Dopregeln. En studie med utgångspunkt från kyrkomötesdebatten angående öppet nattvardbord för odöpta

In the Church of Sweden every person who is baptized is welcome to join in the Eucharist. However, in recent years three motions have been submitted to the General Synod of the Church of Sweden suggesting that the Eucharist be opened up to the unbaptized as well. I find this to be an interesting issue because it is a provocative one: it challenges a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of the church. I pose the following questions: What are the arguments in favor of such a change? What are the arguments against? and Why has this issue come up now? The springboard for my investigation is an analysis of the arguments used in the motions to the General Synod. In addition, I have interviewed by e-mail five vicars from different parishes in the Church of Sweden. Each of them has previously expressed an opinion on the issue. I have also attempted to set forth the ecumenical perspectives, both national and international. The arguments used in the motions center around particular views of the Church, the sacraments, the Bible, tradition, and pastoral care. A common argument is that "the people's church" should welcome everybody, that nobody should be excluded, with Jesus' radical openness at his fellowship meals as justification. That unbaptized youths and candidates for confirmation are not allowed to partake of the Eucharist is described as one of many problems caused by current practice. The bishops of the Church of Sweden and the Committee on Church Doctrine are against a change of practice. To separate baptism from the Eucharist is, they maintain, not only against the tradition of the early church but against the beliefs, confession and faith of the Church of Sweden as well. The issue, however, is not unique to the Church of Sweden. Other Christian denominations throughout the country are wrestling with the same question. A few of them already practice an "open table" where baptism is not a prerequisite for communion. Nor is the issue peculiar to Sweden. Communion before baptism was discussed this year at the Congress of Societas Liturgica in Reims. It has become a divisive issue, for while some churches readily admit all to the table, others have strong theological objections. The World Council of Churches released a document in 2010 in which they clearly reject such a change in practice, holding a position similar to that of the General Synod of the Church of Sweden. Among their reasons is an interest in maintaining unity throughout the universal church, which includes, they believe, a certain homogeneity in both theological belief as well as pragmatic issues, both of which are strongly present in the issue of the table and the font