Monday, July 21, 2025

It is the 21st of July 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

Hey everybody- happy Monday- welcome to the show, it’s a Monday, and so we head to the mailbag to New Britain, Connecticut, and Wayne… Wayne… I don’t get a lot of mail from Connecticut, and I don’t write that word out very much, and how annoying is that “c” right in the middle? Like the ’n’ in Wednesday and the weird ‘r’ in February… New Britain is home to Stanley Black and Decker- it has nothing to do with the popular tumblers- that’s Stanley1913, but Stanley Black and Decker, I learned, is one company that owns all the different hardware companies that I thought were different (Dewalt, Craftsman, Bostich)

Wayne wrote and told me that he has long gone to various churches from non-Denominational to Episcopal and has felt silly in the past not understanding the differences in the Lord’s Supper and wondered “how much do I have to ‘get’” as he listens to this show and others which have highlighted how the difference on this doctrine in particular seems to have been a major driver in the divisions amongst Protestants.

It’s an irony I’ve noticed in myself and groups that I worship with, which can tend to emphasize “knowing the right thing”- it’s certainly important and we want to help- but especially if you are a layperson, if things get confusing, fall back into the grace of our savior. Our bad theology will be fixed in the twinkling of an eye, in that great heavenly school and until then we do our best to take God’s word seriously and try to understand it as best we can, knowing that we are not saved by having the right answers on a test but rather by the dying and rising and ascended savior.

Wayne- there are 4 major positions-

The Roman Catholic position of transubstantiation- I like letting Catholics explain for themselves- in the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read that “by the consecration the transubstantiation is brought about” and that Christ is present in a “true, real, and substantial manner”- the substance of bread and wine change into the substance of true body and blood. It looks and tastes like bread and wine, but can be apprehended by faith as the real, substantial body and blood.

The next is familiar to the Lutherans- Christ is “really” present but in, with, and under the substance of bread and wine. There is no “trans-ing” of the “substance,” but Christ is present physically. The Lutherans will argue that this isn’t a “secondary” issue as it pertains to how we understand the communication of the two natures in Jesus. And just like the early church, who strove to understand the two natures- fully God and fully man- so too did the Lutherans in wanting the risen Christ’s ability to be fully physical AND ubiquitous (or able to be many places at once)

The next position is from the Reformed/Presbyterian/Calvinist rejection of the idea that the true physical body could be everywhere- by his divinity Christ is able to be everywhere and that is why they will say he is “spiritually present” and that in the partaking we are lifted up to the heavenly places to feed, spiritually, on the risen Christ.

And then we have the last position, which emphasizes the “memorial” part- the “do this in remembrance” and the words “this is” are meant figuratively.

There are more positions between these poles- the Orthodox are hovering around the Lutheran and Catholic, and the Episcopal might be comfortable between the Lutheran and the Reformed.

Now- who gets to consecrate? Celebrate? Consume? How much do you have to “understand” before you partake? Is confirmation a prerequisite? How about infant communion- and a few weeks ago, we dove into “intinction,” a modern practice some folks don’t love. Luckily for you, I am not your pastor- I’m your friendly neighborhood church historian who will tell you the stories so long as you promise to use them to make bad arguments about the superiority of your tribe. I would take the 4 aforementioned sections, Wayne, and then see if your church has a “what we believe” tab that might direct you to a catechism or confession of faith. That will likely help you put a church in or near one of those 4 categories, and then… the work that can’t be done digitally, conversation- maybe over coffee with the people to whom God has called you.

I think with open hands, instead of closed fists, we can talk about distinctions and consciences and the text, and hopefully grow in our understanding of the Lord’s Supper and in the grace necessary to maneuver in a fallen world. Thanks for the question, Wayne- you can send me yours at danv@1517.org.  

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and Colossians 1:

27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 21st of July 2025, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who wouldn’t be caught dead without his favorite pink Stanley tumbler… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who finds it helpful to call those insulated things “tumblers” such that he doesn’t confuse hockey fans- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.