Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Continuing Rite of the Church: The Lord's Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a vital rite, considered the continuing practice of the visible church, instituted by Jesus Christ himself. Christian groups agree on six foundational points, including the necessity of repetition of the rite until Christ’s second coming, its function as a proclamation of His atoning death, and its role in conferring spiritual benefit upon the believer. Participation is uniformly restricted to genuine followers of Christ who have engaged in rigorous self-examination to ensure they partake in a worthy manner.

The deepest disagreements center on the nature of Christ’s presence in the elements. The Traditional Roman Catholic view affirms transubstantiation: the substance of the bread and wine is metaphysically changed into the physical body and blood of Christ, though the outward appearance, or accidents, remains the same. The Lutheran view rejects transubstantiation but maintains Christ’s physical presence "in, with, and under" the bread and wine, insisting on manducation, the real eating of Christ’s body. The Reformed view holds that Christ is present dynamically or spiritually, while the Zwinglian view considers the elements to be mere symbols used for commemoration.

Administrative authority is also disputed. Sacerdotalism dictates that only certain persons, such as a Catholic priest ordained into the apostolic succession, are qualified to administer the sacraments. Non-sacerdotal positions, however, believe the rite's efficacy derives from Christ’s power, allowing any Christian or church-designated leader to preside.

Regarding the physical elements, decisions must balance duplicating the original Passover setting (requiring wine and unleavened bread) with conveying the spiritual meaning, allowing grape juice to represent Christ’s blood. When traditional elements are unavailable, substitutes may be employed, provided they maintain the essential symbolism. Since Scripture gives no explicit command on how often the Supper must be observed, frequency is determined by practical and psychological considerations, aiming to inspire conscious reflection without becoming routine.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

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