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Singinbeauty
Guest
I have read many times here that a person of the catholic faith cannot receive communion (as if it’s a sin to do so) in a protestant church… Why is this?
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catsrus
Guest
Very good question!
As Catholics, we take John 6:48-58, to be true. Christ gave us His Body and Blood to consume. At the Consecration, He becomes present to us under the appearence of bread and wine. This is the crux and basis of our entire faith. It is called Transubstantiation.
We can and will not participate in a communion service of another faith because it would deny our belief and faith in the true Body and Blood.
By the same token, a person who is not a Confirmed Catholic, (agreeing to the Doctrines of the Church and obedience to It’s precepts) must not participate in our Eucharistic celebration. It would be to participate in something with which the person did not understand or agree.
Also, a Catholic who is not free of mortal sin, must also abstain.
Hope this helps!
I’m sure another poster will give a more detailed explaination.
As Catholics, we take John 6:48-58, to be true. Christ gave us His Body and Blood to consume. At the Consecration, He becomes present to us under the appearence of bread and wine. This is the crux and basis of our entire faith. It is called Transubstantiation.
We can and will not participate in a communion service of another faith because it would deny our belief and faith in the true Body and Blood.
By the same token, a person who is not a Confirmed Catholic, (agreeing to the Doctrines of the Church and obedience to It’s precepts) must not participate in our Eucharistic celebration. It would be to participate in something with which the person did not understand or agree.
Also, a Catholic who is not free of mortal sin, must also abstain.
Hope this helps!
I’m sure another poster will give a more detailed explaination.
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NotWorthy
Guest
*** For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself**.* 1 Cor. 11:26-29
Notworthy
Notworthy
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scylla
Guest
It would be bearing false witness, in partaking of another faith traditions communion you are stating you believe what they believe, or denying what you believe. I believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. To join in communion in a Protestant church is then lying to them, to me and to God.
Also out of respect for them I wouldn’t do it, as I wouldn’t want to make light of their beliefs in doing it to appease them, if they invite me.
God Bless
Scylla
Also out of respect for them I wouldn’t do it, as I wouldn’t want to make light of their beliefs in doing it to appease them, if they invite me.
God Bless
Scylla
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Singinbeauty
Guest
So what does it mean to be ‘unworthy’? In the context of this passage the group is being told that ‘communion’ should not be for a time when you are hungry.
So what does this have to do with being able to take communion in a protestant church?
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Singinbeauty
Guest
I guess that this begs the question of what catholics perceive communion to be in the protestant faith?
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scylla
Guest
I agree that it shouldn’t just be for hunger, just going up for communion to eat, as Catholics we take that very seriously as we discern the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. We don’t want to take it unworthily or profane it in any way. We don’t want to bring judgement on ourselves or others.
It is a matter of having respect for the Eucharist, and as I said before having respect for others.
God Bless
Scylla
It is a matter of having respect for the Eucharist, and as I said before having respect for others.
God Bless
Scylla
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Singinbeauty
Guest
Ok, what would constitute as taking it and making it profane or us being unworthy to partake… I guess I am stuck on that…
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scylla
Guest
Wow! quick response,
In some Protestant churches communion is viewed as representation of the Body and Blood of Christ. Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists and some other churches see it a little more seriously.
Up until fairly recently most everyone took this very seriously, not wanting to receive Communion in another Church. In more recent times, this has not been the case as more and more people are loosing focus of the seriousness of Communion. I would look into the history of what it means to different Christian groups.
God Bless
Scylla
In some Protestant churches communion is viewed as representation of the Body and Blood of Christ. Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists and some other churches see it a little more seriously.
Up until fairly recently most everyone took this very seriously, not wanting to receive Communion in another Church. In more recent times, this has not been the case as more and more people are loosing focus of the seriousness of Communion. I would look into the history of what it means to different Christian groups.
God Bless
Scylla
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Singinbeauty
Guest
I believe that the communion is to bring us to the table with Christ on that fateful night. When you take the cup of juice and drink of it Christ said ‘This is my blood. Drink this in remembrance of me.’ Now, the juice can’t actually be His blood because I highly doubt His blood was made up of grape juice. So the significance to to pull you into a physical reminder of what He did for us. It’s the same as the bread. Jesus wasn’t made of bread, He was fully human so the bread is a physical symbol that we partake to bring us to a physical reminder of what He sacrificed for us.
Last Sunday was Communion for us. I prayed and cried while partaking of this because I was reminded of just how close He is to me. Was I unworthy to approach this act in your eyes?
P.S. I am bored here at work… that is why I have quick responses… LOL
Last Sunday was Communion for us. I prayed and cried while partaking of this because I was reminded of just how close He is to me. Was I unworthy to approach this act in your eyes?
P.S. I am bored here at work… that is why I have quick responses… LOL
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Malachi4U
Guest
singinbeauty,
If you went to a Mormon Steakhouse would you agree to be baptized? Would you agree with them that Jesus was born of a NON-virgin birth? That god was just a man on another planet and became A god of our planet as a reward for a good life?
If you went to a Satonic service would you bow down and worship the devil?
If you went to a Southern Baptist church would you agree to get “RE”-baptized since your Catholic one was not valid?
Taking part in rituals that are against what Christ gave us in His Gospel is wrong. Christ said to be loyal and of one mind and ONE body. Christ said that the bread and wine become His Body and Blood in the hands of valid clergy (i.e. Catholic clergy). Do not turn your back on Christ by partaking in the mockery of ‘symbolic’ communion in Protestant Churches. This only brings shame and dishoner to both you and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
If you went to a Mormon Steakhouse would you agree to be baptized? Would you agree with them that Jesus was born of a NON-virgin birth? That god was just a man on another planet and became A god of our planet as a reward for a good life?
