Communion in Grace in Westminster Larger Catechism
The concept of "communion in grace" within the Westminster Larger Catechism, particularly as it relates to the Lord's Supper, is a point of significant theological discussion and divergence among Christian traditions. While many traditions agree on the importance of grace and communion with Christ, the precise nature of how this grace is conveyed and received in the sacraments, and what constitutes worthy participation, varies considerably.
The Westminster Confession of Faith, a foundational document for Reformed churches, states that all saints united to Christ have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory through the Spirit and by faith [3]. This communion extends to believers having fellowship with one another in gifts and graces, obliging them to mutual duties [3]. Regarding the Lord's Supper, the Reformed tradition emphasizes that worthy partakers examine themselves concerning their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, their faith to feed upon Him, and their repentance, love, and new obedience [1]. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, clarifies that this self-examination does not require assurance of being a true believer, but rather a sincere desire for supreme love and gratitude to Christ, and a fixed purpose to forsake sin and live devoted to His service [1]. For the Reformed, sanctification, which is a progressive work of God's free grace, renews the whole person after the image of God, enabling them to die to sin and live to righteousness [4]. This understanding shapes their view of how grace is experienced in communion.
In contrast, the Lutheran tradition, as represented by Martin Luther's Larger Catechism and the Augsburg Confession, holds a distinct view of Christ's presence in the Eucharist, often termed "consubstantiation" [2, 6]. This view asserts that the substance of Christ's body and blood is present "in, with, and under" the elements of bread and wine, without the bread and wine ceasing to be bread and wine [6]. Luther himself, as cited by Hodge, insisted that the bread in the Lord's Supper is the body of Christ [2]. The Augsburg Confession also emphasizes that both kinds (bread and wine) are given to the laity in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, citing Christ's command in Matthew 26:27 and Paul's example in 1 Corinthians 11:27 [11]. This perspective implies a more direct and objective presence of Christ's body and blood in the elements themselves, which then conveys grace to the worthy recipient.
The Roman Catholic tradition, articulated by Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica, refers to the Eucharist as a "Sacrament" and a "Sacrifice" [7]. Aquinas explains that the sacrament has a threefold significance: it commemorates Christ's Passion (a sacrifice), signifies ecclesiastical unity, and foreshadows future glory [7]. The Catholic understanding involves transubstantiation, where the entire substance of the bread and wine is changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ, while the appearances of bread and wine remain [6]. Receiving this sacrament sacramentally is distinct from receiving it spiritually, though all are bound to eat it spiritually by desiring to be incorporated into Christ [10]. Grace, in this view, can be greater or lesser in individuals, but sanctifying grace itself is not greater or less in its essence [9].
Patristic thought, as seen in Augustine's Homilies on John, also grappled with the nature of receiving Christ in the Eucharist. Augustine noted that while the Lord's table is taken by some to life and by others to destruction, the "thing itself" (Christ's body and blood) is for every man to life, provided they are a partaker thereof [8]. He also connected serving Christ with the reward of being with the Only-begotten, partaking of His eternity [5]. This suggests an emphasis on the spiritual reality conveyed through the sacrament, irrespective of the physical mode of presence.
The divergence among these traditions often stems from differing hermeneutical commitments regarding biblical interpretation and the nature of sacraments. While all agree that grace is central to Christian life and that the Lord's Supper is a means of grace, they differ on the precise mechanism of Christ's presence in the elements, the role of faith in receiving grace, and the qualifications for worthy participation.
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 68: this sacrament demands should exist in the heart, without producing supreme love and gratitude to Christ, and the fixed purpose to forsake all sin and to live devoted to his service. Our Church, therefore, teaches that it is required of them who would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon Him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience. It is, however, not to be inferred from this that a man must be assured that he is a true believe”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 71: taken and broken; and therefore it was the bread which He affirmed was, either literally or figuratively, his body. Lutherans themselves cannot avoid saying and admitting that the bread in the Lord’s Supper is the body of Christ. Thus Luther ( Larger Catechism , v. 12, 13; Hase, Libri Symbolici , p. 554) tells his catechumen to say, “Though infinite myriads of devils and all fanatics should impudently demand, How bread and wine can be the body and blood of Christ? I know that all spirits and all learned men put together have not as much i”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26 Of the Communion of Saints 1. All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by his Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other’s gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man. 2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the wor”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 30: § 1. Its Nature. Sanctification in the Westminster Catechism is said to be “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.” Agreeably to this definition, justification differs from sanctification, (1.) In that the former is a transient act, the latter a progressive work. (2.) Justification is a forensic act, God acting as judge, declaring justice satisfied so far as the believing sinner is concerned, whereas sanctifica”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER XII. 12-26. (part 7): what He said before, "Where I am, there shall also my servant be," we may understand Him as giving the explanation, when He says here, "him will my Father honor." For what greater honor can await an adopted son than to be with the Only-begotten; not, indeed, as raised to the level of His Godhead, but made a partaker of His eternity? 12. But it becomes us rather to inquire what is to be understood by this serving of Christ to which there is attached so great a reward. For if we have taken up the idea that the serving of C”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 99: obviously has reference to that view of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper historically associated with the Lutheran tradition—a view which has often been called (in contradistinction to transubstantiation) “consubstantiation.” Whereas “transubstantiation” means a change of the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of Christ’s body and blood, “consubstantiation” means that the substance of the bread and wine is accompanied by the substance of Christ’s body and blood. Perhaps three references from Lutheran trad”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Art. 4: Article: Whether this sacrament is suitably called by various names? I answer that, This sacrament has a threefold significance. one with regard to the past, inasmuch as it is commemorative of our Lord's Passion, which was a true sacrifice, as stated above (Question [48], Article [3]), and in this respect it is called a "Sacrifice." With regard to the present it has another meaning, namely, that of Ecclesiastical unity, in which men are aggregated through this Sacrament; and in this respect it is ca”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER VI. 41-59. (part 13): Lord's table it is taken, by some to life, by some to destruction: but the thing itself, of which it is the sacrament, is for every man to life, for no man to destruction, whosoever shall have been a partaker thereof. 16. But lest they should suppose that eternal life was promised in this meat and drink in such manner that they who should take it should not even now die in the body, He condescended to meet this thought; for when He had said, "He that eateth my flesh, anti drinketh my blood, hath eternal life," He forthwi”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Cause of Grace, Art. 4: Article: Whether grace is greater in one than in another? I answer that, As stated above (Question [52], Articles [1],2; Question [56], Articles [1],2), habits can have a double magnitude: one, as regards the end or object, as when a virtue is said to be more noble through being ordained to a greater good; the other on the part of the subject, which more or less participates in the habit inhering to it. Now as regards the first magnitude, sanctifying grace cannot be greater or less, since,”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Use or Receiving of This Sacrament in General, Art. 11: Article: Whether it is lawful to abstain altogether from communion? I answer that, As stated above (Article [1]), there are two ways of receiving this sacrament namely, spiritually and sacramentally. Now it is clear that all are bound to eat it at least spiritually, because this is to be incorporated in Christ, as was said above (Question [73], Article [3], ad 1). Now spiritual eating comprises the desire or yearning for receiving this sacrament, as was said above (Article [1], ”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 1 To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the Lord’s: 1 To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, because this usage has the commandment of the Lord in Matt. 26:27: Drink ye all of it, 2 where Christ has manifestly commanded concerning the cup that all should drink. 3 And lest any man should craftily say that this refers only to priests, Paul in 1 Cor. 11:27 recites an example from which it appears that the whole congregation did use both kinds. 4 And this usage has long remained in the Church, nor is it known w”