Even before Luther instigated the beginning of the Reformation with his Ninety-Five Theses, the Eucharist, in particular, has been debated since the early medieval period. The importance of these two sacraments are perhaps earmarked by their survival into the reformed churches, having been a topic of heated debates (such as between Luther and Zwingli) and a dividing factor that even caused violent wars (such as the Peasant War of 1525, between the Müntzerites versus the Lutherans and Catholics ).
The Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper is one of the two main sacraments (the other, Baptism) that survived into the Reformation. The other side of the coin is that the Real Presence still unites Lutheranism with Roman Catholicism to this very day-even though Lutheranism rejects that last step of Transubstantiation. The doctrine of Real Presence is rich, intimate and pastorally beneficial for all true Christians and yet-it was the very thing that separated Lutheranism from the rest of Protestantism. On one hand I have learned to see Zwingli’s heart and compassion, but on the other hand I can see Luther and Melanchthon’s hearts with their frustration trying to achieve a greater unity within Christendom altogether. Moreover I think I personally shed a tear when I read about the Swiss, when Zwingli, with tears in his eyes went to shake Luther’s hand but he refused saying ‘you Swiss have a different spirit to us.’ The unity of the Christian-Protestant body rather than this doctrine was more important to Zwingli than the Church getting its doctrine right every time. I have learnt the Real Presence is something that was exceptionally dear to Luther’s heart, so much that he understood solemnly that he would have to give an account to God almighty for what he believed and confessed. By all means, history teaches much about the theological understanding of this doctrine as much as the theology divides Church history itself. It is significant to acknowledge the Marburg Colloquy as one of the distinguishing events that divided Protestantism forever concerning the doctrine of the Real Presence. Lastly examined will be how article X relates to several other key articles within the Augsburg Confession that are most notable, indeed critical to this fundamental doctrine. I argue these two events are vital to understanding the doctrine of the Real Presence in its historical context.
Thirdly is a look at Luther, his theology on the Real Presence, his thinking and role he played leading up to the Marburg Colloquy and then on to Augsburg fallout. Examined firstly is Article X, the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, secondly is an overview of Gassmann and Hendrix’s Fortress Introduction to the Lutheran Confessions, which has become amalgamated with a brief overview of the sacramental history of the Lord’s Supper on the Real Presence and its controversies. Written originally to be presented as a lecture in class at ALC 2017, it has been modified to be slightly more readable rather than spoken publically. This paper is an essay overviewing the doctrine of the Real Presence as found in Article X of the Augsburg Confession (1530).
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