The changing communion : A study of various adaptations of the Holy communion in the Church of Sweden and its ecclesiological and theological consequences.

The present study investigates which theological and ecclesial consequences adjustments of the holy communion, that have been recognized in the empirical material, motivated by societal circumstances (in this case the covid-19 pandemic), may result in regarding the Church of Sweden. The empirical material has been obtained from interviews with the vicar responsible for the communion for the parish in question. The material has been analyzed against the background of the vital communion motifs described in the theoretical framework presented in chapter 2 of the essay. In two out of three cases, different forms of individual communal-cups have been practiced in a way that does not correspond with the Evangelical-Lutheran tradition regarding this matter. The theological consequences of the various practices that have been noticed in these three cases have the ultimate consequence that Christ’s real presence in the holy communion may be weakened and unclear. The communio motif in the holy communion is not clearly visible in the fact that the congregation does not partake in the consecrated bread and wine, which tends to diminish the communion and goes to waste. The consecrated bread and wine only partake as a symbol during the words of institution. When the communal gifts are only being used as a way to symbolize the congregation’s normal communal service it suffers consequences in all the communion motifs described in the essay. The corelines in the anamnesis-, communio- and atonement motifs, which is making Christ’s atonement now present and effective for every believer in the celebration of the eucharist, is being threatened. The Lord’s Supper is instead given the character of a symbolic act that celebrates the commemoration of Jesus’ death, a memorial service, that does not re-actualize Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross as a real event here and now. When bread and wine is used as symbols and only shown to the congregation and never broken during the breaking of the bread, it is similar to a medieval practice. The medieval communion practice meant that people believed that the sacramental bread had a special authority that made it sufficient only to observe the gifts in the eucharist. The risk is that this medieval notion re-updates the belief that the elevation is the highlight of the Lord’s Supper and that the watching of the hostia is more important than communication itself. This also relates to an emphasis on performance piety. One of the cases that has been mentioned in the current essay also chose to celebrate the holy communion virtually. This was conducted by a live broadcast via a social medium in a way that can be defined as a partial online-communion. During the broadcast there were no congregation present in the church, as they joined the sermon virtually. The consecrated communion gifts were distributed in the church during a break in the broadcast. The parish members who chose to come to the church during the break received bread and wine in solitude. Celebrating communion virtually limits the individual’s participation in the whole event of the Lord’s Supper and endangers the congregation of losing vital components of the celebration. This has consequences for the ecclesiological motif of the Church as the body of Christ, as it is by participating in the sacrament of the Eucharist, with its complete liturgy in the context of the church, that humanity can access authentic contact with Christ. Liturgy and ecclesiology are interrelated which means that adjustments of the liturgy has direct consequences for how the church is perceived, whether there is an aware process or not. Ecclesiology on the other hand is also affecting how the service and the liturgy is executed. That means that adaptations of the liturgy, which are not based on a profound theological endeavor, may result in a church that has been altered