Christ's Real Presence in Gathered Believers and the Church
The concept of Christ's real presence in gathered believers and the Church is a theologically contested topic across Christian traditions. At its core, the debate revolves around the nature of Christ's presence in the Church and the sacraments.
The disagreement centers on how Christ is present among believers. The Lutheran tradition, as represented by Luther's Small Catechism, affirms that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, stating that it is "the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine" [7]. This view is grounded in a literal interpretation of Christ's words at the Last Supper.
In contrast, the Reformed tradition, as exemplified by Charles Hodge's Systematic Theology, understands Christ's presence in a more spiritual sense. According to Hodge, Christ's body and blood are present "to the mind, not to our bodies" and are "perceived and received by faith and not otherwise" [5]. This perspective emphasizes the role of faith in experiencing Christ's presence.
The Catholic Church, as represented by Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, holds a distinct view, affirming the doctrine of transubstantiation, where the bread and wine are believed to be transformed into Christ's literal body and blood [8]. The early Church Fathers, such as Justin Martyr, also spoke of the Eucharist as a sacrament in which believers partake of Christ's body and blood, though the specifics of their understanding are subject to interpretation [6].
Despite these differences, all positions agree that Christ is present among believers in some manner. The New Testament describes the Church as the body of Christ, with believers being members of this body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) [1, 2, 3]. The nature of this presence is understood in various ways, but the underlying conviction is that Christ is actively engaged with his people.
The divergence in understanding Christ's presence stems from differing hermeneutical commitments, such as literal versus spiritual interpretations of Scripture, and prior doctrinal premises regarding the sacraments and the nature of the Church. The historical context of the Reformation and the development of distinct theological traditions have also contributed to the ongoing debate.
The concept of Christ's presence is not limited to the Eucharist; it is also understood in the context of the Church's gathering and worship. The Anglican tradition, as reflected in the Thirty-Nine Articles, describes the visible Church as "a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered" [4]. This highlights the importance of both Word and sacrament in understanding Christ's presence.
Sources
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 12:12: 12:12-31 The church is like a body (see 12:27) composed of many different parts, each with its own function as determined by God (see 12:11, 18, 28; Rom 12:4-5).”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12:27: members in particular--that is, severally members of it. Each church is in miniature what the whole aggregate of churches is collectively, "the body of Christ" (compare Co1 3:16): and its individual components are members, every one in his assigned place.”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 12:20: But now are they many members,.... Of different make and shape, in different parts and places, and of different use and service: yet but one body; all are united together, and make up one complete body, and which without each of them would not be perfect: so there are many members in the body of Christ, the church; some are teachers, others are hearers; some give, and others receive; but all make up but one church, of which Christ is the head; nor can anyone of them be spared; was anyone wanting, even the meanest, there would be a deficiency, and the church ”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 247: The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 69: affirmed to be present is not the body and blood of Christ absolutely, but his body as broken, and his blood as shed. It is he sacrifice which He offered that is present and of which the believer partakes. It is present to the mind, not to our bodies. It is perceived and received by faith and not otherwise. He is not present to unbelievers. By presence is meant not local nearness, but intellectual cognition and apprehension, believing appropriation, and spiritual operation. The body and blood are present to us when they fill our thoughts,”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. LXVI.--OF THE EUCHARIST.: And this food is called among us E<greek>ukaristia</greek>(5) [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had ”
- Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran) “Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran, 1529), –Answer: 1bIt is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the: –Answer: 1bIt is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Way in Which Christ Is in This Sacrament, Art. 8: Article: Whether Christ's body is truly there when flesh or a child appears miraculously in this sacrament? I answer that, Such apparition comes about in two ways, when occasionally in this sacrament flesh, or blood, or a child, is seen. Sometimes it happens on the part of the beholders, whose eyes are so affected as if they outwardly saw flesh, or blood, or a child, while no change takes place in the sacrament. And this seems to happen when to one person it is seen under the species o”