Real presence
From Conservapedia
"Real presence" is the term used to describe the Christian belief that Jesus Christ is in some way present in the Eucharist, the memorial of the Last Supper (also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper).
There are many different views of the Eucharist, ranging from a total transformation of the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus (transubstantiation) to a totally symbolic view, found largely in Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and Pentecostal circles.
Specific Eucharistic Doctrines
Catholic Church: the Roman Catholic Church and other Catholic rites believe in transubstantiation, the doctrine that the whole substance of the bread and wine is transformed into the whole substance of Jesus Christ- His body, blood, soul, and divinity. The Church believes that more than a memorial, the Eucharist (and thus the Mass) is a re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross.
Anglican Communion: The Anglican Communion officially believes in real presence, though it rejects transubstantiation. Still, some High Church (more liturgical) Anglicans actually accept transubstantiation, and some Low Church (more Evangelical) Anglicans reject real presence altogether.
Lutheran: Luther and Lutherans today believe in the actual presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist. However, rather than holding that the whole substance of the bread and wine is transformed, the consider the body and blood to be alongside the bread and wine- "In, with, and under the forms of bread and wine."
United Methodist Church: The United Methodist Church believes in real presence, but rejects transubstantiation, preferring to refer to Christ's presence in the Eucharist as a "Holy Mystery."
Reformed/Presbyterian: Reform and Presbyterian churches generally believe in a "pneumatic" or spiritual presence of Jesus in the Eucharist; while no actual change takes place in the bread, there is still a special closeness to Jesus provided by the Eucharist.
Baptist/Evangelical/Pentecostal/Fundamentalist: While the theologies of these traditions are different, their view on the Eucharist is generally the same- it is simply a symbolic memorial of the Last Supper and a recollection of Christ's body and blood given up on the Cross, but not a re-presentation or literal sharing in His body or blood.
Real Presence gradations of understanding within the Catholic and Orthodox traditions
The Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation has been formulated by the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas taught that after the prayer of consecration or blessing at the Altar, the bread and wine were no longer bread and wine, though they appear to be so to the senses. His teaching is based on the distinctions that Aristotle made between essence or substance of things, and the appearance of things. Every thing has an essence and an outer manifestation which he called the "accidents". Thus. according to Aquinas, though after the prayer of "invocation" or calling on the Holy Spirit on the elements of bread and wine, these elements still taste, feel, smell, like bread and wine, they are in reality, because of the word of Christ and the Scripture, His body and blood.
The Orthodox and Aramaic Churches, as well as some modern derivatives, hold to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist but do not ascribe to transubstantiation, or, consider transubstantiation to be only one possibility for explaining His presence.These Churches formulate their position in this manner: It is clear from Scripture and the way the earliest Christians after the New Testament, that His life is imparted at the Eucharist in a real way. They most often point out, that Christ said "This is my body" and "This is my blood". Further, it is pointed out that John Chapter six, "eat my flesh" and "drink my blood" is to be understood "eucharistically" as is shown by the non inclusion of the Last Supper and "words of institution" This is my body..." and "This is my blood", in the Gospel of John, in distinction from their presence in the other three Gospels. There was no need to include them as it had already been dealt with in John Chapter six.
Some of the Orthodox and Aramaic Churches understand the Real Presence of Christ in assumptionist terms rather than by transubstantiation. The assumptionist understanding is analogous to the way the Son of God took on human flesh. When the Son of God became man, He did so, not by obliterating the humanity by His divinity but rather "taking up" or assuming humanity into Himself. Thus He became truly the Son of God and the Son of Man - a true unity of Deity and Humanity. They hold similarly in the Eucharist. After the consecration of the bread and wine, Jesus' real presence is there, His body and blood with all the attendant life, strength and grace, and this has been done without the obliteration of bread and wine, but, as in the words of Ireaneaus, plain bread has become "heavenly bread" by being assumed into the more dominant flesh of the Son of God, and so with blessed wine.
