This book "is a contribution to the ongoing debate on the admission of children to the eucharist. The papers and resources included in the book come out of a recent consultation. They examine the subject from a variety of angles, ranging from the theological to the psychological. While it is true that by and large they favour the earlier admission of children to the sacrament, they are here brought together in the hope that they will promote further ecumenical debate on the subject". -- back cover.
Contents divided into two main sections: Eucharist with Children -- Papers and Resources.
Contents: Preface / Ulrich Becker and William H. Lazareth -- Report of the Bad Segeberg-Consultation -- List of Participants -- Children and Holy Communion / John M. Sutcliffe -- The Lord's Supper as Sacrament of Fellowship / Karl Heinrich Bieritz -- Children and the Eucharist / Cyrille Argenti -- The Communion of Infants and Young Children / David R. Holeton -- Eucharist with Children in the Churches of the World / David R. Holeton and Eberhard Kenntner.
Cover title: Children at the table : a collection of essays on children and the Eucharist
"Ruth A. Meyers, Editor, for the Standing Liturgical Commission".
Includes bibliographical references.
This "is a collection of essays addressing the subject of children and the eucharist. Many of the essays were originally prepared for a 1985 international Anglican consultation on children and communion. Included is the statement prepared by the consultation to member churches of the Anglican communion." -- back cover.
Contents divided into two sections: I : The Boston Consultation on Children at Communion -- II : Infant Communion in the Episcopal Church.
Contents: Introduction dated Tuesday in Holy Week, 1994 / Ruth A. Meyers -- Contributors -- The Boston Consultation : A New Introduction to the Essays / Colin Buchanan -- Children and the Eucharist in the Tradition of the Church / David R. Holeton -- Communion of All the Baptized and Anglican Tradition / David R. Holeton -- A Theological Reflection on the Experience of Inclusion/Exclusion at the Eucharist / Kenneth W. Stevenson -- American Perspectives: (i) The Place of Baptismal Anointing / Leonel L. Mitchell -- American Perspectives: (ii) Confirmation / Louis Weil -- American Perspectives: (iii) Mystagogia / Robert J. Brooks -- New Zealand Inititation Experience: (i) A Changing Initiatory Pattern / Brian Davis -- New Zealand Initiation Experience: (ii) Acceptance of Child Communion / Brian Davis and Tom Brown -- Pushing at the Door: (i) The Church of England / Donald Gray -- Pushing at the Door: (ii) The Anglican Church of Australia / Ronald L. Dowling -- Ecumenical Perspectives / Eugene L. Brand -- The Boston Statement : Children and Communion -- Participants in the Boston Consultation -- Infant Communion : Reflections on the Case from Tradition / Ruth A. Meyers -- The Communion of Infants and Little Children / Leonel L. Mitchell -- Disputed Aspects of Infant Communion / Louis Weil -- Appendix 1: Communion of the Baptized but Unconfirmed in Anglicanism -- Appendix 2: Statement of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church (U.S.A.).
"What I would like to do in this Study us first to look at the practice of [infant communion] in the patristic church, then to look at several medieval and reformation discussions of the question, and finally, to ask what all of this has to say to the pastoral and sacramental life of the church today. In Appendix 1 I have added a note on progress in the Anglican Communion. In addition, because of the English provenance of the Study (though my own is Canada), and because of its relevance in the Church of England today, Colin Buchanan has added as a further appendix a brief survey of the position in that Church." -- Intro. p. 3.
Contents: Introduction -- Beginnings -- Devolution -- Restoration: (i) Bohemia -- Restoration: (ii) England -- The Communion of Infants and Young Children Today -- Appendix 1: Progress in the Anglican Communion -- Appendix 2: Infant and Child Communion in the Church of England / Colin Buchanan.