Church of England question

[kindkit]

Google has not answered this for me: In the Church of England, is there a required or expected period of fasting before receiving communion? And, um, if you know whether this would have been the case in 1813, that would be extremely helpful.

Comments

[executrix]

http://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/book-of-common-prayer/the-lord's-supper-or-holy-communion.aspx

Has quite a list of Dos and Don'ts but does not mention fasting. In light of the discussion of the Real Presence (or, more accurately, Real Absence) I suspect it would be considered the equivalent of Adoration (i.e., Do Not Want).

[wisdomeagle]

(Anglicans believe Christ is Really but not corporeally Present in the elements.)

The section of 1662 BoCP on preparation for Communion reads more or less the same, again with no mention of fasting. Fasting is a form of penitence, which is prescribed, so I don't think it would be inappropriate, but it wouldn't be expected and would be unlikely to be practiced by someone who didn't adopt the practice from Roman Catholicism.

[kindkit]

Thank you! My character is privately something very like agnostic, although outwardly conforming, so I doubt he'd adopt any religious practice that wasn't required. Which neatly solves the question of whether he can eat some breakfast on the morning of his wedding!

[tree_and_leaf]

*Cough*

As with everything else, depends on the Anglican.

[wisdomeagle]

True.

[kindkit]

I saw that in my googling, but I didn't want to assume that silence on the subject necessarily meant that it was a non-issue, if you see what I mean. And my own knowledge of Anglican theology, which is limited to start with, fades out pretty sharply after the mid-seventeenth century.

[executrix]

I do see what you mean! But I would think it would make it much easier to have a smoothly running liturgically proper service if potential communicants were warned to fast if that was required.

wisdomeagle: thanks, sorry I was inexact.

[tree_and_leaf]

No. Anglo-Catholic adopted the practice, but it was never universal, and that kicks off later than 1813 anyway.

[kindkit]

Thanks!