Which Branch of Christianity is Closest to Original Early Church?

[Albion]

Albion,once we become members of Christ’s family, he does not let us go hungry, but feeds us with his own body and blood through the Eucharist.

That can be said of almost any version of the Eucharist held by almost any denomination, however. The notion that only one view of it--and one that didn't even exist until the 13th century, at that--is not credible.

In the Old Testament, as they prepared for their journey in the wilderness, God commanded his people to sacrifice a lamb and sprinkle its blood on their doorposts, so the Angel of Death would pass by their homes. Then they ate the lamb to seal their covenant with God.
This lamb prefigured Jesus. He is the real "Lamb of God," who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Through Jesus we enter into a New Covenant with God (Luke 22:20), who protects us from eternal death. God’s Old Testament people ate the Passover lamb. Now we must eat the Lamb that is the Eucharist. Jesus said, "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life within you" (John 6:53).
At the Last Supper he took bread and wine and said, "Take and eat. This is my body . . . This is my blood which will be shed for you" (Mark 14:22–24).

This doesn't distinguish one Christian denomination from another, so it only bears out what I wrote above.

In this way Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, the sacrificial meal Catholics consume at each Mass.
The Catholic Church teaches that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross occurred "once for all"; it cannot be repeated (Heb. 9:28). Christ does not "die again" during Mass, but the very same sacrifice that occurred on Calvary is made present on the altar. That’s why the Mass is not "another" sacrifice, but a participation in the same, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

I am aware of what the Roman Church's view is, so there's no need to recount it on my behalf, Barry.

 

[barryatlake]

Albion, must I remind you again that all the early [ starting from the 1st Century ] Christians believed and wrote about the Holy Eucharist being the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus.A list of names will be provided, if requested.
Furthermore,at the Last Supper Jesus indicated that the sacrifice of the Mass would be identical with the sacrifice of the cross.Consecrating the bread, Christ did not say merely:" This is my body," but He immediately added, "which is being given for you. " Likewise, when He consecrated the wine Jesus did not assert merely:" This cup is the new covenant in my blood," but He instantly added, "which shall be shed for you". This way is the clearest possible fashion He linked His actions at the last supper with His impending death on the cross, with the sacrifice He was going to consummate on the following day.
Furthermore, by His reference to the new covenant Jesus gave added emphasis to the sacrificial character of His act at the Last Supper. For, just as the old covenant, the ancient alliance of God with the Jews, had been sealed with the blood of animals sacrificed by Moses, so the new covenant, the new union of God with His Church, would be sealed in the blood of His Son.

 

[Albion]

Albion, must I remind you again that all the early [ starting from the 1st Century ] Christians believed and wrote about the Holy Eucharist being the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus.A list of names will be provided, if requested.

What you don't understand is that the Real Presence is agreed to by almost all the major denominations, Catholic or Protestant, so you aren't telling us anything special. And you surely are not telling us that this points to one particular church being right while all the others are not.

 

[barryatlake]

Albion. would you kindly tell me the other denominations that believe in Transubstantiation as you write about in your post#223

 

[Albion]

Albion. would you kindly tell me the other denominations that believe in Transubstantiation as you write about in your post#223

In my post #223 I clearly wrote "Real Presence." Would you like a listing of all the church bodies that believe in the Real Presence?

 

[barryatlake]

Albion, do you mean Protestant churches? Then you are mistaken, due to the absence of valid holy orders in their communities, Protestants do not have valid Eucharists. They also frequently do not share the Church’s beliefs concerning the Eucharist.

 

[abacabb]

The Real Presence is seconded in the writings of Ignatius, but I do know that reformed baptist don't hold to it, perhaps all Calvinists.

 

[Albion]

Albion, do you mean Protestant churches?

Yes, I did.

Then you are mistaken, due to the absence of valid holy orders in their communities, Protestants do not have valid Eucharists.

That might be the Catholic view because, of course, it is going to claim that almost nothing is good enough if it isn't the RCC itself, but the point here should not be lost. These churches do believe in the Real Presence, regardless of what the Roman Catholic Church thinks of them.

I should also add that this was what YOU were talking about also, until now. See what you said before...

Albion, must I remind you again that all the early [ starting from the 1st Century ] Christians believed and wrote about the Holy Eucharist being the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus

Albion. would you kindly tell me the other denominations that believe in...

 

[Albion]

The Real Presence is seconded in the writings of Ignatius, but I do know that reformed baptist don't hold to it, perhaps all Calvinists.

