Christian History magazine has a fascinating article on what led to most English-speaking evangelicals using grape juice for communion. Who knew that Welch's got its start due to this?
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Christian History magazine has a fascinating article on what led to most English-speaking evangelicals using grape juice for communion. Who knew that Welch's got its start due to this?
Comments
Interesting. Yet it seems Christians have the tendency to be caught up with the symbols instead of the substance. A symbol points to something, but Christendom (RCC especailly) today cannot get to the substance.
It's like seeing a sign on the highway: Grand Canyon - 20 miles, stopping at the sign and saying, "How marvelous this is! What a beautiful sign...yet I think it should be blue instead of green...[etc.]" instead of being directed by the sign to the wonder of the Grand Canyon. The bread and wine are nothing but symbols which (should) point us to the Lord Jesus and the wonder of His Person. Grape juice, wine, unleavened, leavened...it doesn't matter (as long as we aren't getting drunk if it's wine or stumbling others...).
Posted by: David on Tuesday, July 5, 2005
I agree with what David said above. The Grand Canyon sign metaphor is a good one.
This fall I read a book about the Reformation. One of the many things that I learned is just how close the Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church came to reuniting. The negotiators worked out a compromise on justification. The major issue that could not be resolved - theology of the Eucharist. It was even a major item of contention between the Swiss reformers and Luther and between Calvin and Luther/Melanchthon. I should also note that any compromise reached in the discussions between the Protestants and Catholics would probably not have been accepted by either side. The negotiators would not have been able to sell it to their sides and there was too much politics and animosity at this point.
Posted by: CJ Costello on Tuesday, July 5, 2005
Two verses from an old hymn, Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands (C.H. Spurgeon)
If now, with eyes defiled and dim,
We see the signs, but see not Him,
O may His love the scales displace,
And bid us see Him face to face!
Thou glorious Bridegroom of our hearts,
Thy present smile a heav'n imparts;
O lift the veil, if veil there be,
Let ev'ry saint Thy beauties see!
Posted by: David on Wednesday, July 6, 2005
While I think that that the bread and wine are symbols, I probably should have pointed out that there are many others who do not. Any disagreement we may have is not over others putting too much emphasis on symbols, but rather over a more fundamental assumption about the nature of the Eucharist (or Communion or the Lord's Supper or Mass).
Posted by: CJ Costello on Thursday, August 18, 2005