Eucharist belief

[steido01]

I would grant that in the Anglican and Lutheran Eucharist that Christ is mysteriously present.

This is a charitable view for Roman Catholics to hold – certainly more than outright dismissing any possibility of Christ’s presence in an Anglican or Lutheran Lord’s Supper. It reminds me of what then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to a Lutheran friend:

I count among the most important results of the ecumenical dialogues the insight that the issue of the eucharist cannot be narrowed to the problem of ‘validity.’ Even a theology oriented to the concept of succession, such as that which holds in the Catholic and in the Orthodox church, need not in any way deny the salvation-granting presence of the Lord in a Lutheran Lord’s Supper.

As a Lutheran pastor once explained it to me, con is the Latin for with, so Jesus’s body and blood are present WITH the bread and wine.

Dear friend, your former pastor taught you wrong. Sadly, this is not surprising, coming from the ELCA. Lutherans do not and never have taught Consubstantiation. Any Lutheran who says so is confused. They believe in ‘Sacramental Union.’ This post and this post and should help clarify.

 

[Grey]

The ELCA is all over the board these days when it comes to beliefs and doctrine. But I will say that my former pastor was elderly and had come from a different synod. He was also trying to simplify theological issues for someone not brought up Lutheran. All I can say is that it is what he believed was being taught and what he sincerely believed.

I can also say that this was all before the ELCA worship book rewrite of recent times, when the green book was thrown out and red book was brought in. Nothing was broken, but apparently, they decided to fix it anyhow.

I am liking your post though and will go look at those links you highlighted.

 

[steido01]

Ah, that would explain it.

 

[Grey]

In regards to what would it explain?

 

[steido01]

That the man was colloquyed in from elsewhere would suggest either that his views were not exactly orthodox enough for whatever body he formerly belonged to, or that he came from a body that didn’t have a strong grasp on the Lutheran doctrine of the Real Presence. Whichever the case, his theology sounds like it left something to be desired, though it also sounds like he genuinely cared for people.