"The body of Christ" and other Christian denominations

[flightkid]

I have aquestion for you also thay maybe you could explain so I can help my fiance out with her question. She is a RCIA candidate for the Catholic Church and is a former Lutheran. Very similiar to Catholic in beliefs etc…Her question is…Her Lutheran Church teaches that “the body of Christ” is all christians and that any one who professes Christ as their Lord they allow any other Christian denomination to partake in their communion since Christ called all Christians and not a particular denomination. I know the Catholic belief is we do not allow others to partake in the Eucharist unless you profess the Catholic beliefs. What is the Church’s stance and definition when we Catholics say the “Body of Christ”? I am pretty sure we mean all Christians right? Or do we mean the body of Christ is only within the Catholic Church itself whose members are partaking in the Sacraments? I would assume in some way the other Christian denominations are part of the body of Christ since they profess Christ as their head, but how does that work since they do no profess Christ Catholic Church as the true Church here on earth? What does scripture say and our Cathecism teach about other Christian denominations being part of the “body of Christ”? Thank you and God bless.

-Flightkid

 

[TriuneUnity]

Her Lutheran Church teaches that “the body of Christ” is all christians and that any one who professes Christ as their Lord they allow any other Christian denomination to partake in their communion since Christ called all Christians and not a particular denomination.

I will let a Catholic address the other aspects of your question. However, I wanted to point out that more than likely, her former Lutheran church is a liberal denomination (ELCA). Since the Lutheran confessions strictly forbid the partaking of communion by those who do not adhere to what the Lutheran church teaches about the Sacrament, even if those people are Christians, her church is not faithfully holding to our standards of belief.

 

[flightkid]

You are correct…she is former ELCA…why is that considered liberal in Lutheran theology? Did Martin Luther or someone teach that the sacrament of the Eucharist was for that specific denomination or what? How did the Lutheran Churchs come to disagree?

 

[TriuneUnity]

You are correct…she is former ELCA…why is that considered liberal in Lutheran theology? Did Martin Luther or someone teach that the sacrament of the Eucharist was for that specific denomination or what? How did the Lutheran Churchs come to disagree?

They are liberal in the sense that they do not adhere strictly to what our confessions of faith proclaim. They could also be called liberal in a social sense, because they are heavily influenced by 19th and 20th century Protestant liberalism, i.e., the social gospel movement, liberation theology, etc.

Luther held that only those who are one in accord on all Christian teaching, and most importantly, hold to a belief in the real presence, are permitted to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. This is affirmed throughout Christian history (it is basically the same as what Roman Catholics would hold to) in the practice of closed communion. The Lutheran synods came to disagree because the liberal synods ignored what Scripture (and our confessions) teach.

 

[flightkid]

oh wow I did not realize that very interesting…Can you give a link or some reference to that teaching from Luther and the oness within the faith for communion. So how does your Church view the body of Christ? Do they see Catholics part of it or how does that work?

 

[TriuneUnity]

oh wow I did not realize that very interesting…Can you give a link or some reference to that teaching from Luther and the oness within the faith for communion. So how does your Church view the body of Christ? Do they see Catholics part of it or how does that work?

Here is a quote by Luther on the subject, Flight: “By attending it (the Lord’s Supper) every Christian confesses publicly and for himself what he believes. There those who have a different faith part ways, and those meet who have the same faith, whose hope and heart toward the Lord are one. This is also the reason why the Sacrament has been called communio in Latin, a communion. And those who do not want to be of the same faith, doctrine, and life, as other Christians are, are called excommunicatis, people who are dissimilar in doctrine, words, understanding and life. Therefore these should not be tolerated in the group that has the same understanding; they would divide it and split it up (What Luther Says, Vol. 3, p. 812).”

Catholics are part of the Body of Christ, if, individually, they trust in Christ alone as their Savior from sin, are baptized, etc.

 

[flightkid]

Thanks thats good stuff…its so funny because Catholics and Lutherans agree on probably 80 percent and its the 20% that people focus on. Good stuff to learn. PRay for unity and ecumenical peaceful discussions!

 

[Spun]

Both WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) and LC-MS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod), which are the two largest conservative Lutheran denominations, and together comprise about half of all American Lutherans practice closed communion; i.e. they are very similar to the Catholic church in who they allow to commune.

 

[1ke]

Regarding the body of Christ, I suggest you two sit down together and read the Catechism starting at paragraph 748.

If you do not have a Catechism, I suggest you invest in one. In the meantime, you can read the pertinent sections here:

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s2c3a9.htm

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p1.htm

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p2.htm

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p5.htm

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p6.htm