Introduction to holy communion Flashcards
background into holy communion
-Last Supper, also calledLord’s Supper, in theNew Testament, the final meal shared byJesusand hisdisciples.
-The story of the Last Supper on the night before Christ’scrucifixionis reported in four books of the New Testament.
-The letters of theSt. Paul demonstrate that early Christians believed that need to continue the celebration as an anticipation in this life of the joys of the banquet that was to come in thekingdom of God.
holy communion quote
“‘This is my body which is for this in remembrance of me”
earliest account of holy communion
-comes from a letter written by St Paul around 20 to 25 years after the death of Jesus, and it is clear that he is reporting something he learnt from someone who had teaching authority in the earliest Church.
-St Paul tells off the people of Corinth for being uncharitable and behaving badly during the service, so we can tell that by this time it was already a very distinct practice of the Christian community.
orthodox churches
In Orthodox Churches, Holy Communion is called ‘the Divine Liturgy’ - that is, the holy work of the people in a ritual form.
-The focus is on the holiness and mystery of the communication with God that happens at Holy Communion.
Baptist churches
-In Baptist Churches, and in some other Protestant Churches, Holy Communion is usually called ‘the Lord’s Supper’.
-This makes it clear that Baptists see its importance as a community meal which remembers the Last Supper’ Jesus shared with his followers.
Church of England
In the Church of England it may be called ‘Eucharist’, from the Koine Greek word eucharizo which means ‘I give thanks’,
-because the most solemn part of the service is, in part, a prayer of thanksgiving.
pentecostal churches
In Pentecostal Churches, whose theological focus is on the work of the Holy Spirit, Holy Communion is often called ‘the Breaking of Bread’.
- This shows a focus on sharing the bread with others as members of a Christian community.
Roman Catholic
In Roman Catholic churches, it is often called ‘Mass’, which comes from the words of dismissal at the end of the service in Latin: ite, missa est (often translated as ‘Go, the Mass has ended’).
-This reflects an understanding that the people who have shared in the service take the effects of it out into the world in their daily life.
