Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist

The Real Presence is in Christian theology, the doctrine that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in the Eucharist.

Term

Real Presence means that with his body and his blood is really present in the substance of bread and wine, Jesus Christ. The sensual detectable components ( commercial ) of bread and wine remain unchanged. With the ritual incorporation of the idea of the Church is expressed as the Body of Christ. With body, the whole person, body and spirit is meant. It means no demarcation of a consumed ( as it would be celebrated with a feast victory over a prey ), but a connection with him.

Development

First approaches to the notion of the real presence go to Ignatius of Antioch (died in the 2nd century AD ), who, referring to the 6th chapter of John 's Gospel, the bodily presence of Christ in the Eucharist against Gnostic and docetic views defended. Augustine deepens the understanding of the real presence and refers to the sacrament as signum, figura, similitudo ( " character, form, likeness ") of the reality of Christ. By changing the way of thinking it is in the 9th century between Paschasius Radbertus and Ratramnus of Corbie 1 eucharistic controversy, the controversy between Symbolism, ie a symbolic understanding and realism, as the real presence of Christ prepared. However, the stress levels take the 2nd Eucharistic controversy (11th century) to break through. In the center of the conflict is Berengar of Tours, who understands the spiritual real presence and wants to separate from the material gifts. On the Lateran Synod of 1059 Berengar's doctrine is rejected and confirms the real presence. The victory of nominalism in the Late Middle Ages (see also universals ), however, weakens the notion of the real presence.

During the Reformation, the question of the Lord's Supper understanding was discussed again and the subject of several disputes, including, inter alia at the Marburg Colloquy 1529th The Real Presence was represented by Martin Luther against Ulrich Zwingli and his followers, who taught a symbolic understanding. Zwingli's successor Heinrich Bullinger relied for his doctrine of the "ideal presence" specifically to Ratramnus. The Formula of Concord (SD VII, 35) summarized the Lutheran position 1577 in the statement together that the faithful the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ " in, with and under" the bread and wine to take ( consubstantiation ). The Lutheran churches have maintained this view and share these with the related Catholic tradition churches, including therefore the Roman Catholic church and the Orthodox and Old Catholic Churches, which refers to the excerpt of the words of Jesus, " this is my body " called.

Criticism

Disputers the Real Presence teach that the elements of bread and wine only characters ( ideal presence ), mean the body and blood of Christ, but not including based on (1 Cor 11:23-26 NIV ). The Last Supper is understood as a symbolic memorial and will accordingly called Memorial. This considered a part of the Reformed churches, the Mennonite churches, most Baptist churches, the Pentecostal churches, various other Protestant Free Churches and the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Christadelphians.