Transubstantiation, a term coined during medieval scholasticism, refers to the belief that the substance of the bread and wine in the Eucharist changes into the substance of the body and blood of Christ, while the tangible aspects remain unchanged. This concept, also known as the doctrine of the real presence, was present in the Church from the beginning, as seen in the teachings of Jesus in John chapter 6 and the earliest Church Fathers. Although the term "transubstantiation" is not used in the Eastern Orthodox Church, they share the same belief, expressing it in their own terms. The doctrine is not a development in the Church; rather, the term itself took time to develop to explain the concept.
The Catholic Church uses Aristotle's philosophy in its doctrine of transubstantiation, the belief that during the Eucharist, the substance (the concrete entity) of the bread and wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ, while the accidents or appearances (akin to Aristotle's "essence") remain as bread and wine. This means that what is fundamentally the bread and wine (substance) transforms into the Body and Blood, despite retaining their original physical characteristics or essence (like taste, texture, and color). This application of Aristotle's ideas allowed for a philosophical explanation of a key theological mystery within the Catholic faith.
In this lecture we will cover the many sources of from the early church that give witness to belief in the Real Presence and will also layout a course of self-study for those that would like to study the Eucharist more in depth
Lecture Google Doc Resource - CLICK HERE
Audio Recording - CLICK HERE
