Dictionary Definition

intercommunion n : participation in Holy Communion by members of more than one church (eg Catholic and Orthodox)

Extensive Definition

Full communion is a term used in Christian ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential doctrines, between a Christian community and other communities or between that community and individuals.

The Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity see full communion between local Churches as uniting them into a single Church. Other Western denominations apply the term instead to practical arrangements entered into by Churches and communities that fully maintain their distinct identities.

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church makes a distinction between full and partial communion. Where full communion exists, there is but one Church. Partial communion, on the other hand, exists where some elements of Christian faith are held in common, but complete unity on essentials is lacking. For instance, the Catholic Church sees itself as in partial communion with Protestants, and as in much closer, but still incomplete, communion with the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

It has expressed this idea in many documents. The Decree on Ecumenism of the Second Vatican Council, 3 states: "... quite large communities came to be separated from full communion with the Catholic Church ... men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect". The Council's statement is cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 838, which states:"The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter. Those who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound "that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord's Eucharist." In his encyclical Ut Unum Sint, 14, Pope John Paul II wrote: "Ecumenism is directed precisely to making the partial communion existing between Christians grow towards full communion in truth and charity."

Full communion involves completeness of "those bonds of communion - faith, sacraments and pastoral governance - that permit the Faithful to receive the life of grace within the Church."http://clsa.org/content/files/USCCB_memo_2006_0405.pdf

The particular Churches that form the Catholic Church are each seen, not as a separate body that has entered into practical arrangements concerning its relations with the others, but as the embodiment in a particular region or culture of the one Catholic Church.

The 28 May 1992 Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some aspects of the Church understood as Communion expressed this idea as follows::

The universal Church cannot be conceived as the sum of the particular Churches, or as a federation of particular Churches. It is not the result of the communion of the Churches, but, in its essential mystery, it is a reality ontologically and temporally prior to every individual particular Church.

This applies both to the local particular Churches, such as dioceses or eparchies, in the Catholic Church and to the "sui iuris" (autonomous) Churches within it.

The autonomous Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See are:

Of Alexandrian liturgical tradition:
- Coptic Catholic Church
- Ethiopic Catholic Church
Of Antiochian liturgical tradition:
Of Armenian liturgical tradition:
- Armenian Catholic Church
Of Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) liturgical tradition:
Of Chaldean or East Syrian tradition:
- Chaldean Catholic Church
- Syro-Malabar Church
Of Western liturgical tradition:
- Latin Church

The Catholic Church sees itself as in partial, not full communion, with other Christian groups. "With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord's Eucharist" Catechism of the Catholic Church (838).

In fact, full communion is seen as an essential condition for sharing together in the Eucharist, apart from exceptional circumstances, in line with the second century practice witnessed to by Saint Justin Martyr, who, in his First Apology http://www.ccel.org/fathers/ANF-01/just/justinapology1.html#Section66, wrote: "No one is allowed to partake (of the Eucharist) but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined."

Accordingly, "Catholic priests are forbidden to concelebrate the Eucharist with priests or ministers of Churches or ecclesial communities which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church."

The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism, 122-136 indicates the circumstances in which some sharing in sacramental life, especially the Eucharist, is permitted with other Christians.

The norms there indicated for the giving of the Eucharist to other Christians are summarized in canon 844 of the Code of Canon Law as follows:

§3. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick licitly to members of Eastern Churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed. This is also valid for members of other Churches which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as these Eastern Churches.
§4. If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgement of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches indicates that the norms of the Directory apply also to the clergy and laity of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches

Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians have an understanding of what full communion means that is very similar to that of the Catholic Church. Though they have no figure corresponding to that of the Pope, performing a function like that of the Pope's Petrine Office, they see each of their autocephalous Churches as embodiments of the one Orthodox Church (Eastern or Oriental). They too consider full communion an essential condition for common sharing in the Eucharist. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, as first among equals among the Eastern Orthodox autocephalous churches and their spiritual leader, though not having authority similar to that of the Pope, serves as their spokesman.

For the autocephalous Churches that form the Eastern Orthodox Church, see Eastern Orthodox Church organization. Their number is somewhat in dispute.

The Churches of Oriental Orthodoxy are: the Coptic, Armenian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Jacobite, Indian Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches.

Protestant Churches

Protestant Churches see full communion between them as meaning that their members may licitly participate in each others' rites, particularly in the partaking of the Eucharist in closed communion denominations, and involving also recognition of each other's offices of ministry as valid and thus, in most cases, interchangeability of ordained ministers. Importantly, the existence of full communion, as thus understood, does not presume that there is no difference in rites or in doctrine between the two Churches, but rather that these differences do not touch on points defined as essential.

The word "intercommunion" is sometimes used of this arrangement, which is much less close than the unity between Churches that share a common history and doctrine, such as the Anglican Communion.

The following groupings of Churches have arrangements for:

mutual recognition of members
joint celebration of the Lord's Supper/Holy Communion/Eucharist (these churches practice open communion)
mutual recognition of ordained ministers
mutual recognition of sacraments
a common commitment to mission.

Agreements of communion complete

The Anglican Communion, the Old Catholic Church, the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of India, and the Philippine Independent Church.
The Churches of the Porvoo Communion
The Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and each of the following: the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the Moravian Church in America.
The Moravian Church and the United Methodist Church.
The United Methodist Church with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
The United Church of Christ and each of the following: the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church USA, and the Reformed Church in America.
The United Episcopal Church of North America and each of the following: the Anglican Catholic Church, the Diocese of the Holy Cross, and the Diocese of the Great Lakes.

Agreements of communion in progress

The United Methodist Church has an interim agreement with Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and is currently working toward full communion.The representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have overwhelmingly approved an “interim Eucharistic sharing” agreement with the United Methodist Church. The 877-60 vote occurred Aug. 11 during the ELCA’s 2005 Churchwide Assembly, in Orlando, Fla. (The assembly is the denomination’s chief legislative authority) . During the General Conference 2008 of The United Methodist Church, held on April 28 to May 2, 2008 at Fort Worth, Texas, the Conference approved a full communion agreement with the (ELCA) . And now, both churches are still waiting for the ELCA's vote on the full communion agreement with United Methodists at its assembly in August 2009.
The United Methodist Council of Bishops have approved interim agreements for sharing the Eucharist with the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
The Church of England is currently working diligently toward full communion with the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
Many of the Independent Catholic Churches are working diligently toward full communion with each other and with the Old-Catholic Union of Utrecht.
The Traditional Anglican Communion is currently seeking full communion with the Roman Catholic Church as a sui iuris (particular Church) jurisdiction.

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