Ethan Walker
The consecrated host is a wafer of bread used in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Catholics believe that the consecrated host and wine are the body and blood of Christ. The bread and wine are consecrated by the priest during Mass, and then consumed by the congregation. This practice is also observed by Anglicans, who treat the consecrated bread and hosts with great reverence. However, there are some differences in the beliefs and practices surrounding the consecrated host between the two denominations. For example, Anglicans historically favored receptionism, which holds that the bread and wine in the Eucharist remain unchanged after consecration, while Catholics believe that the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Anglicans' belief in the consecrated host | Anglicans believe in the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and that consecrated bread and hosts are reserved and treated with reverence. |
| Catholics' belief in the consecrated host | Catholics believe that the consecrated host (wafer of bread) and wine are Christ's body and blood, and that the act of consuming them is secondary to the underlying invisible reality that the human soul is being fed by Christ's body and blood. |
| Consecration process | Catholics believe that the bread and wine become Christ's body and blood after the priest says the words of consecration, which are the words of Christ at the Last Supper: "This is my body" and "This is my blood". |
| Disposal of consecrated hosts | Anglicans dispose of leftover consecrated bread and wine by sending them with Eucharistic visitors or reserving them in an aumbry, or by scattering the hosts in the church garden and pouring the wine into the piscina (directly into the ground). |
| Consecration of a second batch of hosts | In the Catholic Church, it is forbidden to consecrate one matter without the other or to consecrate both outside the Eucharistic celebration, as this would imply a new sacrifice. |
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What You'll Learn
Anglicans treat consecrated hosts with great reverence
The Anglican Church holds that consecrated bread and hosts are to be reserved and treated with respect. This is in line with the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, which is shared by other Christian denominations. The belief in the real presence of Christ in the consecrated host is a core aspect of Catholic belief, with Catholics maintaining that Christ's body and blood are present in the consecrated host and wine.
Historically, the Anglican Church has differed from the Catholic Church in its practices surrounding the consecrated host. During the English Reformation in the 1500s, the Anglican Church established a view that was a direct response to medieval Roman Catholic beliefs. The Anglican Church held that the bread and wine in the Eucharist continue to exist unchanged after consecration, while the faithful communicant receives the body and blood of Jesus. This doctrine is known as receptionism.
However, since the 19th century, the Oxford Movement has reintroduced the classic doctrine of the Real Presence into Anglicanism, bringing it closer to Catholic theology and practices. Today, there are differences among Anglicans themselves regarding sacramental theology, with some following more traditional practices while others embrace more modern interpretations.
The treatment of consecrated hosts with reverence is a shared practice among Christians, despite variations in specific beliefs and rituals between denominations.
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Host desecration is forbidden by Anglicans
Host desecration is a form of sacrilege in Christian denominations that follow the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It involves the mistreatment or malicious use of a consecrated host, which is the bread used in the Eucharistic service of the Divine Liturgy or Mass.
Host desecration is forbidden by the Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, as well as in certain Protestant traditions, including Anglicanism. In Catholicism, the host is held to have been transubstantiated into the body of Jesus Christ, and host desecration is considered one of the gravest sins. Intentional host desecration incurs the penalty of excommunication latae sententiae.
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christian tradition that developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation. It is one of the largest branches of Christianity, with around 110 million adherents worldwide as of 2001. Anglicans base their Christian faith on the Bible, traditions of the apostolic church, apostolic succession, and the writings of the Church Fathers.
Among Anglicans, the consecrated bread and hosts are reserved and treated with great reverence. Until the 19th-century Oxford Movement reintroduced the classic doctrine of the Real Presence, Anglicanism favored receptionism, which holds that the bread and wine in the Eucharist continue to exist unchanged after consecration. However, the faithful communicant receives, along with them, the body and blood of Jesus.
Throughout history, various groups have been accused of desecrating the Eucharist, often with severe consequences due to the spiritual importance of the consecrated host. For example, Jews in the Middle Ages were frequently victims of such accusations, which were considered more serious than the desecration of other revered items, such as relics or images of Jesus and the saints. These accusations were often based solely on the testimony of the accuser, who may have harboured prejudice against the accused Jew or Jewish community.
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Anglicans historically opposed reserving the sacrament
Anglicans have historically opposed reserving the sacrament, with Low-church Anglicans rejecting the belief in a corporeal presence of Christ in the Eucharist and, by extension, the reservation and adoration of the sacrament. This rejection of the corporeal presence of Christ in the Eucharist is also known as the "'spiritual real presence' view, which is similar to the views held by Reformed Protestant denominations such as Presbyterians.
