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The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

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a barbarous <strong>and</strong> unnecessary one, <strong>and</strong> was devised by the enemies of our<br />

Church to injure it. When our Church is charged with the doctrine of the<br />

"Ubiquity" of Christ's human nature, it is usually meant, either, 1: that the<br />

human nature in Christ is everywhere present, in the same way as the<br />

divinity, as an infinite essence, or by some essential virtue or property of its<br />

own nature; or, 2: that the human nature has been made equal to the divine,<br />

in its substance, essence, or essential properties; or, 3: that the humanity of<br />

Christ is locally exp<strong>and</strong>ed in all places of heaven <strong>and</strong> earth--one <strong>and</strong> all of<br />

which our Church rejects in the most unqualified terms. <strong>The</strong> Godhead<br />

alone has an essential omnipresence. <strong>The</strong> human nature has a personal<br />

omnipresence--that is, a presence not in or of itself, but through the divine,<br />

in virtue of its personal union with it. It is present not by extension or<br />

locality. <strong>The</strong> Godhead itself is not present by extension or locality; neither<br />

does it render the human thus present. <strong>The</strong> divine nature is present after<br />

the manner of an infinite Spirit, incomprehensible to us; <strong>and</strong> the human is<br />

present after the manner in which an infinite Spirit renders present a<br />

human nature which is one person with it--a manner not less, nor more,<br />

incomprehensible to us than the other. <strong>The</strong> true designation of the<br />

Lutheran doctrine, on this point, would be, "<strong>The</strong> personal omnipresence of<br />

the human nature of Christ."<br />

<strong>The</strong> Reformed <strong>The</strong>ory. Some objections to it.<br />

In opposition to the Lutheran theory, Dr. Gerhart says: "<strong>The</strong><br />

Reformed theologians (in answer to the question: How is this communion<br />

with the flesh <strong>and</strong> blood of Christ established <strong>and</strong> maintained?) replied: By<br />

the mysterious agency of the Holy Spirit, elevating the hearts of believers<br />

to Christ in heaven, who feeds <strong>and</strong> nourishes them with the life-giving<br />

power of His flesh <strong>and</strong> blood." To this view, thus placed in antithesis to<br />

that of our Church by Dr. Gerhart, we have many objections, some of<br />

which, because of the antagonism in which he has placed the two views,<br />

we feel it our duty to state. <strong>The</strong> Reformed view acknowledges a mystery--<br />

"the mysterious agency" it says--<strong>and</strong> so far concedes that, a priori, it has<br />

no advantage over against the Lutheran view, on the general ground that<br />

our view

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