Do Lutherans Worship the Eucharist?

[bcbsr]

I understand that Catholics worship the Eucharist. Do Lutherans also do so?

 

[Second Coming]

No. We worship Christ. The elements become the body and blood and so we worship the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We do not worship the elements but we do treat them as if they are sanctified.

 

[tampasteve]

No, and neither do Catholics. We both worship Christ. Catholics will worship the transformed hosts that have become the body and blood of Christ - as was described at length in the same thread in the Catholic section.

But Lutherans do not go that far either. We do not place the host in a monstrance and worship Christ in that manner as Catholics do. Some Lutherans will bow or be on knees during the Eucharistic prayers when the transformation happens, many will cross themselves and bow after taking communion.

We do not have Eucharistic adoration as Catholics do, but some churches reserve the consecrated host left from communion in a tabernacle much as Catholics do.

 

[Neostarwcc]

I'm pretty sure they worship Christ.

 

[TKA_TN]

No, and neither do Catholics. We both worship Christ. Catholics will worship the transformed hosts that have become the body and blood of Christ - as was described at length in the same thread in the Catholic section.

But Lutherans do not go that far either. We do not place the host in a monstrance and worship Christ in that manner as Catholics do. Some Lutherans will bow or be on knees during the Eucharistic prayers when the transformation happens, many will cross themselves and bow after taking communion.

We do not have Eucharistic adoration as Catholics do, but some churches reserve the consecrated host left from communion in a tabernacle much as Catholics do.

This.

 

[bcbsr]

No, and neither do Catholics. We both worship Christ. Catholics will worship the transformed hosts that have become the body and blood of Christ - as was described at length in the same thread in the Catholic section.

But Lutherans do not go that far either. We do not place the host in a monstrance and worship Christ in that manner as Catholics do. Some Lutherans will bow or be on knees during the Eucharistic prayers when the transformation happens, many will cross themselves and bow after taking communion.

We do not have Eucharistic adoration as Catholics do, but some churches reserve the consecrated host left from communion in a tabernacle much as Catholics do.

Apparently you've been misinformed about Catholics. I posted that question on the Catholic forum as to whether Catholics worship the Eucharist, and they all agreed. They even provided a link to a Catholic radio program that dealt with that very question and affirmed that point.

 

[tampasteve]

I am not misinformed, I used to be Catholic and have participated in Eucharistic Adoration. The problem is in the question. They, and we, don't "worship the Eucharist", we worship Christ as His Real Presence is in the Eucharist. There is a bad connotation when the question is posed as "worshipping the Eucharist" or "worshipping the water". If one does not believe in the Real Presence then one invariably believes that some sort of idolatry is happening, that people are worshipping something that is just bread and wine.

 

[YeshuaFan]

I understand that Catholics worship the Eucharist. Do Lutherans also do so?

I thought that they do not see the Communion actually changed into blood/body of Christ externally, but is done internally in you once taken in?

 

[bcbsr]

I thought that they do not see the Communion actually changed into blood/body of Christ externally, but is done internally in you once taken in?

I've asked this question on Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran forums (all the main Sacramental Theology players) and the Catholics unambiguously say yes, the eucharist is Christ and they worship the eucharist. Orthodox a little more vague on the subject so far, though claiming to worship the eucharist in its consumption rather than praying to it as the Catholics do. Lutherans pretty clearly say "no".

 

[bcbsr]

I am not misinformed, I used to be Catholic and have participated in Eucharistic Adoration. The problem is in the question. They, and we, don't "worship the Eucharist", we worship Christ as His Real Presence is in the Eucharist. There is a bad connotation when the question is posed as "worshipping the Eucharist" or "worshipping the water". If one does not believe in the Real Presence then one invariably believes that some sort of idolatry is happening, that people are worshipping something that is just bread and wine.

Well if you check the links I provided, they in fact use that very phrase. So the "problem" is not in the question as they themselves use that very phrase. And I've talked with moderators and administrators of these forums and they likewise acknowledge that fact.

