Eucharist

{{see also|Divine Service (Lutheran)}}

{{see also|Divine Service (Lutheran)}}

[[File:EucharistELCA.JPG|right|thumb|Table set for the Eucharist in an ELCA service]]

[[File:EucharistELCA.JPG|right|thumb|Table set for the Eucharist in an ELCA service]]

[[File:Nattvard i Maria Magdalena kyrka.jpg|none|thumb|upright|Kneeling communion during an Evangelical-Lutheran [[Easter Monday]] Mass in the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Stockholm, Sweden.]]

[[File:Nattvard i Maria Magdalena kyrka.jpg|thumb|upright|Kneeling communion during an Evangelical-Lutheran [[Easter Monday]] Mass in the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Stockholm, Sweden.]]

[[Lutheranism|Lutherans]] believe that the body and blood of Christ are "truly and substantially present in, with, and under the forms" of the consecrated bread and wine (the elements), so that communicants eat and drink the body and blood of Christ himself as well as the bread and wine in the Eucharistic [[Lutheran sacraments|sacrament]].<ref>[[Augsburg Confession]], Article 10</ref> The Lutheran doctrine of the Real Presence is more accurately and formally known as the "[[sacramental union]]".<ref name="MattoxRoeber">{{cite book |last1=Mattox |first1=Mickey L. |last2=Roeber |first2=A. G. |title=Changing Churches: An Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran Theological Conversation |date=2012 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0802866943 |page=54 |language=English |quote=In this "sacramental union," Lutherans thought, the body and blood of Christ are so united to the bread and wine of the Holy Communion that the two may be identified. They are at the same time body and blood, bread and wine. This divine food is given, more-over, not just for the strengthening of faith, nor only as a sign of our unity in faith, nor merely as an assurance of the forgiveness of sin. Even more, in this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives the very body and blood of Christ precisely for the strengthening of faith, nor only as a sign of our unity in faith, nor merely as an assurance of the forgiveness of sin. Even more, in this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives the very body and blood of Christ precisely for the strengthening of union of faith. The "real presence" of Christ in the Holy Sacrament is the means by which the union of faith, effected by God's Word and the sacrament of baptism, is strengthened and maintained. Intimate union with Christ, in other words, leads directly to the most intimate communion in his holy body and blood.}}</ref><ref>F. L. Cross, ed., ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'', second edition, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1974), 340 ''sub loco''.</ref> Others have erroneously called this [[consubstantiation]], a [[Lollardist]] doctrine, though this term is specifically rejected by Lutheran churches and theologians since it creates confusion about the actual doctrine and subjects the doctrine to the control of a non-biblical philosophical concept in the same manner as, in their view, does the term "[[transubstantiation]]".<ref>J. T. Mueller, ''Christian Dogmatics: A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology'', (St. Louis: CPH, 1934), 519; cf. also Erwin L. Lueker, ''Christian Cyclopedia'', (St. Louis: CPH, 1975), under the entry "consubstantiation".</ref>

[[Lutheranism|Lutherans]] believe that the body and blood of Christ are "truly and substantially present in, with, and under the forms" of the consecrated bread and wine (the elements), so that communicants eat and drink the body and blood of Christ himself as well as the bread and wine in the Eucharistic [[Lutheran sacraments|sacrament]].<ref>[[Augsburg Confession]], Article 10</ref> The Lutheran doctrine of the Real Presence is more accurately and formally known as the "[[sacramental union]]".<ref name="MattoxRoeber">{{cite book |last1=Mattox |first1=Mickey L. |last2=Roeber |first2=A. G. |title=Changing Churches: An Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran Theological Conversation |date=2012 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0802866943 |page=54 |language=English |quote=In this "sacramental union," Lutherans thought, the body and blood of Christ are so united to the bread and wine of the Holy Communion that the two may be identified. They are at the same time body and blood, bread and wine. This divine food is given, more-over, not just for the strengthening of faith, nor only as a sign of our unity in faith, nor merely as an assurance of the forgiveness of sin. Even more, in this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives the very body and blood of Christ precisely for the strengthening of faith, nor only as a sign of our unity in faith, nor merely as an assurance of the forgiveness of sin. Even more, in this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives the very body and blood of Christ precisely for the strengthening of union of faith. The "real presence" of Christ in the Holy Sacrament is the means by which the union of faith, effected by God's Word and the sacrament of baptism, is strengthened and maintained. Intimate union with Christ, in other words, leads directly to the most intimate communion in his holy body and blood.}}</ref><ref>F. L. Cross, ed., ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'', second edition, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1974), 340 ''sub loco''.</ref> Others have erroneously called this [[consubstantiation]], a [[Lollardist]] doctrine, though this term is specifically rejected by Lutheran churches and theologians since it creates confusion about the actual doctrine and subjects the doctrine to the control of a non-biblical philosophical concept in the same manner as, in their view, does the term "[[transubstantiation]]".<ref>J. T. Mueller, ''Christian Dogmatics: A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology'', (St. Louis: CPH, 1934), 519; cf. also Erwin L. Lueker, ''Christian Cyclopedia'', (St. Louis: CPH, 1975), under the entry "consubstantiation".</ref>