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New Swedish cardinal says inter-communion with Lutherans ‘not possible’
- Jordi PicazoJune 30, 2017
AThere is an obstacle [between Lutherans and Catholics] in understanding the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, together with the different understanding of the sacraments. Do you think it will be overcome?
Among people in the Lutheran Church, there are different visions on the Eucharist. Some members are very close to us, and that is very typical in our relationship with the Lutheran Church, while others have a very different outlook. That’s so because there is not a unity of faith within the Church of Sweden as a Lutheran Church. Maybe this is one of the major difficulties, to know what the position of the Lutheran church is as such.
Officially we know that Luther accepted the real presence in the Eucharist in actu, during the celebration only, but not after the Mass, and that is a great difficulty of course.
Many in the Lutheran Church now say, ‘We have come to an agreement, now we must celebrate the Eucharist together.’ Whereas we have to say ‘No, we haven’t come so far in our mutual dialogue,’ and, of course, this will create a kind of frustration among many of the Lutherans that we cannot possibly celebrate together.lthough newly minted Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Sweden is a convert from Lutheranism and believes in the press for closer ties with the Lutheran church, he's also realistic about the present limits of that quest, saying that given different understandings of the real presence in the Eucharist, right now Lutherans and Catholics "cannot possibly celebrate together."
4 comments:
Germany at the time of Luther had become greatly influenced by Nominalism, making the traditional metaphysics of the Scholastics. that posited transubstantiation in order to speak about the real presence. impossible to accept or even to comprehend. Luther was a product of the Germany of his time.
Father I was thinking the same thing. I just had a feeling when I saw him receive his hat that he would be the next pope. And the pope who will resolve the current mess.
As a book about the Eastern Orthodox Church noted years ago (and I think conservative Catholics would agree with this point): (Holy) Communion cannot be a means to achieve unity, but instead must be a result of unity already achieved. Thus for instance why the Eastern Orthodox do not allow intercommunion, not even with Catholics, because the two do not share the same faith (on such issues as the papacy, Filoque, Immaculate Conception and indulgences).
To be worthily admitted to the privilege of receiving there must exist an affirmation of belief, a profession of faith, signified by word and outward conduct and lifestyle, that one in fact is in communion with the Body of Christ. One must believe what the Church teaches and this belief is manifested both inwardly and outwardly as a confirmation of this belief. If one has a co-operative and willing attitude and desire, God will supply the necessary grace for one to do those things which are required to come into and be in communion with our Faith.
While it may be a noble aspiration, is just not possible for the Church to permit those outside of her to participate in our Communion, even while it is to be acknowledged that there are those inside the Church today who receive unworthily.
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