Friday, November 4, 2016

Irenaeus of Lyons vs. Transubstantiation

On the topic of the Eucharist, Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202) wrote the following about the Lord's Supper:

But our opinion is in accordance with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn establishes our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, announcing consistently the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit. For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. (Against Heresies, 4.18.5)

Such a view about the nature of Christ's presence in the Eucharist for Irenaeus is much closer to the Lutheran understanding of consubstantiation rather than Transubstantiation, as Irenaeus speaks of two realites during the celebration of the Lord's supper--(1) the bread ("the earthly") and (2) spiritual food ("the heavenly"), not one transformed into the other with only on reality (or "substance") remaining.  Again, we see that, when Roman Catholic dogma, at the bar of history, is shown to come up wanting.




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