THE ANGLICAN EUCHARIST: REAL PRESENCE WITHOUT THE CATHOLIC SACRIFICIAL PRIESTHOOD?
Shared vocabulary (“Real Presence”, “Body of Christ”, “Eucharist”, “Sacrifice”) does not necessarily signify shared doctrine. Catholic theology must ask not merely “Do we use the same words?” But “Do we mean the same thing by them?” PROLOGUE: A TRUSTED VOICE?! An Anglican “digital archdeacon”, who describes himself as “ a trusted voice for Anglicanism ”, has taken it upon himself lately to affirm certain Anglican pretensions vehemently in opposition to the Catholic stance. In one of his recent posts titled “ Transubstantiation and Anglicanism: What Do Anglicans Believe?” we can glean the Anglican claim in brief: Anglicans affirm the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They reject the idea that Communion is merely ordinary bread, wine, and psychological remembrance. They distinguish Real Presence from transubstantiation. They regard transubstantiation as a specifically Roman Catholic metaphysical explanation, not as necessary to affirm Christ’s presence. ...