'''Closed communion''' is the practice in some [[Christian]] [[church]]es of offering [[communion]] (also known as Holy Eucharist or Lord's Supper) only to members of the same or similar [[denomination]] (or more restrictively to only members of the specific congregation). The reason for practicing closed communion is generally because of differing beliefs about the meaning and nature of Holy Communion that exist among denominations.
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'''Closed communion''' is the practice in some [[Christian]] [[church]]es of offering [[communion]] (also known as Holy Eucharist or Lord's Supper) only to members of the same [[denomination]] (or more restrictively to only members of the specific congregation). The reason for practicing closed communion is generally because of differing beliefs about the meaning and nature of Holy Communion that exist among denominations.
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A variant on this practice, called "close" or "cracked" communion, allows participants who are not members of that congregation or denomination, but are members of one "of like faith and practice", to participate. For example, an Independent Baptist church may allow a member of another Independent Baptist church to participate, or a Southern Baptist church member (as the two groups generally hold to "like faith and practice" but differ only on church organization), but would exclude a Catholic from participating.