The communion of saints.

It’s perhaps the most overlooked part of the Apostles’ Creed. Millions of Christians recite this creed every week, without stopping to think of what it means to say we believe in “the communion of saints.”

When Protestants use the term communion of saints, they often intend it to mean the connection that Christians have to one another in this world, by nature of our shared beliefs and worship practices. This is often all that’s meant by it.

For Catholics and Orthodox Christians (and some Anglicans and “high-church” Protestants), however, the term has an additional sense: the mystical connection that all believers (whether living or dead) share.

For those who interpret the phrase this way, it’s not uncommon to feel the presence of deceased loved ones, in worship and in the world around us.

Some go a step further and included “the faithful departed” in prayer – both praying for the well-being of the deceased, and speaking to such saints, asking for their support and guidance along with that of God’s.

Many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of communication between the living and the dead.

Quoting Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 18:9-24 (which forbids the practices of necromancy and divination) and Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 (which says that the dead have no knowledge or emotions, or consciousness of any kind), such folks say that contacting the dead is both futile and dangerous (since people can unwittingly summon demons in this way).

It’s my contention that such people are proof-texting, and are in effect cutting themselves off from many benefits that ongoing communication with our ancestors can bring. I say this, not just to justify my own beliefs and experiences, but also because there is Scriptural support for it.

Virtually the entire New Testament affirms that the dead are resurrected, in contrast to Ecclesiastes. Those who quote the latter seem to forget that the Bible is a progressive revelation, and that some things taught in one part of Scripture are superseded by later teachings.

As for the prohibition of necromancy, this too has been modified by New Testament teachings. Three of the four gospels record Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah (Matt 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36).

It seems awful strange to me that Jesus would do something (in plain view of His disciples) that they are forbidden to do – especially given Jesus’ teaching that “the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these” (John 14:12).

I conclude, therefore, that communion with the dead is not only allowed by Jesus, but is in fact encouraged.

As with anything spiritual, this should be done with caution.

I would not suggest that anyone try to conjure up spirits using occult methods; and if a person does “hear” a message from beyond, it should be tested against the teachings of Jesus to make sure it isn’t in fact a demonic spirit masquerading as a saint.

Contrary to what some new-agers believe, not all spiritual “energy” is positive, or even neutral. Malevolent spirits do exist.

That said, I still believe that communion with the saints (both living and dead) can be a great encouragement to us as we walk the difficult journey that comes with following Jesus. It may, in fact, prove to be just what’s needed to revitalize the church in our time.

(Coming Next: The Apostles’ Creed, Part Nine: The Forgiveness of Sins)