This is My Body: Luther and Calvin on the Lord’s Supper
This journal article examines Martin Luther's and John Calvin's respective doctrines of the Lord's Supper, tracing how Luther's voluminous writings on the subject shaped the Reformation's understanding of this central sacrament. Langerak argues that while Calvin's contributions to Reformed sacramental theology are well-recognized, Luther's role in recovering the gospel of the sacraments and defending the real presence of Christ in communion deserves equal acknowledgment. The article provides historical context for the contentious eucharistic debates of the Reformation era and their lasting theological significance.
There are two men to whom Reformed churches and believers owe gratitude for their doctrine of the sacraments: Martin Luther and John Calvin. The debt of gratitude owed to Calvin is obvious. It is not so clear that Luther must be thanked. There cannot be serious thanks given for the Reformation's recovery of the gospel of the sacraments, however, without noticing Calvin and Luther.1 This is especially true with regard to the contentious doctrine of the Lord's supper. The controversy rocked the...
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