Eduqas Alevel RS Christianity 4B Eucharist

what are the AO2 questions

1. the extent to which there is any common ground within contemporary understandings of the eucharist

2. the extend to which theoretical beliefs about the eucharist affect the practice of different denominations

what are the 4 functions of the eucharist

1. the eucharist looks backwards to Gods promise

2. the eucharist looks forward to the day of judgement

3. the eucharist is a statement of faith

4. the eucharist is a corporate act

how does the eucharist look backwards to God's promise

Jesus came to earth to save everyone and open the path to heaven. The eucharist allows this to happen and allows you to go to heaven.

- God promised that he will save his people, in the OT this happens during the jewish festival off passover. This is replicated when Jesus says he will save everyone from sin and death in agreement that you can join Gods promise

how does the eucharist look forwards

looks forward to the day of judgement. You eat the eucharist as a sign of coming to the kingdom of God. The eucharist is an artiste of the good things that will come to you as a believer. Reminds you that Jesus sacrificed his self band you will see and be with him in heaven.

it provides the grace from God for eternal life, Ignatius of Antioch declared that the Eucharist was the medicine of immorally and an antidote so that shall not die, but live forever in Jesus.

how is the eucharist a statement of faith

eucharist means thanksgiving, christians are doing what their jewish ancestors did, giving thanks whilst breaking the bread and sharing wine. We believe that God has done something wonderful and we should give thanks for it. The sacraments enhance out trust in God and allow us to become closer to Him after the fall of human city to become deserving of God's grace. e.g the eucharist can reassure Christians of the reality of his divine promise of forgivness.

how's the eucharist a corporate act

corporate meaning fellowship, it is something you do in a group or in a community. they broke the bread in their homes and ate with glad sincere hearts (Acts 2)

. We call this eating in communion, bringing the community of believers together in an act which they do to remember christ and that sacrifice for us. It is a sig of fellowship with the church to Christ and all the saints

what is the eucharist

it is a greek word that means thanksgiving. Most important of the Christian sacraments and happens withyboths catholics and protestants, it is also known as mass, holy communion or the last supper. The eucharist is rooted in the last supper commandments "do this in memory of me" 'this is my body this is my blood which I give up to you" The eucharist signals the start of the new covenant and the separation from the jewish practices.

what does corinthians say about the last supper and the eucharist

christians remember the last supper and give special importance to the words that were said and replicate them today in services. "he bore it and said "this Is my body which is for you; do this in remembrance of me" In the same was after supper he took the cup saying "this is the cup of the new covenant this my blood, do this whenever you drink it, I remembrance of me."

"for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lords death until he comes"

"whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup or the Lord in a unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the lord, everyone should examine themselves before drinking eating the bread." --> you have to be repented before taking the bread otherwise it is a sin, you will cause an unfavouring judgement et on judgement day

what does Matthew say about the eucharist

Take this and eat; this is my body

Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for the many for the forgiveness of sins. - this is a communal act and reminds us of the sacrifice for our sins.

what does John say about the eucharist

unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you will have no life in you - it is necessary for you to receive life after death

whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life

just as the living father sent me and I live because of the father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me

what are the different beliefs about the eucharist

1. transubstantiation

2. transelementation

3. trasnfinalisation

4. transignification

5. virtualism

6. memorialism

7. consubstantaion

what does consecrate mean

to make holy

What is transubstantiation?

When the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.

- this Is the catholic view of the Eucharist. There is a change in properties and Jesus' body and blood are the bread and wine. The priest consecrates the food allowing it to change.

- this explains why the bread and wine are treated with lots of respect such as even if the eucharist is dropped it still must be eaten and all the wine must be drunk at the end of the service non can go to waste

- before the bread and wine is consecrated the accidents and substances are the same. After the consecration the substance changes as it becomes the body and blood but the accidents are still bread and wine.

what is transelementation

this is the orthodox church view.

- The bread and wine actually become body and blood and Jesus is actually present through a divine mystery

- the eucharist is prepared behind a screen called the iconostasis and it then moves through the doors when it has gone through the change to the nave where the congregation sits.

- this signifies God coming Into the congregation, building a bridge in between God and the parish

what is transfinilisation

put forward by Edward Schillebeeck a catholic theological that was concerned that transubstantiation would not be accepted in the modern day.

- the priest still consecrates the bread and wine and they take on the significance of the body and blood but there is no chemical change, Jesus is not physically present but there is a spiritual change.

- Suggests that Jesus is personally present but not locally present.

What is transignification?

Karl Rahner - change in meaning; spiritual nourishment instead of physical nourishment.

heresy.

- Karl Rahner, a German theologian, believes thatch bread and wine is consecrated but it does not change substance only changes purpose. It does not change to the body and blood but it represents and serves as a function on strengthening faith and reminding people why the resurrection. and last supper are so important.

- more on the meaning of the eucharist rather than its substance and a physical change.

- The catholic church does not approve these theories In isolation but allow them if they help deepen your understanding around the events and will helps your knowledge or transubstantiation

what is the lump of clay analogy

when you make a vase out of lay the vase is still made out of clay it just has a different significance, this is similar to the Eucharist, - it is chemically still bread but is significantly different for the person changing into the body of Jesus

how does different demonisations have an impact of the practiced of the eucharist

1. the frequency at which it is taken (protestants once a month but others everyday to get closer to God)

2. bread stored in a tabernacle - place of devilling for safe keeping

3. eucharist adoration is engaged in by many people and the eucharist is placed in a monstrance and worshipped

4. only baptised catholics can have it in the catholic church

5. only priests can consecrate the Eucharist

what is virtualism

John Calvin

- in line with his view on predestination, Calvin believed that Jesus has ascended into heaven and therefore cannot possibly be present within the eucharist as his body is in heaven

- Jesus has a unique power which present fir some, only tp those known as the elect (predestined to receive salvation)

- the faithful receive virtue upon consumption of the eucharist

what is memorialism

The belief that the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist are merely symbolic representations of Christ's body and blood.

- Jesus is only present in our memory, they are symbolic of the body and blood. Following on from Luke said 'do this In memory of me' the process of the eucharist is exactly the same, its is a memorial process for Jesus

- individual brings him to their memory though their thoughts

What is consubstantiation?

Luther's belief that after consecration the bread and wine undergo a spiritual change whereby Christ is really present (Real Presence), but the bread and wine are not transformed.

- protestant view and no change takes place

- they remain bread and wine but God is spiritually with them. The bread and wine co-exist

- although used In the reformation, Matin Lither never used this term and is seen by some christians as unbiblical

- he disagreed massively with transubstantiation and insisted on the use of the word sacramental union. Luther did not attempt to rationalise the eucharist because he knew it was a mystery

AO2 To what extent do the theoretical beliefs of the Eucharist impact the practice of denominations (30)

AO2 to what extent are there similarities between contemplation understandings of the Eucharist (30)

what is the general importance of the eucharist

1. humans need physical sustenance and nutrients so they eat but they also need spiritual sustenance so they take the eucharist

2. in taking the eucharist regardless of what they believe in about how it changes, they believe Jesus is truly present with them

3. It is a physical re-enactment of the last supper which is following Jesus' commandments

4. it acts as a source of grace (you get to experience Gods' love)

5. It celebrates Jesus' ressurection

6. it is a fellowship/ union for believers as they unite in th belief of the last supper, a communal event

7. it is a sacarament/ and outward sign of an inwards grace, a physical way of confirming faith and showing love from God