What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner?

[TheLightWithin]

Not long ago I had a conversation with an individual who said they would not take communion in church at this time and maybe for the foreseeable future, as they felt they were not supposed to because they had some difficulty reconciling some teachings of the church in their own mind. This included attempting to reconcile Christian teaching with some adverse events in their own life. They interpreted this - having this difficulty with the beliefs - as a sign not to take communion as to do so would equal "taking communion in an unworthy manner" They stated they felt it was sinful to take communion in the situation of not being at peace with all teachings.

I looked it up and ran into a number of interpretations of what the phrase "taking communion in an unworthy manner" actually meant.

Some things I read suggested that taking communion without fasting before or after is what it meant. Some said it had to do with taking it without going to a confession first. Others said it meant taking it if not baptized.

Some said it had to do with being irreverent, or doubting.

Some said it had to do with the elements not being properly blessed.

The context from Corinthians seems to refer to eating the communal meal while others went hungry. Apparently explicitly others within the congregation, though some have interpreted it as anybody going hungry.

The context in Corinthians also seems to indicate "sowing division in the church" as being part of an unworthy manner.
Could this be interpreted as feuding with others in the book study group or the fundraising council?
Could this be interpreted as pointing out hypocrisy in the church (which some shudder at and call "causing a scandal")
Could the be interpreted as taking communion in any church whatsoever, given that the Church is regarded as "fractured" due to the existence of so many numerous denominations?

I don't really have any unique interpretation, although many of the above interpretations seem to stray pretty far from the comments in Corinthians and to be the result of later developments of ritual and tradition.

Curious what others' thoughts are on this.

 

[faithforall]

Not long ago I had a conversation with an individual who said they would not take communion in church at this time and maybe for the foreseeable future, as they felt they were not supposed to because they had some difficulty reconciling some teachings of the church in their own mind. This included attempting to reconcile Christian teaching with some adverse events in their own life. They interpreted this - having this difficulty with the beliefs - as a sign not to take communion as to do so would equal "taking communion in an unworthy manner" They stated they felt it was sinful to take communion in the situation of not being at peace with all teachings.

I looked it up and ran into a number of interpretations of what the phrase "taking communion in an unworthy manner" actually meant.

Some things I read suggested that taking communion without fasting before or after is what it meant. Some said it had to do with taking it without going to a confession first. Others said it meant taking it if not baptized.

Some said it had to do with being irreverent, or doubting.

Some said it had to do with the elements not being properly blessed.

The context from Corinthians seems to refer to eating the communal meal while others went hungry. Apparently explicitly others within the congregation, though some have interpreted it as anybody going hungry.

The context in Corinthians also seems to indicate "sowing division in the church" as being part of an unworthy manner.
Could this be interpreted as feuding with others in the book study group or the fundraising council?
Could this be interpreted as pointing out hypocrisy in the church (which some shudder at and call "causing a scandal")
Could this be interpreted as taking communion in any church whatsoever, given that the Church is regarded as "fractured" due to the existence of so many numerous denominations?

I don't really have any unique interpretation, although many of the above interpretations seem to stray pretty far from the comments in Corinthians and to be the result of later developments of ritual and tradition.

Curious what others' thoughts are on this.

Your post really got me thinking about how personal and complex this topic is. I hear the struggle of the person you mentioned, wrestling with their faith and feeling unsure about communion. It’s tough when someone feels they can’t participate in something so meaningful because they’re not at peace with every teaching. I’ve seen this a lot in my work—people want to do the right thing but get stuck in their doubts.

Looking at 1 Corinthians 11, it seems Paul was addressing a practical issue in the early church. Some folks were eating and drinking at the Lord’s Supper without caring that others were left out, which created division. It wasn’t just about personal sin or doubt but about how their actions hurt the community. The “unworthy manner” seems tied to selfishness or disrespecting the body of Christ—both the meal and the people sharing it.

I think your friend’s concern about not being fully aligned with church teachings might be more about their heart than what Paul was getting at. Communion is about remembering Jesus’ sacrifice and being part of His body, not about having every question answered. Doubts and struggles don’t disqualify us; they’re part of the journey. Maybe encourage them to talk to a pastor or trusted friend about what’s holding them back. Sometimes, just sharing the burden can bring clarity.

As for the other interpretations—like fasting, confession, or denominations—those often come from later traditions, not the text itself. They can be helpful for some but might add pressure for others. The core, to me, is approaching communion with a humble heart, ready to honor Jesus and love others. What do you think—does that resonate with what you’ve been reading or hearing?

 

[Thomas]

Your post really got me thinking about how personal and complex this topic is. I hear the struggle of the person you mentioned, wrestling with their faith and feeling unsure about communion. It’s tough when someone feels they can’t participate in something so meaningful because they’re not at peace with every teaching. I’ve seen this a lot in my work—people want to do the right thing but get stuck in their doubts.

I've been there ...

I spoke to a parish priest. He said, "If I were to examine the conscience of everyone coming up to receive the sacrament, I'd probably lose half the congregation, easily. We spoke a bit more, then he said:
"Do you feel called to receive the Eucharist?"
"Yes."
"There you go, then. Trust in that."