Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Lutheran === {{main|Eucharist in the Lutheran Church}} {{See also|The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ—Against the Fanatics}} [[File:Reaalipreesens.jpg|thumb|A notice about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist in Mikael Agricola Church, Helsinki.<ref>The notice reads: "Christ is present here. This box is used for storing blessed sacrificial breads. According to the belief of the Church, Christ is really present (real presence) in the blessed bread and in wine. Please do not put anything on the box that does not belong there. Thank you."</ref>]] Lutherans believe in the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist,<ref name=WELSparticipation>{{cite web |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=814&cuItem_itemID=1045 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080102081951/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=814&cuItem_itemID=1045 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2008 |work=WELS Topical Q&A |title=1 Corinthians 10:16 – Meaning of "Participation |publisher=[[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] |access-date=4 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=WELSQA>{{cite web |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=258&cuItem_itemID=8633 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080102005853/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=258&cuItem_itemID=8633 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2008 |work=WELS Topical Q&A |title=Beliefs of other Church |publisher=[[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] |quote=As [[Confessional Lutheran]]s we believe in baptismal regeneration, the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper, and infant baptism. |access-date=4 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> that the body and blood of Christ are "truly and substantially present in, with and under the forms"<ref name=WLS-Real>{{cite web|url=http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BrugReal.pdf |title=The Real Presence of Christ's Body and Blood in The Lord's Supper: Contemporary Issues Concerning the Sacramental Union |last=Brug |first=John F. |publisher=[[Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary]] |quote=Lutherans have always emphasized that Christ's true body and blood are really present 'in, with, and under' the bread and wine and that Christ's true body and blood are received by all who receive the elements, either to their blessing or to their condemnation…Lutherans emphasize that although the presence of Christ in the Sacrament is a supernatural presence, which is beyond our understanding and explanations, it is a real, substantial presence. Jesus simply says, 'This is my body. This is my blood,' and Lutherans confess this when they say, 'The bread and wine we receive are Christ's body and blood.' They also combine the words 'in and under' from the [[Large Catechism|Catechism]] and the word 'with' from the [[Formula of Concord]] into the expression 'Christ's body and blood are received in, with, and under the bread and wine.' |access-date=9 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204101123/http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BrugReal.pdf |archive-date=4 February 2015 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jensen |first1=Robin Margaret |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=if4hQec2ClEC&pg=PA85 |title=Visual Theology: Forming and Transforming the Community Through the Arts |last2=Vrudny |first2=Kimberly J. |date=2009 |publisher=Liturgical Press |isbn=978-0-8146-5399-9 |pages=85 |language=en}}</ref> of the consecrated bread and wine (the elements), so that communicants orally eat and drink the holy body and blood of Christ Himself as well as the bread and wine (cf. [[Augsburg Confession]], Article 10) in this [[Lutheran sacraments|Sacrament]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Augsburg Confession |url=https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=bookofconcord.org |at=Article X |language=en}}</ref><ref>[http://bookofconcord.org/defense_8_holysupper.php Article X: Of the Holy Supper] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131215721/http://bookofconcord.org/defense_8_holysupper.php |date=31 January 2015 }}, ''[[Apology of the Augsburg Confession|The Defense of the Augsburg Confession]]'', 1531</ref> The Lutheran doctrine of the real presence is more accurately and formally known as "the [[Sacramental union|Sacramental Union]]."<ref>[http://bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#part7.6 VII. The Lord's Supper: Affirmative Theses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031063041/http://bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#part7.6 |date=31 October 2020 }}, ''Epitome of the [[Formula of Concord]]'', 1577, stating that: "We believe, teach, and confess that the body and blood of Christ are received with the bread and wine, not only spiritually by faith, but also orally; yet not in a Capernaitic, but in a supernatural, heavenly mode, because of the sacramental union..."</ref> It has been inaccurately called "[[consubstantiation]]", a term which is specifically rejected by most Lutheran churches and theologians<ref name="WELSconsubs">{{cite web |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=58&cuItem_itemID=11345 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080102105710/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=58&cuItem_itemID=11345 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2008 |work=WELS Topical Q&A |title=Real Presence Communion – Consubstantiation? |publisher=[[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] |quote=Although some Lutherans have used the term 'consbstantiation' [''sic''] and it might possibly be understood correctly (e.g., the bread & wine, body & blood coexist with each other in the Lord's Supper), most Lutherans reject the term because of the false connotation it contains...either that the body and blood, bread and wine come together to form one substance in the Lord's Supper or that the body and blood are present in a natural manner like the bread and the wine. Lutherans believe that the bread and the wine are present in a natural manner in the Lord's Supper and Christ's true body and blood are present in an illocal, supernatural manner. |access-date=4 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> since it creates confusion about the actual doctrine, and it subjects the doctrine to the control of an abiblical philosophical concept in the same manner as, in their view, does the term "transubstantiation".<ref>Schuetze, A.W., ''Basic Doctrines of the Bible'', Chapter 12, Article 3</ref><ref name="WELS-Transubs">{{cite web |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=58&cuItem_itemID=2250 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080102105240/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=58&cuItem_itemID=2250 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2008 |work=WELS Topical Q&A |title=Real Presence: What is really the difference between "transubstantiation" and "consubstantiation"? |publisher=[[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] |quote=We reject transubstantiation because the Bible teaches that the bread and the wine are still present in the Lord's Supper ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1co10%3A16&version=NIV 1 Corinthians 10:16], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1co11%3A27-28&version=NIV 1 Corinthians 11:27–28]). We do not worship the elements because Jesus commands us to eat and to drink the bread and the wine. He does not command us to worship them. |access-date=4 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="WELS-WNT">{{cite web |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=58&cuItem_itemID=1325 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080102105243/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=58&cuItem_itemID=1325 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2008 |work=WELS Topical Q&A |title=Real Presence: Why not Transubstantiation? |publisher=[[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] |access-date=4 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> For Lutherans, there is no Sacrament unless the elements are used according to Christ's institution (consecration, distribution, and reception). This was first articulated in the [[Wittenberg Concord]] of 1536 in the formula: ''Nihil habet rationem sacramenti extra usum a Christo institutum'' ("Nothing has the character of a sacrament apart from the use instituted by Christ"). Some Lutherans use this formula as their rationale for opposing in the church the [[Reserved sacrament|reservation]] of the consecrated elements, private Masses, the practice of [[Blessed Sacrament|Corpus Christi]], and the belief that the ''reliquæ'' (what remains of the consecrated elements after all have communed in the worship service) are still sacramentally united to the Body and Blood of Christ. This interpretation is not universal among Lutherans. The consecrated elements are treated with reverence; and, in some Lutheran churches, are reserved as in [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]], and [[Anglican]] practice. The external [[Eucharistic adoration]] is usually not practiced by most Lutherans except for [[bowing]], [[genuflect]]ing, and kneeling to receive the Eucharist from the [[Words of Institution]] and elevation to reception of the holy meal. The ''reliquæ'' traditionally are consumed by the celebrant after the people have communed, except that a small amount may be reserved for delivery to those too ill or infirm to attend the service. In this case, the consecrated elements are to be delivered quickly, preserving the connection between the communion of the ill person and that of the congregation gathered in public [[Divine Service (Lutheran)|Divine Service]]. Lutherans use the terms "in, with and under the forms of [[consecrated]] bread and wine" and "Sacramental Union" to distinguish their understanding of the Eucharist from those of the Reformed and other traditions. Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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