Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community

‘Only he – only Christ – was able and is always able to be the true andeffective expiation for our sins and “for the sins of the whole world”. Onlyhis sacrifice – and no one else’s – was able and is able to have a“propitiatory power” before God, the Trinity and the transcendentholiness.’ 166b) TransubstantiationFor Catholics and Orthodox believers the body and blood of Jesus are literallyin the bread and wine after their consecration by a priest. It may be arguedthat this doctrine is false, but that it does not stop a person looking only toJesus for salvation. It could be argued that such a high view of the Eucharistmakes the believer more, not less, committed to Jesus as the way to eternallife.In ‘folk’ Catholicism and Orthodoxy it may well be that a form of superstitionsurrounds this doctrine, and eating the host as literally the body of Christ is asubstitute for real faith and repentance. But this is a misunderstanding of thedoctrine.It is interesting and sad to reflect that that in the Protestant Reformation thedoctrine of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper became the mostdisputed doctrine, the one that should have bound all believers together.• Luther wanted to assert the ubiquity 167 of Christ’s body, and so believedhis presence was there in the bread and wine on the altar.• Calvin wanted to assert that Jesus’ body was in heaven, but his presencewas brought to the table by the Holy Spirit (through the epiclēsis 168 ), andwe could consider that in the Communion Christ was both representedand presented to the communicant.166Ed Flannery, Austin, OP, Vatican Collection, Vol 2, Vatican 2, More Post-conciliarDocuments, Costello Publishing Co, 1982, p 74.167Ubiquity. The ability to be present in every place.168The Epiclesis. That part of the Eucharistic Prayer by which the priest invokes the HolySpirit (or the power of His blessing) upon the Eucharistic bread and wine.Page 178