contempory Observations & Application.

That is the way it was once done and part of the reasoning for the ritual of communion cups, unleavened bread and a covering of the table. Of course the right administration of the service was also carefully ingrained into the student ministers and guarded by the local elders. Yes, since the break from the Roman Administration the protestant pastors had learned to stand in back of the table instead of in front as the priests would do before the altar. Tables were very carefully displayed away from the wall to avoid any visible connection with Rome and any and all decorations kept to a minimum so that the focus of the sanctuary fell on the pulpit and table.

However, since so many many Christians have left those congregations where these common sense and even healthy traditions still hang on. Each pastor and congregation seems hell bent on making certain that their ritual administration is innovative, reactionary or cutsie as I might describe what I have seen.

In the last several years I have observed the evangelical imitation of the Roman ritual, where the people are invited forward to partake of the sacrament. There the bread is ripped apart by bare hands and then dipped into the fruit of the vine. At least that is how it is supposed to be done? A lot of people from different habit groups do not comprehend what the new ritual is all about. I have observed at least one person put the bread in his mouth, and then realize that he should have dipped it into the juice. So, he took it back out and did. Another gentleman, who obviously realized that the bread and wine should be taken separately - grabbed the cup and took a healthy sip. Once I think I saw some one drop his flake of bread and fished it out with his fingers.

I would suppose that the sharing of germs in a common cup would affect no one of average health, since most people can shake off any number of ordinary viruses. However, for the weak and frail, the elderly or sick - such a sharing could lead to illness.

Thank goodness, no parent in their right mind would expose their little children to the possibility of catching any lurking germs made available by this methodology?

After all, in a large temple like complex where huge numbers of people, members and visitors of all kinds gather - what fencing of the table for even public health reasons is accomplished or even worried about? Oh, the public health issues here are enormous - let alone any theological niceties!

When I first started to administer the sacraments I certainly did and still do apply the lessons I learned from my father. I bought the plastic communion cups and being Scot's in economy I even washed them as I had been trained. The rinse water was so hot that I couldn't even put my hands into it, but a visiting lady came back to wish me well before she left for the day; (my congregation hangs around and talks for almost an hour after church - and while I had visited with everyone - I did want to get communion cleaned up) when she saw what I was doing - she assumed that no man could ever wash dishes arightly and advised me that the plastic cups were made for a reason - to be thrown away. She told me how much more she could enjoy communion in knowing that, that was or should always be the case! So I have thrown them away and keep the cups in the environmentally sealed packaging right up to the last minute.

People! - if you don't agree with my traditional thinking in this regard, you have to admit that we have at the very least:

 

A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM!

The churches who practise these habits should at least learn to be responsible for the health of their members and visitors. A lot of churches today cannot afford to put in kitchens where members of the church can cook food for consumption because of the public health regulations in most of the states. Well, public health and safety go beyond the kitchen walls and into the sanctuary as well.

 

V. Theological Points to also Consider.

Thank you for hanging in so long for this important discussion? Yes, I do have a theological agenda for writing this paper. If the Protestant Reformation is worthy of remembering and applying in our churches - shouldn't we be looking at our protestant heritage to order decently the administration of Christ's sacrament?

There are two communion texts that I use alternately to administer the sacramental rite:

"When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, 'With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.' Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said 'Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you. I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.' And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.'" Luke 22: 14-20

"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

 

Isn't the passage of Luke plain in stating that the wine was divided between the disciples. Can't we reasonably assume that at the end of the supper they all drank together at the same time? Isn't it also evident that the bread was eaten separately from the wine? Why can't we imitate our Lord's actions in this matter and do it His way instead of our own?

I really worry about the symbolism we convey when we change the ritual administration of either sacrament. When I was in a liberal Seminary - I was horrified to see a pastor dunk a white rose into baptismal water to sprinkle a new born baby.

It is time to challenge the congregations who dip their bread into the "wine", to defend their faddish practice or reconform to a more biblical procedure! In their vainglorious hope of attracting the unchurched through a seeker's sacrament they thereby put a stumbling block before the very saints who should be their best friends. We should not worry about what the worldly might think of our fencing the table and limiting access, rather we should be more concerned in being faithful to the New Covenant Administration of our Lord who made the supper and invited us to it.

 

VI. One Last comment.

I will let other pastors scripturally address the problem of letting children participate since that increasing habit is also becoming all too common. Yet, I can't resist one more story. In a liberal church where the feminist pastor wanted to share the communion with the children, the elders resisted her methodology. So she had her way - at the end of every communion service - she invited the children to come up and help her clean up the leftovers. With a wild charge up the aisle, the children grabbed and scrambled to eat as much bread and empty as many cups as they could. The elders were distraught, no kind of reasoning could put an end to the debacle. It was very painful for godly parents to restrain their own children when everyone else was doing it.

Sadly, when grownups act like children in regards to any authority that was once wisely accomplished for restraint - the children will also refuse to learn restraint.

By contrast, once in the habit of waiting for communion, children may also realize that waiting to drive and waiting for an adult relationship within the bounds of matrimony are worthy ends as well?

May the Lord bless you as you listen to my admonishments in regard to the ritual administration of the sacred supper instituded by our Lord Jesus Christ,

In Him and for His crown and glory,

Max A Forsythe