 

[TKA_TN]

I thought that they do not see the Communion actually changed into blood/body of Christ externally, but is done internally in you once taken in?

No, we believe the Body and Blood are present at words of institution spoken by the Pastor, but let it remain a mystery how that happens. The Body and Blood are present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine. We call it Sacramental Union.

 

[tampasteve]

Well if you check the links I provided, they in fact use that very phrase. So the "problem" is not in the question as they themselves use that very phrase. And I've talked with moderators and administrators of these forums and they likewise acknowledge that fact.

I know they use the phrase, but what I mean is in the connotation of the question. When asked by someone that does not believe in the Real Presence there is a connotation that the other person is worshiping a piece of bread and not Messiah - the two people are not starting in the same mind frame. So, the question can be answered on the surface "yes, we worship the Eucharist" and the other person would generally be thinking "oh, how sad, they worship a false idol of bread" as they do not believe in the Real Presence. So, typically the right answer is "we worship Christ" as this is a more exact way to answer the question.

 

[Michie]

We do not worship the host but Christ's presence in the host. There's a difference.

I've asked this question on Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran forums (all the main Sacramental Theology players) and the Catholics unambiguously say yes, the eucharist is Christ and they worship the eucharist. Orthodox a little more vague on the subject so far, though claiming to worship the eucharist in its consumption rather than praying to it as the Catholics do. Lutherans pretty clearly say "no".

 

[YeshuaFan]

We do not worship the host but Christ's presence in the host. There's a difference.

So you do not see the elemnts actually changing into body and blood of jesus, so what if the difference between your view and the Reformed who would see the spiritual presense of Jesus among us when we take the Communion? Would it be that we see it centered around and in us that presence, and you in the actual elements somehow? Do you see it giving forth any type of saving grace then?

 

[TKA_TN]

So you do not see the elemnts actually changing into body and blood of jesus, so what if the difference between your view and the Reformed who would see the spiritual presense of Jesus among us when we take the Communion? Would it be that we see it centered around and in us that presence, and you in the actual elements somehow? Do you see it giving forth any type of saving grace then?

I can't answer for her (she can give the Catholic answer) but as far as us Lutherans are concerned, we don't believe it's just the spiritual presence because we take Jesus at His word when he says "take eat, this is My Body" "take drink, this is My Blood." He doesn't say "do this as a metaphor." I could go further into this, but there are many forms of the word "eat" in Greek. The Greek word that's used when Jesus talks about eating the Bread of Life, is the "eating, chomping, chewing" Greek version.

I'm sure someone can explain that better than I can.

 

[Michie]

What? There is a difference between a consecrated host and an unconsecrated host. And treating each one accordingly. No the Real Presence is not in an unconsecrated host. It is not difficult to understand. We do not worship the host. We worship the Real Presence in the host. Body,Blood, Soul and Divinity. We worship Christ.

So you do not see the elemnts actually changing into body and blood of jesus, so what if the difference between your view and the Reformed who would see the spiritual presense of Jesus among us when we take the Communion? Would it be that we see it centered around and in us that presence, and you in the actual elements somehow? Do you see it giving forth any type of saving grace then?

 

[Second Coming]

Sacramental union - Wikipedia

 

[Michie]

Christ in the Eucharist | Catholic Answers

 

[Michie]

*dp*

 

[ViaCrucis]

Analogy: "Do you worship the man, Jesus?" The answer is yes--we worship Jesus Christ who is indeed true God and man; and so yes because the undivided Person of Jesus is indisputably human we worship the man, Jesus. But we are not worshiping "a man". That is, we aren't worshiping just any human being.

In the Eucharist we have Jesus Christ, real, actual, His body and blood. The One we worship is Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. We do not worship bread and wine; but we can absolutely say that we adore the One who we receive "in and under" the bread and wine, and who most certainly is that bread and wine.

In the same way that we do not worship mere humanity, we do not worship mere food; we worship He who is the eternal Son of God, our Lord and Savior, King and God, Jesus Christ.

-CryptoLutheran