Eucharist

==Eucharistic theology==
{{Main|Eucharistic theology}}
Most Christians, even those who deny that there is any real change in the elements used, recognize a special presence of [[Christ]] in this rite. However, Christians differ about exactly how, where and how long Christ is present in it.<ref name="EB"/> [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]], [[Eastern Orthodoxy]], [[Oriental Orthodoxy]], and the [[Church of the East]] teach that the reality (the "substance") of the elements of bread and wine is wholly changed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, while the appearances (the "species") remain. [[Transubstantiation]] ("change of the substance") is the term used by Catholics to denote {{em|what}} is changed, not to explain {{em|how}} the change occurs, since the Catholic Church teaches that "the signs of bread and wine become, ''in a way surpassing understanding'', the Body and Blood of Christ".<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3Z.HTM Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1333] (emphasis added)</ref> The Orthodox use various terms such as transelementation, but no explanation is official as they prefer to leave it a mystery.

[[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]s believe Christ to be "truly and substantially present" with the bread and wine that are seen in the Eucharist,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mahler|first=Corey|date=2019-12-10|title=Art. X: Of the Holy Supper {{!}} Book of Concord|url=https://bookofconcord.org/apology-of-the-augsburg-confession/article-x/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=bookofconcord.org|language=en-US}}</ref> in a manner referred to as the [[sacramental union]]. They attribute the real presence of Jesus' living body to his word spoken in the Eucharist, and not to the faith of those receiving it. They also believe that "forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation" are given through the words of Christ in the Eucharist to those who believe his words ("given and shed for you").<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mahler|first=Corey|date=2020-10-21|title=Part VI {{!}} Book of Concord|url=https://bookofconcord.org/small-catechism/part-vi/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=bookofconcord.org|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Calvinism|Reformed Christians]] also believe Christ to be present in the Eucharist, but describe this presence as a [[Lord's Supper in Reformed theology|spiritual presence]], not a physical one.<ref>{{cite book |last=Horton |first=Michael S. |author-link=Michael Horton (theologian) |title=People and Place: A Covenant Ecclesiology |year=2008 |location=Louisville, KY |publisher=[[Westminster John Knox Press]] |isbn=978-0664230715 |page=126}}</ref> Anglicans adhere to [[Anglican eucharistic theology|a range of views]] depending on [[churchmanship]] although the teaching in the Anglican [[Thirty-Nine Articles]] holds that the body of Christ is received by the faithful only in a heavenly and spiritual manner, a doctrine also taught in the Methodist [[Articles of Religion (Methodist)|Articles of Religion]].

Christians adhering to the theology of [[Memorialism]], such as the [[Anabaptist Church]]es, do not believe in the concept of the real presence, believing that the Eucharist is only a ceremonial remembrance or [[memorialism|memorial]] of the death of Christ.<ref name="Finger2010">{{cite book |last1=Finger |first1=Thomas N. |title=A Contemporary Anabaptist Theology: Biblical, Historical, Constructive |date=26 February 2010 |publisher=InterVarsity Press |isbn=978-0-8308-7890-1 |page=186 |language=English |quote=Anabaptists here, despite sharp disagreement with Zwingli over baptism, generally affirmed his memorialism.}}</ref>

The ''Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry'' document of the [[World Council of Churches]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/baptism-eucharist-and-ministry-faith-and-order-paper-no-111-the-lima-text?set_language=en |title=Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (Faith and Order Paper no. 111, the "Lima Text") |publisher=Oikoumene.org |date=1982-01-15 |access-date=2019-05-16 |archive-date=7 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107040653/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/baptism-eucharist-and-ministry-faith-and-order-paper-no-111-the-lima-text?set_language=en |url-status=dead }}</ref> attempting to present the common understanding of the Eucharist on the part of the generality of Christians, describes it as "essentially the sacrament of the gift which God makes to us in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit", "Thanksgiving to the Father", "Anamnesis or Memorial of Christ", "the sacrament of the unique sacrifice of Christ, who ever lives to make intercession for us", "the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, the sacrament of his [[Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist|real presence]]", "Invocation of the Spirit", "Communion of the Faithful", and "Meal of the Kingdom".