On Catholics Receiving the Eucharist in other Churches by fada Ugwu

 On Catholics Receiving the Eucharist in other Churches

When Martin Luther broke out of the catholic church, he founded his church called the Lutheran church. As expected, he started formulating his doctrines and theology to suit his beliefs.

Of all the doctrines he created, the one on the Holy Eucharist brought about a division even among him and his friends who pioneered the reformation.

Catholics believe that after consecration of bread and wine, the bread changes into Christ’s body and the wine changes into Christ’s blood. Christ is truly and substantially present in the elements themselves. Though the taste and physical appearances remain the taste and appearance of bread and wine, but the essence (substance), i.e. what makes it bread or wine, is changed. This is what Catholic theology coined as Transubstantiation (the transformation of the substance of bread and wine.)

Luther, on the other hand, after studying John 6, believed just like Catholics, that at consecration, the bread and wine become the true body and blood of Christ. But for Luther, he differ from the catholic teaching by holding that the substance does not change. To him, both the physical appearance and taste and also the substance of bread and wine do not change but Christ is present in them, with them, and under them. Theologians refer to this as Consubstantiation.

Zwingli, one of the reformers, disagreed with Luther. Zwingli believed that Christ is not present in the Eucharist in any way. The Eucharist was only a memorial and carried no more significance than that. He interpreted the words of Christ, "This is my body, broken for you" (Matthew 22:19) to be a figure of speech. For him, the bread and wine are just symbols of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.

Other reformers disagreed with Zwingli. For them, Christ is present in the Eucharist, but he is ONLY present spiritually and not literally like the Catholic and Lutheran teachings. And it is only through faith that we receive him.

So, you see... The different reformers all parted ways. Luther founded the Lutheran Church, Zwingli founded the Calvinist church, John Knox founded The Presbyterian Church, John Smyth founded the Baptist church. . .All of them with their own theology and teachings on the Eucharist.

Coming down to Pentecostal churches and churches springing up every day, no one is sure what their belief on the Eucharist is. Most of the time, everything is left at the discretion of the pastor and how he feels. The day he wants to do communion service, he will do so. Whether they believe that it is the real body and blood of Jesus, or a symbol or something they just do to get members. . . I can't tell you.

So, it is not about attending other denominations or receiving "their" communion, it is more of, what really are you receiving and what is their teaching? The communion you want to receive there, is it the body and blood of Christ? Which authority qualifies the minister to even run a church in the first place not to talk of celebrating the Eucharist?