Difference Between Lutheranism And Open Table

Lutheranism and Open Table: Unifying the Church

Although the purpose of religion and worship can be different for every person, the Christian community has some uniformity in its goals. In general, they seek to do the work of God on earth, which often materializes through charity and goodwill. Despite the common goals among Christians, there have been and still are some disagreement in specific doctrines of theology. In the 16th century Christian community, many people felt that the church leadership was acting in an unjust and unholy manner. For example, one of their major concerns was the common practice of indulgences. This led to a group of people, aptly named the Reformers, pushing for reform in the church, the most influential of this
According to James White in his work A Brief History of Christian Worship, one of the larger reforms during the reformation was allowing, and encouraging, lay people to commune (White 122). This went against the current churches policy of operating under a closed table, meaning that only baptized Catholics were permitted to commune. There was also controversy over the specific details of the elements and how they relate to the body and blood. Catholics believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, which is defined by Merriam Webster as, “the miraculous change by which according to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox dogma the Eucharistic elements at their consecration become the body and blood of Christ while keeping only the appearances of bread and wine” (“Transubstantiation”). Lutherans on the other hand generally believe in a dual nature of the elements after consecration. The elements become both the body and blood while remaining bread and wine. The differential nuance there is that in the Catholic viewpoint the elements are completely transformed in substance, while from the Lutheran perspective bread and wine is still present in a dual nature. The Lutheran dichotomy is similar to the two-person nature of Jesus Christ; he is both fully divine and fully human. Likewise, the elements are fully bread and
The followers of Christ eat together and receive the nourishment of the Lord. In society, both today and in ancient times, meals are an important social activity. People typically eat with those who they have strong relationships with; the act of eating together also strengthens these relationships. In What Does It Mean to “Do This”, Martha Moore-Keish highlights how this pertains to the Eucharist, “This means that when we come to the Eucharist, we proclaim our unity in the very fact of eating and drinking together. Our table practices can contribute to the unity of the church when we more fully embody this celebration as an actual meal” (Root 92). Affirming the covenant through the Eucharist while surrounded by fellow children of God is probably a moving experience. It could feel as if you are all working towards your mission of serving God, and the power in numbers would embolden this mission. The broader goals of Christianity become apparent in this setting. Christians are bringing good to the word through the teachings of God. I believe that by participating together in an integral part of the Christian experience, the Eucharist, the different sects of Christianity would find it natural to work together