Non-catholic Christian Churches & Communion

[Good Friday]

I'm posting these statements from various Non-Catholic Christian churches' websites so that all the Catholics here, and Non-Catholic Christians of various denominations, will know what other Christians believe about communion. This is not to say that I believe any of the following statements are true. In fact, I do not believe that the Lutherans or anyone else besides Catholics and Orthodox are receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

The reason I'm posting this is not because I agree with any of the following. It's because knowing the beliefs of others is always an aid to ecumenism. The more we know, the better we can talk about our beliefs with each other.

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Baptist Church

Belief: The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord's Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins. (Emphasis mine).

Source: http://www.garbc.org/garbc_home/baptdist.shtml

Episcopal Church

Belief: What is Holy Communion? It is a reenactment of the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his death on the cross. Any baptized person is welcome to share in this meal of bread and wine.

Source: http://www.epicenter.org/primsac.htm

Lutheran Church (Evangelical)

Belief: In Holy Communion -- often called the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist -- those who come to the table receive in bread and wine the body and blood of their Lord. This gift is itself the real presence of God's forgiveness and mercy, nourishing believers in union with their Lord and with each other.

Source: http://www.elca.org/co/brief.html#sacraments

Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod)

Belief: The LCMS believes that Scripture teaches that the Lord's Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith.

Source: http://lcms.org/cic/communion.html

Methodist Church

Belief: The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Source: http://www.umc.org/abouttheumc/beliefs/communion.htm

Presbyterian Church

Belief: On the day of the observance of the Lord's Supper, when the sermon is ended, the minister shall show: ... that it is to be observed in remembrance of Christ, to show forth His death till He come; that it is of inestimable benefit, to strengthen His people against sin; to support them under troubles; to encourage and quicken them in duty; to inspire them with love and zeal; to increase their faith, and holy resolution; and to beget peace of conscience, and comfortable hopes of eternal life.

Source: http://www.pcanet.org/BCO/BCO56-63.htm#CHAPTER%2058

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Belief: The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again.

Source: http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/index.html

Edited July 25, 2003 by Good Friday

[Joyful]

Thanks Good Friday~

That was really interesting!

Joyful

[Jake Huether]

Interesting how a few of them are a hair shy of having the actual theology down pat. It's truly a shame.

[Kathryn]

Yet their own Bible says:

1 Corinthians 10:16

Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

Most do not bless their wine or grape juice. And most do not believe they share or have communion with the body or blood of Christ.

[ICTHUS]

I knwo...Im having this debate with my friend at the moment...and the thing is, they dont even bless communion at his church...(it used to be my home church)

[VeraMaria]

:blink: Hey, thanks, that was so interesting B) ! I've always wondered what other denominations believe about the Eucharist....

[Brother Adam]

Ever hear of the dynamic view?

We believe that the bread and wine remain bread and wine, but through partaking in communion we are spiritually nourished with the body and blood of Christ.

[VanHooty]

But... how can you be spiritually nourished with the Body and Blood of Christ with bread and wine?

[Brother Adam]

It's one of those great mysteries of God

How can God be 3 in 1?

How can you raise a dead man?

How can you turn water into wine? :)

[Thomas Michael]

My view had always been that the bread and wine has been infused with the living essence of Christ. "For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink"... that's pretty cut and dry there.