The historic Calvinist church bodies--Presbyterians and (Dutch) Reformed--do.

 

[abacabb]

The historic Calvinist church bodies--Presbyterians and (Dutch) Reformed--do.

That's right, my wife's PCA church taught it.

 

[tzadik]

Except, you know, when St. Paul refers to it in 1 Corinthians 10 and 11. He's not talking about the Jewish Passover, he's talking about the Lord's Table, the Eucharist.

You can deny it if you like, but it's there in black and white for anyone to read.

Or perhaps you don't accept the Pauline letters as Scripture, I don't know. But the rest of us, we do, and we don't dismiss them just because they're inconvenient for our personal pet doctrines.

-CryptoLutheran

Paul was referencing Yeshua's Pesach meal.
There's absolutely zero mention of a weekly, monthly or quarterly wafer/grape juice communion in Corinthians.

Unless I missed the verse...

 

[Ishraqiyun]

Albion. would you kindly tell me the other denominations that believe in Transubstantiation as you write about in your post#223

Transubstantion is merely one way of making sense of the idea of the bread and wine being body and blood of Christ. People can believe the later without using that specific philosophical explanation. The first historically verifiable use of the term wasn't until 1133 AD. I don't think you will have much luck finding references to substance vs accidents and the specific term "transubstantiation" to describe the change in the early Church writings. You might find statements compatible with such a view but I doubt you will find the specifics.

 

[Albion]

Transubstantion is merely one way of making sense of the idea of the bread and wine being body and blood of Christ.

Correct. It's a distinctively Medieval perspective on the matter.

 

[alexsonofmatthew]

Orthodoxy EO & OO

 

[ChristianT]

Orthodoxy, however Anglican and Roman Catholic churches would be the other closest ones; one surefire way to tell this would be to read the writings of the early church saints (the successors of the apostles), and find the Church which matches closest with those doctrines, practices, and worship.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

What denomination is closest to the early Christians?

Hello all.

I'm very new to Christian history or anything outside the Anglican Church really. I was just wondering what modern day denomination, in your opinion, is closest to the early Christians in terms of what they believed and how they worshipped. I know a lot of denominations, including my own, claim to be Apostolic but some of these are very different indeed.

The closest, at least Judaism wise, would be the Christian Messianic Jews.
Non-Judaism wise, I would say the Eastern Orthodoxs..... IMHO










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[Albion]

Orthodoxy, however Anglican and Roman Catholic churches would be the other closest ones; one surefire way to tell this would be to read the writings of the early church saints (the successors of the apostles), and find the Church which matches closest with those doctrines, practices, and worship.

I beg to disagree. When we ask which denomination is closest to the first Christian churches, we can't answer it by just citing one or two characteristics.

Therefore, just as the Mormon church or the JWs, each with many unique doctrines that have nothing whatsoever in common with Apostolic Christianity, wouldn't be good answers, even if--as has been argued--they have some things in common with it, we can't make the Lord's Supper our whole focus.

 

[ChristianT]

I beg to disagree. When we ask which denomination is closest to the first Christian churches, we can't answer it by just citing one or two characteristics.

Therefore, just as the Mormon church or the JWs, each with many unique doctrines that have nothing whatsoever in common with Apostolic Christianity, wouldn't be good answers, even if--as has been argued--they have some things in common with it, we can't make the Lord's Supper our whole focus.

Emphasis mine.
You may I hear Orthodox churches focus the liturgy on the eucharist.

 

[Albion]

Emphasis mine.
You may I hear Orthodox churches focus the liturgy on the eucharist.

Yes, the liturgy does have the eucharist as it highlight, but that's only one point of comparison, so it can't really answer the question, "Which denomination is closest...." whatever we think of the liturgy or beliefs surrounding the nature of the eucharist.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Originally Posted by ViaCrucis

Except, you know, when St. Paul refers to it in 1 Corinthians 10 and 11. He's not talking about the Jewish Passover, he's talking about the Lord's Table, the Eucharist.

You can deny it if you like, but it's there in black and white for anyone to read.

Or perhaps you don't accept the Pauline letters as Scripture, I don't know. But the rest of us, we do, and we don't dismiss them just because they're inconvenient for our personal pet doctrines.

-CryptoLutheran

Paul was referencing Yeshua's Pesach meal.
There's absolutely zero mention of a weekly, monthly or quarterly wafer/grape juice communion in Corinthians.

Unless I missed the verse...

Then that should mean the Sunday communion should only be once a year?






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