Altar Fellowship

Some denominations allow only those to receive Holy Communion at their altars who are from their own denomination or from denominations which are in doctrinal agreement with them. Churches which practice “close communion” or “fencing the table” have such restrictive policies. The Roman Catholic Church does not permit altar fellowship with other churches. In Lutheranism in America, the Akron (1872) and Galesburg (1875) rules were adopted which said, “Lutheran altars for Lutherans only.”