Eucharistic Theologies Summarised - Anglican Churches

Anglican Churches

• There is a divergence of opinion over eucharistic theology, which broadly corresponds to the lines of churchmanship within Anglicanism. Roman Catholic transubstantiation, Lollard consubstantiation, Lutheran sacramental union, and Calvinist pneumatic (i.e., spiritual) presence can all be found. Which of these views is considered to represent "authentic" Anglican eucharistic theology depends on wider theological and ecclesiological understandings of Anglicanism, in particular the role of pre-English Reformation doctrine and practices, versus a more Magisterial Reformation theology, in interpreting the Book of Common Prayer (which has its origins in the works of Thomas Cranmer) and the Thirty-Nine Articles (an Anglican formulary developed in the sixteenth century).
• High Church Anglicans tend to believe in the literal, carnal (bodily) Presence. While a minority of Anglo-Catholics adhere to transubstantiation (despite its denunciation in Article XXVIII of the Thirty-Nine Articles), the majority of High Church Anglicans do not and are content simply to let the mystery of the manifestation of Christ remain a mystery. In practice, High Church parishes tend to celebrate the Eucharist weekly (or more frequently) and prefer the term "Eucharist" or "Mass". Reservation and adoration of the sacrament are common practice among many "High Church" Anglicans. The pioneering Anglo-Catholic Edward Bouverie Pusey argued for a theology of sacramental union.
• Low Church Anglicans, in accordance with the Articles of Religion, reject the doctrine of transubstantiation as well as reservation itself and adoration of the reserved sacrament. Low Church Anglicans believe in Pneumatic presence, or that Christ is mystically present in the faithful participation of the sacrament, but his physical person is in no way attached to the elements, nor do the elements become his physical body and blood. An imprecisely defined view known as receptionism common among 16th and 17th-century Anglican theologians is that, although in the Eucharist the bread and wine remain unchanged, the faithful communicant receives together with them the body and blood of Christ. These views are similar to those of other Reformed bodies, such as the Presbyterians and the Continental Reformed Churches. Low Church parishes tend to celebrate the Eucharist less frequently (e.g., monthly, but this varies from place to place) and prefer the terms used in the historic Book of Common Prayer, "Holy Communion" or "Lord's Supper".
• Between the High and Low Church positions lies the view that Anglicanism (as a Broad Church) permits a range of theological views, each of which (with the possible exception of the Roman Catholic notion of transubstantiation) is an equally welcome expression of Eucharistic theology within the Anglican context. In practical terms, most Broad Church Anglicans believe Christ is spiritually present in the elements — a theology of consubstantionism or Sacramental Union.