Baptist theologian defends the common cup
Russell Moore, Dean of Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:
I'm not offended by people disagreeing me on this. I'm just stunned by the reason they most often give for dismissing this ancient Christian practice: germs.The common cup is, well, gross to many Christians because they don't like the idea of drinking after strangers. That's just the point. You're not drinking after strangers. You're drinking after your own flesh-and blood, your family. And the offense is precisely the issue.
You're recognizing Christ Jesus, discerning his Body, in the "flesh" of his Body the church around you. If drinking after your brothers is "disgusting," then how much more eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood. That was disgusting to an assembly a while back as well.
Now, I'm not calling on churches to pick up the common cup and the common loaf in the middle of a swine flu pandemic. That wouldn't be prudent. But maybe now's the time to start thinking about how our hyper-hygienic American culture might be leading us toward cleanliness and away from Christ.Read it all.
Related posts: As historic practice, the common cup subtly confronts racism
Absolutely right on.
In the early days of the church, people who risked death to come together drank from the one cup and germs were the least of their worries. We could learn from them.
Posted by Peter Pearson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 29, 2009 6:04 PM
We use a wine chosen for its high alcohol content. As far as we know, no germ has ever survived it, and no one has gotten sick.
Posted by E H Culver![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 29, 2009 7:10 PM
If drinking after your brothers is "disgusting," then how much more eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood.
A Baptist wrote this?! :-0 (If Dr. Moore believes it's only symbolic, he certainly didn't say so)
JC Fisher
Posted by tgflux![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 29, 2009 10:05 PM
Once when our priest was quizzed about the possibility of "catching anything" from the common cup, he pointed out that priests consumed all that was left at the end of the Eucharist. He said if germs were transmissible from the chalice, priests should be "dropping like flies." He pointed out that that didn't seem to be the case.
Posted by Ro Ford![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2009 9:26 PM