The practice of not reserving the sacrament is further reinforced by Article XXVIII of the Articles of Religion, which states: "The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped." This article has been interpreted as not condemning or prohibiting the practices of reservation, but rather emphasizing that they are not part of the original Divine institution.
Anglicanism, as a via media or "middle path" of Western Christianity, expresses elements of both the Catholic tradition and the Reformation in its sacramental theology. While Anglicans recognize the importance of the sacraments as a means of grace, sanctification, and forgiveness, they differ in their understanding of the effectiveness of the sacraments. Some Anglicans hold a more Catholic view, while others emphasize the need for worthy reception and faith.
Historically, Anglican practice has veered between emphasizing the word and emphasizing the sacraments. The Oxford Movement of the mid-19th century was significant in restoring the centrality of the sacraments in Anglican Churches, and today, Anglicanism strives to accommodate diverse perspectives on this matter.
It is worth noting that, in the Anglican tradition, the celebration of the sacraments is generally reserved for the clergy, including bishops, priests, and deacons. However, there have been discussions about the possibility of lay presidency of the Eucharist, although this idea is inconsistent with the common understanding of sacramental theology within Anglicanism.
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Anglicanism once favoured receptionism
Anglicanism is a branch of Western Christianity that has its roots in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. It is loosely organized in the Anglican Communion, a worldwide family of religious bodies that recognizes the Archbishop of Canterbury as its leader. Adherents of Anglicanism are called Anglicans or Episcopalians in some countries.
The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is a sacrament in the Anglican Church, as it is in the Catholic Church. It is a time when Anglicans remember and celebrate Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples before his crucifixion. During the Eucharist, consecrated bread and wine are distributed to the congregation as a way of spiritually receiving the body and blood of Christ.
The consecrated bread used in the Eucharist is sometimes referred to as the "host," especially in Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Host desecration, or the mistreatment or malicious use of a consecrated host, is considered a grave sin in these traditions, including Anglicanism.
Anglicans, like Catholics, believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but they differ in their interpretation of how this presence is achieved and what it means. While Catholics believe in transubstantiation, the idea that the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ, Anglicans have historically favoured other explanations, such as receptionism or consubstantiation.
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Catholics believe the consecrated host is the body of Christ
Catholics believe that during the act of consecration in the Eucharist, the "substance" of the bread and wine is transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the "substance" of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The "accidents" or appearances of bread and wine remain, but they are no longer bread and wine. This change at the level of substance is called "transubstantiation". The consecrated bread and wine, or the Host, are believed to be the body and blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. The physical act of consuming the Host is secondary to the underlying invisible reality that the soul is being fed by the body and blood of Christ.
The Host is treated with great reverence by Catholics. The bread used in the Eucharist is made from wheat flour and water, resembling the unleavened bread used by Jesus at the Last Supper. The Host is flat and the size of a quarter or half-dollar. Latin Catholics may receive the Host on their tongue or in their hand if permitted by the local bishop and the national conference of bishops. The practice of receiving the Host in the hand has become widespread in many parts of the world, although receiving on the tongue is still the official norm in the Catholic Church.
The belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is shared by several other Christian denominations, including the Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches. Anglicans also treat the consecrated bread and Hosts with great reverence, and historically favoured the doctrine of receptionism, which holds that while the bread and wine remain unchanged after consecration, the faithful communicant receives the body and blood of Jesus together with them. However, since the 19th-century Oxford Movement, Anglicanism has reintroduced the classic doctrine of the Real Presence.
The desecration of the Host, or mistreatment or malicious use of the consecrated Host, is considered a grave sin in Catholicism and other Christian denominations that follow the doctrine of the Real Presence. Throughout history, various groups have been accused of host desecration, often with serious consequences.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Anglicans use consecrated hosts like Catholics. However, the Anglican Church does not believe that the bread and wine in the Eucharist change into the body and blood of Christ, but that the faithful communicant receives them together with the body and blood of Jesus.
The consecrated host is the bread used in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
The Holy Eucharist refers to the three aspects of Christ's body and blood: as sacrifice during the Consecration of the Mass, as Holy Communion, and as Blessed Sacrament.
Leftover consecrated bread and wine are either sent with Eucharistic visitors or reserved in the aumbry.
Catholics believe that the consecrated host, the wafer of bread upon which the priest says the words of Jesus from the Last Supper, is Christ's body.
