Required reading
Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge (Vol 3) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 20 by reading up to the subheading '18. The Lutheran doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper'.
My summary
Today Hodge outlines modern views concerning the Lord's Supper which are rooted in philosophy.
He summarises the views with the following:
'This theory repudiates the doctrine of transubstantiation, the Lutheran doctrine of oral manducation of the true, natural body and blood of Christ ; the Calvinistic idea of an emanation from the glorified body of Christ, the Reformed doctrine of the reception of the benefits of Christ's sacrificial death, and of Christ Himself by the indwelling of his Spirit, and insists on the communication of the divine humanity of Christ to the soul of the believer as a new organic law, somewhat in the same way as magnetism is added to iron as a new controlling law.'
What grabbed me
I enjoyed Hodge's comment about German views of the Lord's Supper, and their other theological positions: 'Philippi reviews the exhibitions of the doctrine of the eucharist given by the leading German theologians from Schleiermacher to Lange. The epithet of "mystic-theosophical," which he applies to the doctrine of Lange, applies with more or less propriety to all the modern German theories. They are unintelligible to the majority of educated men, and as to the poor, for whom the gospel is especially designed, they are absolutely meaningless.'
Amen!
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 20 by reading up to the subheading '19. Doctrine of the Church of Rome on the Lord's Supper'
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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