Orthodox and the Eucharist.

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Do modern Orthodox believe that the Eucharist becomes the Body and Blood of Christ? This quote by apologist Meyendorff seems strange.

“The Byzantines did not see the substance of the bread somehow changed in the Eucharistic mystery into another substance – the Body of Christ – but viewed this bread as the ‘type’ of humanity: our humanity changed into the transfigured humanity of Christ (Meyendorff, Byzantine Theology, P. 205).”

vs.

We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were oridnary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the Flesh and Blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of His words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.
-St. Justin Martyr (+165)
 
CRISTOS ANESTI ! CHRIST IS RISEN!

While I am not familiar with the quote leading to your question, nor the contex in which it was written to comment, it is and always has been the Orthodox position of The Church that it is UNQUESTIONABLE, UNDOUBTABLE, UNEQUIVOCAL that the Holy Sacrement of the Eucharist IS INDEED the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.

One of the prayers before Holy Communion:
I believe O Lord and I confess that Thou art truly The Christ, The Son of the living God and this is truly thine own sacred/immaculate body and this is truly thine own precious blood, wherefore I pray Thee, have mercy on me and forgive my transgressions, both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, (commited) in knowledge or in ignorance; and make me worthy to partake of thy sacred/immaculate Mystery unto the forgivness of sins and unto life everlasting. Amen

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!
 
No, the Orthodox do believe that the bread and wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ. From the Orthodox Divine Liturgy:
Priest: Once again we offer to You this spiritual worship without the shedding of blood, and we ask, pray, and entreat You: send down Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here presented. And make this bread the precious Body of Your Christ. (He blesses the holy Bread.)
Deacon: Amen.
Priest: And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Your Christ. (He blesses the holy Cup.)
Deacon: Amen.
Priest: Changing them by Your Holy Spirit. (He blesses them both.)
Deacon: Amen. Amen. Amen.

The difference is that Orthodox refrain from saying how this change happens (e.g., transubstantiation).
 
I understand that Meyendorff is referring to the latin influence on orthodox doctrine which he strives to show un-orthodox and based on aristotelian philosophic premises (form and substance).

I just read a good comment on doctrinal issues in general from “Orthodox Dogmatic Theology” by Fr. Michael Pomazansky. It says:" The misundersandings usually occur either from desire to define the doctrine too precisely, or from overreactions to this over-definition". Pomazansky belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church Outsíde Russia or “Jordansville school” and is critised by some to be too western minded. He definitely believes on elements changing to Body and Blood of Christ but does not use the word transsubstantiation.
 
jam070406 said:
Do modern Orthodox believe that the Eucharist becomes the Body and Blood of Christ? This quote by apologist Meyendorff seems strange.
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Fr. Meyendorff is referring to the Eucharistic emphasis of the Byzantines and not a denial of the change of the bread and the wine into the Body and Blood of Christ during the Divine Liturgy. As others have stated, Orthodoxy is very clear on the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. I’d like to explain more, but my laptop is currently under repair and I’m using a relative’s computer right now. Hope to rejoin everyone soon! 🙂

God bless,

Adam
 
Orthodox believe very strongly in the real presence; we do not, however, seek to plumb the mystery through such theologumena as transubstantiation.
 
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