THE rules governing communion at Church of Scotland services are set to be relaxed to offer the sacrament to new parishioners and unbaptised children in one of the most significant steps of its kind in decades.

Authors of a report to be considered by the General Assembly said turning young people away from communion “could be to do real damage” to them.

It was found that there is a lack of guidance for congregations on how to make the understanding of communion more child-friendly.

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And in one passage states: “There is real spiritual value in the act of seeking to participate in the Lord’s Supper, to be nourished by Christ, whether or not the person is baptised.

“To turn away one who seeks to be fed by Christ could be to do real damage to the one who seeks.”

Only six per cent of under-18s are given communion and some congregations actively decide not to include them because they do not believe it is right to do so.

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Above: The General Assembly is held on The Mound 

But the Church’s Theological Forum said the sacraments should not be re-ordered but that no-one should be turned away from the Lord’s Supper.

The Kirk insists the new guidance offers clarification of its existing law but traditionalists may see it as a softening of its 1992 position, when the Church allowed children to receive communion after a six-eight week course of instruction, usually referred to as communicants’ classes.

The position contrasts with the Roman Catholic Church were children receive the Holy Communions between the ages of seven and 13.

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In the report, the authors insist that the chronology of baptism followed by communion should be retained in the main.

“Admitting unbaptised children to the Lord’s Supper should not be seen as a softening of theological standards, but rather as the appropriate theological and pastoral response to one who seeks to be nourished by Christ,” it said.

However, it is thought that the changes may help encourage young people into church life as membership last year was at 360,000, down from 446,000 in 2010 and 627,000 in 1999.

A survey by the Church’s Mission and Discipleship found 11 per cent of churches without under-18s taking communion said reasons included “negative attitudes amongst Kirk Sessions, elders and previous ministers”.

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It also said that children should not receive communion as “they do not understand”.

Responses received about the impact of under-18s being give given communion included that “they feel that it is their church and they belong”.

Nearly two thirds of congregations responding to the survey don’t ask if those receiving communion have been baptised.

It also found that while four per cent do ask, eight per cent know, six per cent use their discretion and with 20 per cent it is invitational.

Rev Norman Smith, convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council said: “In response to a deliverance last year, the Mission and Discipleship Council was tasked with exploring congregational practice on admitting children to communion.

“After consulting the wider church the Mission and Discipleship Council in collaboration with the Theological Forum are highlighting the provisions in existing church law that allows admission of an unbaptised person to communion in circumstances the Kirk Session deem appropriate.”