The Debate on "Open Table" Communion
Center Aisle, a blog of the Diocese of Virginia, has a good overview of the open-table discussion that's been going on here at General Convention:
A pastoral attempt to walk a fine line on open communion passed the House of Deputies Wednesday by 77 percent among the laity and 64 percent among the clergy.C029, “Access to Holy Baptism and Holy Communion,” is a complete substitution of resolutions calling for open communion throughout the Church. Instead of making canonical changes, it “reaffirms that baptism is the ancient and normative entry point to receiving Holy Communion and that our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to go into the world and baptize all peoples.” The resolution also acknowledges that “in various local contexts there is the exercise of pastoral sensitivity with those who are not yet baptized.”That acknowledgement of communing the unbaptized was the cause of spirited debate in Deputies. ...