holy communion

Question 1

importance & practise of holy communion

Answer 1

• most Christian churches celebrate this community meal but their beliefs differ widely
• for Catholics & Anglicans it is a sacrament
• for Protestant churches it is an ordinance
• Quakers & Salvation army don’t practise it as believe faith should be expressed by living good lives
• comes from letter written by St Paul around 20 years after Jesus’ death saying how people of Corinth were reprimanded for not being charitable

Question 2

different perspectives

Answer 2

• Church of England - call it Eucharist from koine Greek word meaning ‘I give thanks’ and thank God for creating this world and sending his son as their saviour
• Roman Catholic - called Mass & reflects understanding that people who shared the service and take the effects into the world
• Orthodox - called ‘divine liturgy’ focusing on holiness & mystery of communication with God
• Baptist - called ‘the lord’s supper’ and it holds its importance as a community meal and linking to last meal Jesus had with his disciples

Question 3

in Catholic church

Answer 3

• ordained priests with correct training must always celebrate
• only those baptised & admitted can take communion
• bread usually made of unleavened wheat symbolising unleavened bread of Passover
• fasting either 2 hours prior or overnight
• in Catholic theology, mass re-enacts way Jesus’ body broke in death on the cross
• receiving bread and wine deeply spiritual as receive Christ into their body
• confess sins prior
• left over bread/wine consumed prayerfully by Priest
• bread is Jesus’ body and wine is his blood
• process of transubstantiation - bread & wine go through change
• have to be confirmed

Question 4

three aspects of sacrament for holy communion

Answer 4

form: ritual actions and word used at consecration
matter: bread and wine
intention: intention of priest to celebrate Mass

Question 5

Baptist

Answer 5

• it is less important than reading the bible and learning about God
• Jesus aid ‘do this to remember me’ which encouraged Baptists to follow as viewed it as an ordinance
• usually a community memorial meal
• focuses on remembering actions & words of Jesus during last meal with disciples so there is little symbolism
• minister usually conducts the service but another man can do so as long as they’re authorised
• believe win/bread go through no spiritual/physical change (consubstantiation)
• means leftovers can be thrown out
• main value is to bring communities together

Question 6

Christian understanding of Jesus’ actions at last supper

Answer 6

• was a Passover meal
• Jews remember how God freed Israelites from slavery
• Bread is symbolically important to Jews as it shows how women don’t have time to let dough rise to make bread rise for journey out of Egypt and wine remembers way God restored people of Israel from exile
• Jesus said bread symbolises not just freedom from slavery but also from sin

Question 7

roman Catholics understanding of last supper

Answer 7

• says Jesus institutionalising a formal ritual where bread & wine have deep spiritual significance
• when bread in consecrated it becomes embodiment of actual presence of Christ
• after many Catholic services, wafer is kept after service & placed in sacred safe so people can pray in physical presence of Christ
• Mass celebrated once a week
• Excommunication is barring Catholics receiving Holy Communion and reserved for major breaches

Question 8

Protestant view on last supper

Answer 8

• not much special importance to Holy Communion
• celebration of lord’s supper as aspect of worship of community is their value of lord’s supper
• baptism is highest status
• to feed the hungry, care for sick is equally important as leads good Christian life
• celebrated once a month
• no requirements to receive communion

Question 9

significance of repeating Jesus’ words & actions from last supper

Answer 9

• highly symbolic
• his death on the cross was a sacrifice to atone for humanity’s sins
• like Passover meal, Holy Communion celebrates deliverance from slavery, but freedom from the slavery of sin not phyiscal slavery
• Jesus’ death celebrated in Holy Communion achieved reconciliation between God and humanity