[thefrankbaum]

1, 3. Well, I'll defer to you on Reformed theology, since you are much more clearly learned in it than I am. I guess I see it this way: because there is a prerequisite - being a believer - to receiving the grace, receiving communion is merely an opportunity for grace. Thus, grace is communicated more on the internal disposition of the candidate, rather than by the objective act. Anyways, I think we best leave this discussion for a more appropriate thread - if you happen upon any posts clearly explaining the theology, would you kindly ping me to them?

4. Well, I'm more of a Molinist, I suppose. We've made the choice to believe in Christ - the fact that God created a world where the circumstances would arise whereby we would freely make that choice has no bearing on our freedom to do so. We were predestined by the world God created, but our decision to love Him is ours to make - if it were otherwise, how could it be real love?

[PAR35]

I would suspect that there may be less difference between us as to what happens to a believer when he takes communion than there would be between either of us and a Baptist.

The insurmountable gulf between a Calvinist and a Catholic with regard to Communion is to whether there is a change in the nature of the elements. And since neither of us is likely to change the view of the other, it’s probably best on that point to acknowledge the gulf and move on as to that point.

In any event, I’d count these exchanges as another success for the proponents of Ecuminecal threads.