|
From the Rector: The Episcopal Church as part of the Anglican Communion has participated over the past twenty years in a series of dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church called the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission also called ARCIC. There have been a number of reports and Agreed Statements including ones on Ministry and Ordination, Authority in the Church, Eucharistic Doctrine, and recently on the Blessed Virgin Mary. The original Agreed Statement on Eucharistic Doctrine was released in 1971 and an Elucidation was released in 1979. There was agreement on substantial matters, but there was not unanimous agreement on all matters. There was, however, unanimous agreement on all essential matters. We can learn from these agreements because in their discussion and debate not only is an agreement reached, but the essential beliefs of both churches are revealed. This statement represents the essential agreement reached: “Communion with Christ in the eucharist presupposes his true presence, effectually signified by the bread and wine which, in this mystery, becomes his body and blood.” (III.6) End noted in the agreement is this definition of transubstantiation: “The word transubstantiation is commonly used in the Roman Catholic Church to indicate that God acting in the eucharist effects a change in the inner reality of the elements. The term should be seen as affirming the fact of Christ’s presence and of the mysterious and radical change which takes place. In contemporary Roman Catholic theology it is not understood as explaining how the change takes place.” (Endnote 2) This endnote is helpful and the agreement that it represents is important in light of some of the disagreement and misunderstanding that has taken place over the nature of the change in the elements of the eucharist. One other element is important and concerns a disagreement over the nature of the Eucharist. On some conservative Roman Catholic web sites today is an attack on contrary positions as heretical positions on the Eucharist. Particularly prevalent is advocacy of material change in the Eucharist. In other words there is a material change or change in the accidents of the substance of bread and wine. First, this is not the position held by Catholic Theologians or even by the Vatican today. Second, this position is not held by Roman Catholics in dialogues with Anglicans. One position that was the position of some Protestants in the Reformation was called Receptionism. It says that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ when they are received in faith. This position is still held by some Protestant groups. The problem is that it denies that there is any real or objective change in the bread and wine until it is received in faith. Here again, the ARCIC text on Eucharist is helpful. “The sacramental body and blood of the Savior are present as an offering to the believer awaiting his welcome. When this offering is met by faith, a lifegiving encounter results. Through faith Christ’s presence – which does not depend on the individuals faith in order to be the Lord’s real gift of himself to his church – becomes not just a presence for the believer , but also a presence with him.” (III.8) This balance between real presence and receptionism is maintained in the via media of our Rite I words of administration. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the American Books of Common Prayer have maintained this balance of real presence and the necessity of appropriating the gift of Christ’s presence by faith. Jim+ March 29, 2006 |