RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Lord's Supper
of the sacrament (to the faithful only), the remission of sins." The manner in which the form of public worship was but slightly changed from the pre-Reformation mass produced a similar impression on the ordinary mind. The fact, then, was all the more notable that from 1531 Melanchthon drew away more and more from this position. As early as that date he dropped the doctrine of ubiquity, and somewhat later the "in the bread"; by 1535 he was sympathizing with the " tropical " meaning given to the words of institution, and then, though obscurely, abandoning the reception by the wicked; while toward the end of his life he agreed in all essentials with Calvin. About 1555 the doctrine of ubiquity began to 'have its effect. The Philippists (q.v.) were then directly attacked, after Melanchthon's death, as " crypto-Calvinists," and theological discussion turned with considerable heat to the question of the Lord's Supper, and to the doctrine of the Incarnation which the teaching on ubiquity connected closely with it. After the downfall of the Philippists in Saxony, it was possible to formulate definitely the anti-Philippist, anti-Calvinist teaching in article VII. of the Formula Concordia (see section IV and the article, Formula of Concord).
Among the " Reformed " Churches — those which were neither Lutheran nor Anabaptist — there was a general agreement from Zwingli's time that " the body and blood of Christ " were not, as with Luther and the Roman Catholics, the " sign of the sacrament " but the benefit which only the faithful,
" spiritually eating," received; that 7. The accordingly the " this is " must be
taken in a figurative sense; that Christ,
Reformed Doctrine.
exalted " bodily " to the right hand of God, is present not " bodily " but according to his divinity and " efficacy." There were, however, differences on some points. In Zwingli's mind the rite was one which rather imposed obligations on the recipient than conferred benefits; " spiritual eating " was for him equivalent to the faith in the sacrifice of Christ which was professed by the congregation. It is true that he said more than once that the sacrament was a pledge and assurance of faith; but Bullinger emphasized much more strongly the side which gives, as in the general conception of a sacrament, so especially in the communion. Calvin, whose view may more easily be understood, and probably with more correctness, as a modification of Luther's, not of Zwingli's, insisted strongly on the " giving " character of the sacrament in opposition to what he thought the " profane " conception of Zwingli, and gave a much fuller meaning to the " spiritual eating." His views have ultimately been adopted by the great majority of the strictly " Reformed " bodies; but to take a wide general view of the infinite gradations between the strict Calvinistic belief and the rationalizing of the Zwinglian view into a mere observance in commemoration of Christ would require far too much space. (F. Loofs.)
The position taken on the subject by the great Church of England divines represents a via media between the opposing views already cited, and differs essentially from that of any other reformed
church. It is true that, with the extraordinary latitude allowed in that church to the teaching of the clergy, all possible views from absolute tran-
substantiation to flat Zwinglianism
8. The may De found at the present day; but
An? ican none ^ne jegs tnere js a traditional
attitude which may be designated as characteristically Anglican. Its exponents call it simply the doctrine of the real presence, and lay distinguishing emphasis on the fact that " our doctrine leaves this subject in the sacred mystery with which God has enveloped it " (William Palmer, Treatise on the Church of Christ, London, 1838). The same idea is expressed at greater length by Bishop Andrewes (1555-1626) in his answer to Bellarmine: " The Cardinal is not unless ' willingly, ignorant ' that Christ hath said ' This is my body,' not ' This is not my Body in this mode.' Now about the object we are both agreed; all the controversy is about the mode. The ' This is ' we firmly believe; that ' it is in this mode ' (the Bread, namely, being transubstantiated into the Body), or of the mode whereby it is wrought that ' it is,' whether in, or with, or under, or transubstantiated, there is not a word in the Gospel." In another place he quotes with approval, as does also Jeremy Taylor, a saying attributed to Durandus, " We hear the word, feel the effect, know not the manner, believe the Presence." Archbishop Laud (1573- 1645) asserted in his conference with Fisher, "As for the Church of England, nothing is more plain than that it believes and teaches the true and real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist." The denial, in the so-called " Black Rubric " appended to the communion service, of the " corporal presence of Christ's natural Flesh and Blood " is intended, not to deny the real presence, but to strike at certain gross material views current among insufficiently educated people in the period just before the Reformation.
III. Confessional Statements:* The Roman Catholic doctrine is officially given in the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, Sess. XIII., Oct. 11, 1551 (ii. 126-139). The principal points are:
" In the Eucharist are contained truly, really, and substantially, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ." — Can. 1.
" The whole substance of the bread is [converted] into the body," and " the whole substance of the wine into the blood."— Can. 2.
" The whole Christ is contained under each species, and under every part of each species, when separated." — Can. 3.
" The principal fruit of the most holy Eucharist is the remission of sins." — Can. 5.
" In the Eucharist, Christ is to be adored." — Can. 6.
" All and each of Christ's faithful are bound to communicate every year." — Can. 9.
" Sacramental confession is to be made beforehand, by those whose conscience is burdened with mortal sin." — Can. 11.
The same view is taught, though less distinctly, in the Greek Church in the Orthodox Confession of the Eastern Church, Ques. CVL, CVII. (ii. 380-385); in the Confession of Dositheus (ii. 427-432); in the Longer Catechism of the Eastern Church, Ques. 315:
"What is the Communion f A sacrament, in which the believer, under the forms of bread and wine, partakes of the very Body and Blood of Christ to everlasting life " (ii. 495).
* The references are to Philip Schaff , The Creeds of Christendom, 3 vols., New York, 1877.
Lord's Supper