| − | The Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation was formulated by the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas during the thirteenth century. 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, although 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 Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation was formulated by the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas during the thirteenth century. 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, although 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 subscribe to transubstantiation, or, consider transubstantiation to be only one possibility for explaining His presence. These churches formulate their position in this manner: | | The Orthodox and Aramaic Churches, as well as some modern derivatives, hold to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist but do not subscribe to transubstantiation, or, consider transubstantiation to be only one possibility for explaining His presence. These churches formulate their position in this manner: |