Eucharist

Question 1

What is the process transubstantiation?

Answer 1

reality of bread and wine (their substance) changes into the body and blood of Jesus

miraculous change made possible by the power and intentions of God and the actions of the priest

Question 2

Origin of transubstantiation

Answer 2

‘a change of substance’ - greek

Aristotle - argued for a distinction between appearance and what is behind the appearance

In Eucharist theology, developed by Aquinas and other Catholic thinkers

Question 3

What is the process of transignification and who is the thinker associated with it
Who argues for it

Answer 3

Edward Schillebeeckx

Bread and wine change significance, but not its reality or identity

Zwilingi

Question 4

Origin of transignification

Answer 4

roots in structuralism and semiotics

Real Presence is not to do with change of substance, but change of meaning

Rejects Aristotle’s idea of substance and avoids conflict with contemporary physics

Modern Catholic

Question 5

Consubstantiation

Answer 5

Martin Luther
Spiritually the bread and wine are the flesh and blood of Jesus, but are still just bread and wine
simultaneous presence of bread and body of Christ
Protestant thinkers

Question 6

What is Real Presence?

Answer 6

Christ is present in a real, spiritual sense at the Eucharist through the Holy Spirit

Question 7

What is God’s grace?

Answer 7

free gift from God given regardless of worthiness of recipient
helps Cs to live better lives to resemble Jesus’
Sacraments are a vehicle for receiving God’s grace
Protestant theology emphasises God’s grace is necessary of all salvation provided each individual accepts Christ as their redeemer

Question 8

What is the most powerful example of God’s grace?

Answer 8

God’s willingness to sacrifice son to save humankind from sin: gift was the freedom of the punishment of death and restoration of hope and purpose in believers lives
Pureness of victim and unworthiness of recipients is a contrast which emphasises that God chooses to give even when not merited

Question 9

What is sacramental theology? + what does Paul teach and bible quote

Answer 9

Belief in sacramental nature of reality
Everything was created by God, so everything has the potential to relate to him in a divine way, especially humans being the pinnacle of his creation
Paul teaches the death of Jesus redeemed the whole of creation as well as humans
Both can be vessels of God’s grace - Corinthians 1:20

Question 10

What are sacraments?

Answer 10

sacramentum - latin, ‘outward signs conveying inner peace’
signs of God’s grace and presence
focuses the mind of the worshipper on God and reminds them of the saving death of Christ and the salvation it brings

Question 11

What are the 7 sacraments in the Catholic and Orthodox Church and what is the overall purpose

Answer 11

purpose: some mark key moments in a persons life, God grants special gifts that help Christians fulfil the commitments involved
Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation/Penance, Healing, Marriage, Holy Orders

Question 12

Summary of Christian initiation sacraments

Answer 12

Baptism - we die and rise with Christ in and out water, unite themselves with Jesus and become Christian
Jesus was baptised from John - Matthew 3:13-17
Confirmation - with the anointing of the Holy Spirit symbolised and effectively administered through the oil in the anointing of the priest or bishop
Eucharist - receiving the body and blood of Christ, the Lord’s supper

Question 13

Summary of healing sacraments

Answer 13

Reconciliation/penance - for serious sin, go to Lord who continues his work through the church when we confess our sins we are set free and we are forgiven and forgotten and we are made new, the wound of sin is healed
Healing - the church prays for the sick, through the priest, JC the high priest continues to heal the sick

Question 14

Summary of vocation sacraments

Answer 14

Marriage - God’s plan and in Jesus Christ it’s a sacrament, means of holiness as they learn to live in Jesus and become a sign of Jesus’ love in the church
Holy orders - being ordained into priesthood

Question 15

Reformation and sacraments, Luther’s say

Answer 15

Luther: sacraments are promises with signs attatched, more emphasis on the visible physical sign
Reformation shifted views on sacraments, 2 they thought were emphasised in Bible, baptism and Eucharist, protestant churches - both believed to help Christians become closer to Christ

Question 16

Quaker’s view on sacraments

Answer 16

reject the need for sacramental signs
they detract from the belief that the whole of life is sacramental and don’t want to suggest that one form of Christian observance is better than another

Question 17

recent thinking on sacraments and who

Answer 17

more focus on celebration aspects
Odo Casel - ‘the mystery of Christian worship’ - should be seen as celebrations which enable the Christian community to understand the mystery of Christ and to experience his saving presence
prompted Vatican II to declare they should be understood as a living relationship with Christ and the church should be celebrated communally with all believers - founder pope John XXIII

Question 18

2 Bible quotes about the Eucharist

Answer 18

Matthew 26:20-30, “take and eat; this is my body… this is my blood”
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the lord’s death until he comes”

