Re: [asa] Pregnancy & Communion

There are of course a number of biological issues involved here but we would
also have to considerwhat is going on theologically when someone receives
the sacrament. That is going to vary across the theological spectrume. For
those who think that the Lord's Supper is simply a memorial meal or a purely
symbolic action there's no issue to deal with. Those who hold with Calvin
that only believers receive the body and blood of Christ would probably also
say this is a non-issue because the embryo can't have faith - but of course
they'll have to speak for themselves.

Those who hold that all communicants receive the true body & blood of
Christ, regardless of their faith, are in a different position. That
includes confessional Lutherans and Roman Catholics. But I doubt that even
those most insistent on the objective real presence of Christ in the
Sacrament would say that the atoms that are consumed continue to be the body
of Christ in the same sense when they go through the whole metabolic mill.
Roman Catholics, with their view of transubstantiation, have been concerned
about this to some extent. If you hold that view consistently you have to
ask how long after consuming the host someone can vomit up stomach contents
without having to have them preserved and treated reverently as containing
the body of Christ. You can find this discussed at
http://www.leavethelightson.info/2008/07/top-three-questions-about-eucharist-you.html
(the 3d question). (Google is amazing - just try "transunstantiation +
vomit.") A statement there is relevant to the question about an embryo:
"The main principle is that the real presence of Jesus remains as long as
the sacred species retains the physical characteristics of bread and wine."

Now of course one would have to ask just what "physical characteristics" are
meant. But I think the intent is that the material has to be recognized "in
the large" as bread and wine (even though in RC belief they are only the
"accidents" of bread and wine). & by the time the consumed atoms get across
the placental barrier to the embryo that of course is not the case. As a
Lutheran I don't accept transsubstantiation but I think I would agree on
this practical (?) point.

So no, the embryo does not receive the Sacrament simply because its mother
does.

Actually when I saw the subject line I thought this was going to be about
something else. One Lutheran pastor told me that when he started in one of
his former parishes which was quite conservative, he noticed that women who
came forward to commune would leave their coats in the pew. (This was in
North Dakota where coats in church may make sense.) After asking around
quietly he found out that this was so that people could see that they
weren't pregnant and that it was OK for them to commune. Becuase if they
were pregnant, that meant - you know ... . Hardly the healthiest view of
sexuality!

Shalom
George
http://home.neo.rr.com/scitheologyglm

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Smith" <christine_mb_smith@yahoo.com>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 3:54 PM
Subject: [asa] Pregnancy & Communion

> Hi all,
>
> On a different note than is usually discussed on this listserv, I've been
> pondering this question...
>
> Following implantation in a mother's womb, an embryo essentially partakes
> of the same food & drink that the mother does, yes? This being the case,
> what does it mean, from a theological point of view, when an embryo or
> fetus partakes of Communion via the mother? From a Christian perspective,
> would this mark the beginning of spiritual life in some sense (if you're
> not already of the opinion that it begins at conception)? If so, how would
> this tie into the question of abo*rtion, and the question of eternal life
> for a baby that is lost through miscarriage?
>
> Would be curious for your thoughts on these questions. Thanks!
>
> In Christ,
> Christine (ASA member)
>
> "For we walk by faith, not by sight" ~II Corinthians 5:7
>
> Help save the life of a homeless animal--visit www.azrescue.org to find
> out how.
>
> Recycling a single aluminum can conserves enough energy to power your TV
> for 3 hours--Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Learn more at www.cleanup.org
>
> To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
> "unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Tue Nov 4 18:09:55 2008