Communion of Saints

Definition and Meaning

The communion of saints is an article of the Apostles' Creed confessing the mutual fellowship of believers. The phrase translates the Latin communio sanctorum, and the word "communion" conveys the idea of mutual exchange and sharing. Protestants generally understand "saints" here to mean not a special class of people but all who believe in Christ. Fellowship among believers in a broader sense is also called fellowship.

Biblical and Historical Background

The Greek word koinonia, translated "fellowship" in the New Testament, denotes communion, participation, and sharing. Acts 2:42 records that the early church "continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." First John 1:3 teaches that the fellowship of believers is rooted in fellowship with God. First Corinthians 12 describes the church as many members joined together to form one body.

The phrase does not appear in the Old Roman Creed and is believed to have been added to the creed in the Western church around the fifth century. Because the Latin expression can be read either as "the fellowship of holy persons" or as "common participation in holy things (the sacraments)," interpretations have differed.

• The Roman Catholic Church understands it as the communion shared by the church on earth and the faithful departed, and connects it with the intercession of the saints (prayer offered on behalf of others).
• Protestants reject interpretations that link it to the veneration of saints. Instead, they explain it as the relationship in which believers united to Christ share their gifts and needs with one another. The Westminster Confession of Faith treats this subject separately in Chapter 26.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, shared meals after worship, gatherings in fellowship halls, the welcoming of newcomers, and pastoral visitation are commonly described as the communion of saints. The gatherings that serve as the center of fellowship vary somewhat by denomination.

• Presbyterian churches and churches in the Full Gospel tradition regard district (cell) worship meetings as an important setting for fellowship.
• The Korean Methodist Church maintains small-group meetings that carry on John Wesley's class meeting tradition.
• In recent years, a growing number of churches have also gathered in the form of small groups or house churches.

The view that the Lord's Supper is where the communion of saints is most clearly manifested is shared across many denominations. This aspect receives particular emphasis in churches that celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday, such as the Anglican Church of Korea. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person gatherings declined, there were also efforts to sustain fellowship online.