Question 19

3 essential elements in understanding sacramental theology

Answer 19

creation - uses aspect of physical world (bread and wine) to convey religious meaning and spiritual power (God’s creation)
redemption - recalls Christ’s redeeming death, makes it effective in Christian lives
transformation - participation helps transform believer’s lives

Question 20

Explanation of Eucharist

Answer 20

Sacrament, instituted by Jesus to celebrate it, he commanded it
recalls last supper and Jesus’ death
actions of priest/minister and element of bread and wine act as outward signs of God’s grace
Christians are strengthened in their determination to live in accordance with Gospel
general agreement amongst Cs that central effect of celebration is that Christians are united with God and with each other, can strengthen faith and renew commitment to living life in accordance to Jesus’ teachings

Question 21

Transubstantiation - catholic views ( and real presence)

Answer 21

Doctrine of transubstantiation in 1215 formally defined by Fourth Lateran Council, ‘by the bread being changed in substance to the body and wine to the blood through the divine power’
the Catechism of the Catholic Church of Trent in 1551 confirmed it, became definitive catholic position
Aquinas agrees
Real Presence, the ‘blessed’ sacrament, not just recalling events but makes son truly present

Question 22

2 Bible quotes for transubstantiation

Answer 22

John 6:44, ‘for flesh is real food and my blood is real drink’
Matthew 26:26, ‘take and eat, this is my body’

Question 23

What happens after mass in Catholicism

Answer 23

remaining hosts (communion wafters or bread) are kept in a tabernacle and are used for the sick and dying

Question 24

Strengths (2) and weaknesses (1) of the catholic celebration of the Eucharist

Answer 24

S: doesn’t just recall events, makes son truly present, more than j an act of remembrance
S: view is older and has been held for longer than Protestantism
W: outdated, failing to modernise or take in new ideas

Question 25

Last century developments to Eucharist

Answer 25

theologians have attempted to reexamine doctrine of transubstantiation
Schillebeeckx - sacraments could be signs or symbolic acts, and although body and blood is not physically present, they are so objectively
During consecration, takes on real significance of Christ’s body and blood
Banned by Pope Paul VI in 1965

Question 26

Protestant reformation and Luther’s views

Answer 26

Break from transubstantiation, was rejected

Luther: an attempt to rationalise a belief that did not need rationalising, agreed with consubstantiation

Question 27

Anglican teachings about the eucharist

Answer 27

Laid out in the 39 articles of 1571, consecrated elements were not commanded by Christ
focused on the Real Presence - rejected by some protestants and Anglicans - argue for a memorial understanding to remember what was done

Question 28

Zwilingi views on Eucharist

Answer 28

protestant reformer
remembrance
‘this is my body’, not to be taken literally, eliminates any idea of real presence
argued for transignification

Question 29

Strengths (2) and weaknesses (1) of the protestant celebration of the Eucharist

Answer 29

S: more current view that is willing to adapt with new findings and ideas in theology
S: allows more variety of belief, e.g. some believe in transubstantiation, some reject it
W: too many views, hard to know which is ‘true’ and could weaken the original point

Question 30

What is remembrance/memorial?

Answer 30

‘a memorial for the suffering of Christ and not a sacrifice’ - Huldrych Zwilingi
all Christians understand that Eucharist is in memory of last supper and Jesus’ death, memorial act: in memory of Jesus
term used to distinguish between those who think it’s a memorial meal or action, and those who think it’s something more, like Catholic or Orthodox (fails to show full significance)

Question 31

Regularity of celebrations

Answer 31

Celebrate Eucharist regularly on Sunday
Some protestants think not every week is necessary
Some Catholics who are members of religious communities will try to celebrate on a daily basis in the belief that every occasion provides access to God’s grace

Question 32

Catholic and orthodox form of celebration

Answer 32

can use elaborate rituals involving vestments, processions, music and intense to reflect belief in the real presence of Jesus
every Sunday for regular worshippers
daily for religious community
reflects real presence in Jesus
have to have ordained official

Question 33

traditional catholic form of celebration

Answer 33

mass should reflect mysterious and miraculous nature of God
Latin as a sacred language
some rituals are hidden from congregation to show special roles of priest and miracle of transubstantiation

Question 34

protestant form of celebration

Answer 34

simpler
ceremonial rituals, emphasises simplicity of the theological belief
often led by minister

Question 35

Intercommunion

Answer 35

usually means an agreement between churches by which all members of each church,
e.g. clergy with clergy, laity with laity, respectively
may participate in the other’s Eucharistic celebrations or may hold joint celebrations