If you went to a Satonic service would you bow down and worship the devil?
If you went to a Southern Baptist church would you agree to get “RE”-baptized since your Catholic one was not valid?
Taking part in rituals that are against what Christ gave us in His Gospel is wrong. Christ said to be loyal and of one mind and ONE body. Christ said that the bread and wine become His Body and Blood in the hands of valid clergy (i.e. Catholic clergy). Do not turn your back on Christ by partaking in the mockery of ‘symbolic’ communion in Protestant Churches. This only brings shame and dishoner to both you and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
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scylla
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Lemme quote you so to avoid confusion,
Darn it, I have some customers, I will post more later. or maybe someone can help me out.
God Bless
Scylla
We really take the Eucharist very seriously, every day, every hour there is a Catholic Church celebrating the Eucharist. This fulfills Malachi 1:11 where we believe this is being fulfilled.
Darn it, I have some customers, I will post more later. or maybe someone can help me out.
God Bless
Scylla
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ElizabethJoy
Guest
Being in a state of mortal sin would constitute partaking unworthily.
Not discerning the body and blood of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine would constitute partaking unworthily. (receiving by rote, indifferently or outright not believing in the Transubstantiation.)
And the reason that Catholics do not partake of protestant communion is that protestant communion is only symbolic (“remembering the Lord’s supper”) or it is invalid. (The bread and wine do not become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.)
(I hope I’ve got the terms correct.
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Singinbeauty
Guest
Do they really call them ‘Steakhouses’?
Anyway, these things that you brought up are good points but I was under the impression that communion was communion no matter the TRUE christian church you went to. What makes it different in the catholic church?
Would never go in the first place… Satanic is no where near the same as protestant.
I haven’t been baptized in the catholic church. In fact I have never been baptized except by the Holy Spirit. Although this is going to change in October when I am baptized after finishing classes at my current church! Yay!
I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t call my practices a ‘mockery’. I don’t do that to you. I do not see any thing that has brought shame to Jesus Christ in my church.
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ElizabethJoy
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No, not at all.
Your church does not have the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.
I think Christ might be very glad that you participated in that remembrance to the extent that you are taught and able to participate in your church.
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Singinbeauty
Guest
But you are making it sound like my practice, being somehow different than yours, is less than what happens in the catholic church.
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ElizabethJoy
Guest
It is very different. Most protestant denominations do not believe that God transforms bread and wine into the body, blood, soul and divinity of the resurrected Christ. They believe that Jesus was speaking metaphorically when He instituted the Eucharist.
And in the few protestant denominations which believe that Christ intended his words literally, there is no priest who can validly consecrate the bread and wine. So, communion in protestant churches is a symbol - a memorial of the Lord’s supper - very different from the receiving of the Eucharist.
I think you go to Calvary Chapel, right? If I remember correctly, the doctrine of transubstantiation is expressly denied and communion is taught as symbolic remembrance in Calvary Chapel.
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scylla
Guest
Hey, I am back! I am quickly going to respond as I just got home and need to change quickly to go play some soccer.
We do not think you are taking it unworthily, you are partaking of communion in your church which is fine.
We are not trying to diminish your belief, ElizabethJoy explained it pretty good. We believe it is not a symbolic thing and it is literally the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that we are receiving.
Most non-denominational churches, deny that belief and I am not saying that they are “bad” or anything like that, we just believe it is so much more. There have been Catholics who have died just to recieve communion, if only so many had that sort of faith today. That is how important it is and has been to Catholics throughout the centuries.
God Bless
Scylla
We do not think you are taking it unworthily, you are partaking of communion in your church which is fine.
We are not trying to diminish your belief, ElizabethJoy explained it pretty good. We believe it is not a symbolic thing and it is literally the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that we are receiving.
Most non-denominational churches, deny that belief and I am not saying that they are “bad” or anything like that, we just believe it is so much more. There have been Catholics who have died just to recieve communion, if only so many had that sort of faith today. That is how important it is and has been to Catholics throughout the centuries.
God Bless
Scylla
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Singinbeauty
Guest
So this must be where the MYTH of cannabalism in the catholic faith comes into play. So you actually believe that the wine and bread is actually CHRIST that you are eating? Kinda gross and now I can see what this guy meant when he said that the disciples ate Jesus after He died. Can you show me scriptual reference to the fact that this is ACTUALLY Christ you are eating? I have read the references of where Jesus was instructing us on this and He states to do so in REMEMBERANCE of Him. Not that it was actually Him.
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FuzzyBunny116
Guest
I KNOW someone was going to do this, so I’ll be the first. By the way, when a few are gathering in His name, he is with them, is he not? (paraphrased from somewhere…hehe) Obviously that means it may not be just a memorial. If you look at some of the words in Greek, they are words used to denote sacrifice in the Old Testament. In fact, “do this” can also be translated “offer this” in memory of me.
Anyway, heres the links:
catholic.com/library/Real_Presence.asp
catholic.com/library/Christ_in_the_Eucharist.asp
catholic.com/library/Sacrifice_of_the_Mass.asp
catholic.com/library/Sacrifice_of_the_Mass.asp
Also, flip through the forums here. There are 1001 and one debates on this.
Oh, and…
therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html
I’d say something pretty in Latin, but I don’t know any.
However, I like to pretend I know SOME Spanish, so, adios!
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