Heresy of Heresies!
More on the Free Church of England/Reformed Episcopal Declaration of Principles:
“This Church CONDEMNS and REJECTS the following erroneous and strange doctrines as contrary to God's Word:
That the Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper is a presence in the elements of Bread and Wine.”
Oh my! What novel protestant nonsense is this? Obviously, a clear rejection of the “real and objective presence” of Christ in the Eucharist. . .well, not quite.
Let’s see if there are some other “reputable sources” we could quote that make the very same point:
Saint Thomas Aquinas:
“That one body should be at the same time locally in two different
places is not possible, even by a miracle. Therefore, the Body of Christ is not on the altar locally.”
Scriptum in Sent., lib. IV., dist. 44, ques. 2, art. 2, ad quar.
“A body is in place where its dimensions are commensurate with the dimensions of the place; and according to this, the Body of Christ is not present except in one only place, that is in heaven (secundum hoc corpus Christi non est nisi in uno loco tantum, scilicet in coelo).”
Ibid. lib. IV., dist. 10, ques. 1, art. 1, ad quin.
“It is impossible that the Body of Christ should be made present under the Sacrament by a local motion, because if this were so, it would follow that the Body of Christ would cease to be in heaven whenever the Sacrament was celebrated.”
Contra Gentiles, lib. IV., cap. 63.
“In no way is the Body of Christ locally in this Sacrament.”
Summa, III. 76. 5.
Vernon, on the doctrine of the Council of Trent:
“Not only may the body of Christ under the symbols be called a spiritual body, and Christ himself a spirit, but the body of Christ may be said to be under the symbols in a spiritual manner or spiritually, and not in a natural or corporal manner, that is neither corporally nor carnally.”
Regula Fidei. Ed. Brunner, p. 108
William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury:
By means of the Bread He is present to our souls. He is not locally in the elements. ‘Corpus Christi non est in hoc sacramento sicut in loco’ is the explicit declaration of St. Thomas Aquinas. . .”
Christus Veritas, p 239.
4 comments:
bravo, cleric.
ever try abbot vonier's key to the doctrine of the eucharist? thoroughly thomistic; i.e., moderate and keenly sacramental theology. if more people knew what the best romans really taught, we might all get on better.
peace.
If Anglicans knew there own theology as well as the theology of the East and Rome, and knew where the real differences were, dialogue would more constructive all around.
I will have to look into that text. I actually like Aquinas and his logic, but the attempt to make it "the theory" of the Eucharist is still troublesome historically and ecumenically. I think it ought to be one theory considered among many, but no theory can completely explain the Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
"no theory can . . ."
I agree. Of course not. No theory can completely explain anything. Only in the beatific vision is all revealed. I am not interested in propounding a theory so much as holding to the tradition (real presence) in manner free from contradiction.
Excellent point; I agree--this is why I appreciate Aquinas regarding this matter. I also write in the area of ethics, and in both areas I apply many Thomist principles. I think Abp. W. Temple remains faithful to many of the principles of Aquinas while seeking to "update" the language.
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