The Lord's Supper in the Prayer Books of 1604 and 1662

The next stage in the Church of England doctrine on the Lord’s Supper is the addition to the Catechism of the section on the Sacraments. It was added after the Hampton Court Conference of 1604. Nowell’s Catechism never received legal sanction, and the need of a fuller Catechism than that of 1552 was keenly felt. The necessity for considering the true interpretation of this addition may be seen from the following statement. Bishop Gibson, (1) speaking of the Elizabethan revision, writes:—

“The formularies . . . were now (at the lowest estimate) patient of a Catholic interpretation . . . Moreover they have since been supplemented by the clear teaching of the Church Catechism (1604).”

We have already seen reason for believing that the doctrine of the Articles was really unchanged, and that the formularies were not even “patient of a Lutheran interpretation,” to say nothing of what Bishop Gibson calls “a Catholic interpretation.” Are we to suppose the Catechism then introduced some new form of doctrine on the Holy Communion? The particular part associated with this view is the answer to the question, “What is the inward part, or thing signified?”

“The body and blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord’s Supper.”

The following historical facts should be considered in coming to a decision whether we have here any change from the former doctrinal stand-point.... To read more, click here.