Online Communion... Oh, the Horror!

Photo by Geda Žyvatkauskaitė on Unsplash

I usually don’t wade into controversial subjects, like whether or not one can take communion “online.” However, with the coronavirus forcing many churches to meet in different ways many churches have begun worshiping, and sharing communion, online. And some pastors have lost it!

The ways communion has been shared emerged from eras where there was only one way to be with another person, or a community of people. This way required a certain kind of bodily proximity. I understand this and I appreciate the theological heritage from which our understanding of communion emerged.

I also appreciate the sacramental theology that is behind the practice. Understanding how God mediates his grace to us through physical properties should create an earnestness in us to receive this grace as often as possible.

But something has happened recently; our understanding of “community” has changed, but our understanding of sacramental theology has not. Is our sacramental theology limited to our former understanding of community, or can it find room within a new understanding... all while remaining rooted in the biblical principles from which the theology emerged?

In the last 10 years we have seen many churches go online, and in doing so people have discovered a new way of connecting with the body of Christ, and have come to know Jesus as savior and Lord. Many of these churches, in an attempt to offer the same benefits to the online community as the in-house community, have begun allowing people to participate in communion by receiving it online. This, for many people, is a huge problem.

I’ve been reading articles and tweets that not only dismiss the notion that online communion is a valid way of participating in the sacrament, but many of them completely ridicule those who would practice or encourage it.

Look at this quote I pulled from an article on religionnews.com.

I can’t see how someone (who's) satisfied to be in front of a TV or computer screen would be interested in being held accountable to anything.

— Stephen Gunter, associate dean for Methodist studies at Duke Divinity School. https://religionnews.com/2013/10/10/can-online-communion-substitute-real-thing/

That quote says more about the speaker than those sitting “in front of a TV or computer screen;” doesn’t it? Isn’t the real issue that he “can’t see”? Surely it is.

I am a United Methodist pastor, and our Tradition is one of those that doesn’t yet recognize online communion, but I think it should. To be honest most of the arguments I hear opposing it sound like the “We’ve always done it that way” arguments that are the modus operandi of many mainline Protestant churches.

In my opinion, it is possible to be in community with people through the gift of technology and experience God’s grace. I happen to be in a Wesleyan Band with a few men; we meet online once a week to confess our sins, testify to the deliverance of God, and pray for one another. It remains one of the most grace-filled moments of my week. If we added communion to our practice I wouldn’t feel like I somehow dishonored God. Would I rather be with them in person? Yes, but circumstances keep us apart, so I thank God we can meet via technology.

Complaining about online communion is in my opinion another way of straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel. Pastors who do so are focusing on the wrong things.

God, who looks at the heart, desires worshippers who worship in spirit and truth. I would much rather help form people in that way than quibble about the Traditional ways of doing this or that. In other words, we as pastors should work to form the kind of people who could receive communion online, and worship online, have accountability groups online, etc. Indeed, the same could be said about those who worship while in the building. So what if they adhere to the form, if the spirit is lacking!

In other words, we must help people stand before God in the entirety of their lives. If we focus on making strong disciples who are fervent in their desire for God, we won’t have to spend time quibbling over the ways people receive God’s grace.

I may be wrong. If I am, I’m open to learning more. I would love to hear any comments below.

Thanks for your attention.