Roman Catholic Church and Transubstantiation

Last night, I got together with a couple of friends for a movie night.  One friend is very devout and never questions the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church (hereafter referred to as the Church).  The other is a strong Roman Catholic, but is willing to ask questions to gain an understanding of the Church’s doctrine.  

In addition to other things, the topic of transubstantiation came up in conversation between movies.  As you might know, in Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change of the substance of bread and wine into the Body and Blood (respectively) of Jesus.  The Church teaches the change is not a physical change, but a transformation of the thing in itself.  In other words, the chemistry of the bread and wine does not change, but the substances do.  In appearance, the bread and wine remain the same, but the Church teaches there is a change that is not perceptible to the senses.  The “Real Presence” is the term that refers to Jesus’ actual presence in the elements of the bread and wine.

In metaphysics, philosophers distinguish between the qualities an item has and the thing in itself.  In the case of the bread, it has the qualities of being white, round, and soft.  The whiteness is not the bread, but it is a quality the bread has- the same is true of the roundness and softness.  The senses can perceive these qualities, but they cannot perceive substance (the thing in itself).  Through Jesus’ presence, the Church teaches that during the mass, the substance has been changed to his body and his blood.  This begs the question- how can the Church know there is a change in substance when the senses cannot perceive such things?  The Church responds by quoting scripture, particularly John 6: 53-57.  “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life...For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him...so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.’”  The Church interprets this passage literally and applies its message to the Eucharist.  Those who reject the doctrine of transubstantiation interpret Jesus’ words in John 6:53-57 symbolically.  

As a whole, Protestant denominations have not believed in transubstantiation.  Instead, they view the bread and wine as a symbol of Jesus’ body and blood. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther turned the doctrine of transubstantiation into a a controversial subject.  He said, “It is not the doctrine of transubstantiation which is to be believed, but simply that Christ is really present at the Eucharist.”  Protestants use John 6:63 as evidence against transubstantiation.  In that passage, Jesus says, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.  The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”  Using this passage and others, Protestants argue that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial to his body and blood, not the actual consumption of Jesus.  Because the Church views transubstantiation as a “re-sacrifice” of Jesus, Protestants argue this is a contradiction to what Scripture says, that Jesus died “once for all” and does not need to be sacrificed again. Hebrews 7: 27 declares, “Unlike the other high priests, Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people.  He sacrificed for their sins ONCE for all when he offered himself.”