The Real Presence
As taught in the Anglican / Episcopal tradition
Distinguishing the Anglican view of Christ's presence in the Eucharist from transubstantiation and mere memorialism.
The question of the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist stands at the very heart of the Anglican theological project. For nearly five centuries, the Anglican tradition has navigated a "via media"—a middle way—that seeks to avoid what it perceives as the philosophical over-definitions of Rome on one hand and the perceived "empty symbolism" of the radical reformers on the other. The central question this subtopic answers within the Anglican tradition is not "How can this be?" but rather "What is the nature of the gift given, and how is it received?" In the Anglican view, the Eucharist is not merely a memorial of a past event, nor is it a carnal repetition of Christ’s sacrifice; it is a real, spiritual participation in the Body and Blood of Christ, mediated through the Holy Spirit and received by faith.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the distinctives of the Anglican "via media" regarding the Real Presence compared to Roman Catholic and Zwinglian views.
- **Distinguish** between "Transubstantiation," "Consubstantiation," and "Receptionism" within historical theological discourse.
- **Explain** the significance of the term *koinonia* (participation) in 1 Corinthians 10:16 for Anglican sacramental theology.
- **Articulate** the role of the Holy Spirit and the "heavenly and spiritual manner" of reception as defined in the Thirty-nine Articles.
- **Trace** the development of the doctrine from the Patristic period through the Elizabethan Settlement to modern Anglican thought.
- **Defend** the biblical basis for a "Real" but "Spiritual" presence using the mandated Scripture anchors.
- **Apply** the doctrine of the Real Presence to the ethical and communal life of the local church.
- **Compare** the insights of Richard Hooker with modern Anglican theologians like Alister McGrath and Ephraim Radner on the nature of the Eucharist.
Scripture
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