The Sacrament of the Altar

From its institution to the present time the Sacrament of the Altar has long been a lightning rod for controversy. Most of the controversy has revolved around two primary issues: the manner of Christ’s presence, and who receive Christ in the meal. An exploration of Luther’s theology reveals that the Lord’s Supper is an action of God that promises and distributes the forgiveness of sins, because in the meal, one encounters Christ himself. Thus dialogue on the Lord’s Supper is not about the right way to describe a doctrine, but an encounter with God that changes reality. This approach is important to remember for churches pursuing ecumenical dialogues today, since they have falter when they insist upon doctrinal consensus on the Supper. Instead of focussing on doctrines or who has the “right” to preside at the meal, a focus on what God is doing to encounter people gathered in community at the table might overcome some of the obstacles in modern dialogues. With a focus on sin defined as broken relationships rather than morality, the meal reveals a present Christ graciously healing the broken family gathered at the table.