Does the Episcopal church believe that the holy Eucharist is indeed the blood and body of Christ?
Answer The doctrine of Transubstantiation is the belief that the bread and the wine become physically the body and blood of Christ, even though the elements may not have appeared to have changed. This is the prevailing view in the Roman Catholic Church. There are doubtless many Episcopalians who hold to this belief, or some modified version of it. But the Episcopal Church does not teach Transubstantiation. Rather, our belief is in the Real Presence. It may seem like a minor difference, but theologically it is important. The docrtrine of the Real Presence says, essentially, that wherever Christians gather to celebrate the Eucharist, Christ is there. His presence is real, but that presence of Christ in the Eucharist cannot be said to inhabit the bread and wine alone. His presence is central to the Sacrament, but not localized in the elements of the Sacrament. Another way to put it, His presence is in the hearts and spirits of the individual believers. On the other end of the theological
