It’s not a “symbol of a unity”. Its the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Quite frankly, it should be denied more frequently and from some Catholics as well.

I don’t see any place where Timothy George himself hints that the Catholic position is unreasonable. Would you agree that perhaps we could better say that his speaking to the bishops is a sign of significant movement towards Christian unity?

I am sure he wasn’t offended; neither am I. We understand the Catholic view of the arrangememt and the reasons. Still, the unity isn’t there. That is why I framd my mood as sorrow, because despite being invited as a fraternal guest of the Pope, the speaker was – and is – viewed by his fraternal audience as not acceptable for the Eucharist, perhaps the greatest sybol of unity in Christendom.
Again, not offended and not throwing rocks. But still disappointed at our state and the remaining walls to real unity.
Again, thank you for your responses.

The fact is that these two groups – Baptists and Roman Catholics – are not in communion. It is easy for Christians who hold a low view of the Eucharist to criticize communions who have closed altars, but it would be unloving of us to give the true body and blood of Jesus to Christians who deny that it is present, and would therefore fail to discern the body. Truly, the baptists display the greatest stumbling block to any true unity by denying the baptisms of all Roman Catholics, considering them unbaptized. Ironically, most baptists today would take communion with Christians who they would not let join their churches until they were “properly” baptized.

You’re right, we have different views of the meaning of the Eucharist. We don’t think it is solely intended to endorse or be a symbol of unity; therefore withholding it is not solely an act of withholding – or denying – that Christian unity. Neither, I believe, is this the Baptist position. Rather, this withholding is an acknowledgement of the different theologies. I suspect that Dr. George did not see the ‘denial’ of receiving Catholic Eucharist as an affront in the context of his visit.

You may find this article interesting:

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/dr-timothy-george-on-the-baptist-view-of-the-lords-supper

I can’t speak for Timothy George but I would be surprised if he was offended at all. He is aware, more than you or I, of the differences between Baptists and Catholics. And he chooses where he stands. Then again, the article itself used “an aspect of which” with regards to unity. Let us celebrate where we are and not pretend we are somewhere else.