Methodists and the Real Presence

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Hmmmm…please show me your backup for this claim. Remember that validity is a lot more than Apostolic succession.

And BTW…validity is not the only obstacle. Trent outlines a few more…but we will not go there for sake of being ecumenical. 🙂
You refer to Trent which was 500 years ago. Why do you not reference the dialogue over the past 50 years? Is it inconsistent with your mindset?
 
You refer to Trent which was 500 years ago. Why do you not reference the dialogue over the past 50 years? Is it inconsistent with your mindset?
Not to discount your question, but I’d like to point out that in my experience, the complaint often goes in just the opposite direction. I.e. a Catholic will cite recent ecumenical efforts, and the response will point out a statement from Trent (or Florence, Vatican I, etc) that poses a difficulty.
 
You refer to Trent which was 500 years ago. Why do you not reference the dialogue over the past 50 years? Is it inconsistent with your mindset?
Not at all…what was truth 500 years ago is truth today. Truth does not change.
 
Which cannot conflict, otherwise they cannot both be true. Nothing from Trent has changed.
In all seriousness, it gives me great comfort to know that the RCC will never compromise on truth. The RCC will never call something morally evil the one day, and later because of enlightenment find that evil acceptable. The RCC will always proclaim what is true. This is why I love the RCC. It is the rock of truth!
 
In all seriousness, it gives me great comfort to know that the RCC will never compromise on truth. The RCC will never call something morally evil the one day, and later because of enlightenment find that evil acceptable. The RCC will always proclaim what is true. This is why I love the RCC. It is the rock of truth!
Amen to that! 👍
 
I was baptized in the Methodist Church and attended for about five years. There was no belief in the real presence; at least not in the two UMCs that I’ve attended regularly.
 
I also came from the Methodist church. The answer to your question is - no they do not believe in the real presence. My understanding and experience is the Methodist belief is that Jesus is spiritually present and essentially it is symbolic since it is not real to them.

But like many protestant denominations, I’m sure you could get a difference of opinions if you went from say United Methodist to Methodist or to a Southern Methodist church! 🙂
For Methodist and other Protestants who believe it is only a spiritual communion and not the real presents of Jesus Christ is a good things because at least they are not lying to themselves, because for them, it is just that, a symbolic interpretation, when they receive:( At the most they receive a Spiritual Communion

I worry for the Protestant Churches who say they have the real Presence, in all actuality it is only a spiritual communion that they receive and not the Real Presence of of Jesus Christ.

Receiving a Spiritual Communion is Good, doing so in the right mind, they will receive the Grace from God, to come Home.

I pray for both parties to come Home aka Catholic Church

Ufam Tobie
 
When I was working my way towards Rome, it occurred to me that the crunch point was ‘Does such-and such a church adore the Blessed Sacrament outside of the Eucharist service?’.

If they did not, it implied that they believed that any Real Presence (if they taught that in the first place) was dependent on the faith of the person receiving. Or was only for that moment at least.

The huge importance of adoring the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass as taught by the Catholic Church, that is to say, that the Real Presence was not dependent on the faith of the individual, bowled me over.

I realise that High Church Anglicans have Exposition, genuflect etc but is it heard of in other denominations?.
 
When I was working my way towards Rome, it occurred to me that the crunch point was ‘Does such-and such a church adore the Blessed Sacrament outside of the Eucharist service?’.

If they did not, it implied that they believed that any Real Presence (if they taught that in the first place) was dependent on the faith of the person receiving. Or was only for that moment at least.

The huge importance of adoring the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass as taught by the Catholic Church, that is to say, that the Real Presence was not dependent on the faith of the individual, bowled me over.

I realise that High Church Anglicans have Exposition, genuflect etc but is it heard of in other denominations?.
Lutherans reserve the holy Sacrament in tabernacles in some parishes but most Lutheran churches consume all the elements during Mass or take the holy Communion to the sick/ shut-ins right after Mass.
 
When I was working my way towards Rome, it occurred to me that the crunch point was ‘Does such-and such a church adore the Blessed Sacrament outside of the Eucharist service?’.
What exactly do you mean by that? The Eastern Churches believe in the Real Presence and reserve the Sacrament in a tabernacle, and reverence it when they come into close proximity, but they have not developed the same cultus of the Eucharistic species outside the Mass as has developed in the Roman Church. They do not, for example, have Corpus Christi processions or Exposition and Benediction.
 
What exactly do you mean by that? The Eastern Churches believe in the Real Presence and reserve the Sacrament in a tabernacle, and reverence it when they come into close proximity, but they have not developed the same cultus of the Eucharistic species outside the Mass as has developed in the Roman Church. They do not, for example, have Corpus Christi processions or Exposition and Benediction.
I wasn’t referring so much to Corpus Christi processions etc. I was referring to venerating the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass.

You must understand that I was in an area where there were no Eastern churches. In fact, I didn’t even know they existed, if you mean ones in communion with Rome.

Roman Catholic seemed exotic and foreign enough.

