Unity in the Meal: The Baptist Debate over Inter-Communion

However, not all believers agree with the implications of the statements and the intercommunion of Protestants. Within the Southern Baptist community, Hammett champions closed communion, restricting the practice within local congregations. Furthermore, he believes that only properly baptized believers should be admitted to the Table (i.e. adult baptism by submersion). His argument begins like those of the proponents of intercommunion.
The Lord’s Supper renews the body of Christ spiritually and is an occasion for the renewing of one’s commitment to Christ (Hammett, 77). The Baptist Faith & Message views proper baptism as a “prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper.” On this foundation Hammett’s argument is four-fold. First, baptism preceded the Supper and there is only one proper method of Baptism. Second, the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance for the Church. He writes, “if the Lord’s Supper is for the church, and the church is composed of properly baptized believers, then the Lord’s Supper is for properly baptized believers,” (Hammett, 78). Third, one who is not baptized and thus not a member of the local body celebrating the Lord’s Supper cannot realistically renew unity with or commitment to that body. Finally, open communion is denigrating to Christ’s command to be baptized (Hammett, 79). Concluding, he writes, “the design and purpose of the Lord’s Supper cannot be fully experienced apart from a commitment to those with whom one shares the Supper.”
After examining both Hammett’s arguments for closed communion as well as the case made for intercommunion, one finds that the central issue at the heart of the debate, again, is “who constitutes the Church?” Trinidad and Philips, drawing from tradition and Scriptural interpretation, believe that the Lord’s Supper is intended for the universal Church as a means of the communio of all Christians in anticipation of the Heavenly feast of the Lamb. Hammett agrees that the Supper possesses divine unifying powers, however, he believes those powers are intended for the local congregation. While Hammett’s theology certainly does not exclude the doctrine of the universal Church, his writings certainly place a significantly greater emphasis on the workings of the local church. Are Southern Baptists to subscribe to Hammett’s traditional view of the local church and closed communion? Or rather are they to “jump ship,” unite with other denominations, and welcome all comers who claim salvation in Christ to the Lord’s Table on Sunday mornings?