By Stanley Senya
Accra, Aug. 3, GNA — Leading Ghanaian theologians have called for a return to biblical principles in administering the Lord’s Supper, rejecting long-standing church practices that divide believers into “communicants” and “non-communicants.”
Speaking at the 13th edition of the Berea Lecture Series in Accra, Dr. Kwabena J. Darkwa Amanor, Director of the Berea Academy, described the exclusion of some church members from Holy Communion as “unbiblical” and urged churches to abandon the practice altogether.
“Over many years, this system of labelling some as communicans and others as non-communicants, permitting some and barring others from the Lord’s Table is not grounded in scripture. It is wrong and must be discouraged,” Dr. Darkwa Amanor said.
He referenced the Apostle Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11, explaining that early Christians had begun to show preference to wealthier members who could afford full meals during communion gatherings, while poorer members were left out or shamed.
“This created exclusion rather than inclusion in the church, which goes against the very essence of the Lord’s Supper. Christ died for all, regardless of social status. We cannot use what He instituted to divide the church,” he added.
Reinforcing the point, Rev. Professor F. M. Amevenku, President of Trinity Theological Seminary, warned against modern distortions of scripture and urged believers to examine the Bible for themselves rather than rely solely on church leaders or self-proclaimed prophets.
“We are witnessing a dangerous trend where believers are placing their faith more in human intermediaries than in God. Many say ‘God spoke to me’ and use their personal experiences to override scripture. That is not how faith works,” Rev. Prof. Amevenku said.
He stressed the importance of biblical literacy among African Christians, saying, “Like the Bereans in Acts 17, we must test every teaching against the Word. Faith means trusting God and His Word, not waiting daily for a prophet to guide you.”
The lecture attracted theologians, church leaders, and lay Christians who engaged in deep reflection on how churches today interpret and practice key Christian rites.
GNA
Christian Akorlie