I don’t think there are many Eastern churches in the UK, even nowadays, outside of places like London. Probably the church scene in the States is much more varied than in the UK.
 
It used to be believed by Methodists but times have changed.

I was raised Methodist back in the 50’s and we were taught that Jesus was truly present in the Sacrament. Our church had an altar rail and everyone went up and kneeled for communion. We moved a lot and every Methodist church we attended in my childhood was this way.

I’ve read the “This Holy Mystery”. It seems to say “yes”, but it is rather vague and could certainly be interpreted as “no” also.

And the point was made that the True presence of Christ requires apostolic succession, which the Methodists don’t have. So from the Catholic view of things it really doesn’t matter what the Methodists believe - belief and reality are not always the same.
I have a serious question that follows you’re logic.

Does that mean that you’re jesus is flushed down the toilet shortly after Mass?
 
I have a serious question that follows you’re logic.

Does that mean that you’re jesus is flushed down the toilet shortly after Mass?
How does your question “logically” follow this post?
Originally Posted by elizaveta01 View Post
It used to be believed by Methodists but times have changed.
I was raised Methodist back in the 50’s and we were taught that Jesus was truly present in the Sacrament. Our church had an altar rail and everyone went up and kneeled for communion. We moved a lot and every Methodist church we attended in my childhood was this way.
I’ve read the “This Holy Mystery”. It seems to say “yes”, but it is rather vague and could certainly be interpreted as “no” also.
And the point was made that the True presence of Christ requires apostolic succession, which the Methodists don’t have. So from the Catholic view of things it really doesn’t matter what the Methodists believe - belief and reality are not always the same.
I think I know where you are trying to take this and I would caution you that you are very close to being very offensive.
 
When I was working my way towards Rome, it occurred to me that the crunch point was ‘Does such-and such a church adore the Blessed Sacrament outside of the Eucharist service?’.

If they did not, it implied that they believed that any Real Presence (if they taught that in the first place) was dependent on the faith of the person receiving. Or was only for that moment at least.

The huge importance of adoring the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass as taught by the Catholic Church, that is to say, that the Real Presence was not dependent on the faith of the individual, bowled me over.

I realise that High Church Anglicans have Exposition, genuflect etc but is it heard of in other denominations?.
I guess my reply to this is a little different than Novocastrian’s. I could easily figure out what you meant by “adore the Blessed Sacrament outside of the Eucharist service”, but not why that would be a “crunch point”. I would have called it a “legitimate development”.
 
=paperwight66;11215894]When I was working my way towards Rome, it occurred to me that the crunch point was ‘Does such-and such a church adore the Blessed Sacrament outside of the Eucharist service?’.
If they did not, it implied that they believed that any Real Presence (if they taught that in the first place) was dependent on the faith of the person receiving. Or was only for that moment at least.
This seems like a non sequitur to me, so please explain how one is related to the other. While Lutherans generally do not practice Eucharistic adoration outside the sacramental act, we do not believe that His presence is dependent on the faith of either the celebrant or the communicant. If it were, then Paul’s admonition in Corinthians would be hollow.
The huge importance of adoring the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass as taught by the Catholic Church, that is to say, that the Real Presence was not dependent on the faith of the individual, bowled me over.
I give thanks that the Spirit moved you in this way.

Jon
 
This seems like a non sequitur to me, so please explain how one is related to the other. While Lutherans generally do not practice Eucharistic adoration outside the sacramental act, we do not believe that His presence is dependent on the faith of either the celebrant or the communicant. If it were, then Paul’s admonition in Corinthians would be hollow.

I give thanks that the Spirit moved you in this way.

Jon
I’m sorry, I should have made it clear that I was talking of the UK context. I don’t think there are any Lutheran churches in the UK. Their place would be taken by the Church of England, I’d imagine, where reservation is not always practised. It wasn’t/isn’t automatic that a Tabernacle would be seen in an Anglican church, unlike in a (Roman) Catholic one.
 
I’m sorry, I should have made it clear that I was talking of the UK context. I don’t think there are any Lutheran churches in the UK. Their place would be taken by the Church of England, I’d imagine, where reservation is not always practised. It wasn’t/isn’t automatic that a Tabernacle would be seen in an Anglican church, unlike in a (Roman) Catholic one.
No Lutheran Church in the UK?

GKC
 
I’m sorry, I should have made it clear that I was talking of the UK context. I don’t think there are any Lutheran churches in the UK. Their place would be taken by the Church of England, I’d imagine, where reservation is not always practised. It wasn’t/isn’t automatic that a Tabernacle would be seen in an Anglican church, unlike in a (Roman) Catholic one.
I am told that it was Reginald Cardinal Pole, last Archbishop of Canterbury in communion with Rome, who made the use of tabernacles on the altar widespread in the Roman communion. There are one or two Lutheran churches in the UK, but they tend to be in coastal cities and were traditionally associated with visiting seamen from Germany and Scandinavia. I think the Lutheran church in my city is still German-language.
 
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