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T5 reasoning: Frequency of communion

Reasoning steps: Frequency of communion

Verdicts: T5 · Frequency of communion. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

T05.1: Frequency of communion

Step T05.1.1: Scripture

Acts 20:7: ‘on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread’. Acts 2:42 (devoted to the breaking of bread). 1 Cor 11:20: the Lord’s Supper as the purpose of gathering. No command fixes a frequency.

Step T05.1.2: Patristic evidence

Didache (Era I): ’every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread’. Justin (Era II): on Sunday the bread and wine are given to each present and carried to the absent. Sources: didache-t05-s1 · justin-martyr-t05-s1.

Step T05.1.3: Weighing decision

Weekly celebration with the people communing is the Era I–II norm. Verdict: consensus.

  • Confidence: High.

Step T05.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor 11:20 show the Supper as the purpose of the weekly gathering; no frequency is commanded. (Scripture confidence: medium)
  • Assessment: Scripture and Era I agree on weekly practice as the pattern.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 2/4): Daily Mass, but lay communion required only annually (Lateran IV, 1215).

Orthodox

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 2/4): Weekly liturgy; lay communion infrequent in classic practice.

Oriental Orthodox

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 2/4): Weekly liturgy; infrequent lay communion (to verify).

Lutheran

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): AC XXIV: Mass held every Lord’s day with communicants.

Anglican

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 2/4): 1662 rubric: communicate ‘at the least three times in the year’.

Presbyterian

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 2/4): Directory for Public Worship: ‘frequently’; quarterly in practice (to verify).

Reformed Baptist

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture 3/4): 1689 30; often monthly or weekly (to verify).

General Baptist

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture 3/4): Practice varied (to verify).

Anabaptist

See the note below.

  • T05.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 2/4): Dordrecht X: observed at set times (to verify).