Expert: Marc A. Schindler - 4/28/2002

Question
Hello Marc,
   Can you tell me why wine is used in the Eucharist? (Other than that is what was used by Christ at the Last Supper). Many denominations use grape juice, cool-aid, etc.
Thanks for your help,
scott

Answer
Scott, thanks for the good question. Denominations vary considerably in their practice, but so far as I know, only the Catholic and Orthodox churches use wine for doctrinal reasons, and even there I suspect that they could change if they wanted to without harm to the doctrine at stake. That doctrine is "transubstantiation," the belief that the wine and bread of the Eucharist literally and physically turns into the blood and body of Christ through spiritual means. It is one of the basic sacraments of the Catholic churches (plural, because I'm including all the eastern churches in this). Associated with this doctrine is the assumption that for the sacrament to be genuine, the same substances must be used as Christ used - a relatively rare instance of literalism amongst Catholics/Orthodox.

Many Protestant churches, especially conservative ones, use a substitute, largely because transubstantiation was a doctrine which Protestants do not accept. To non-Catholics (incl. Protestants but also other Christians) the Eucharist is purely symbolic, so it doesn't really matter what liquid is used. In fact, as it happens, my own denomination uses water and bread. Denominations like ours that use substitutes do so usually out of lifestyle issues - these tend to be denominations that frown on alcohol consumption. No one's under any illusion that partaking of sacramental wine will get anyone on the road to alcoholism and ruin, but it sets an example for people, and that is their concern..

I remember once as a church-sponsored Boy Scout troop, we were camping in the Kananaskis region of the Alberta Rockies (where this coming year's G8 summit will be held, coincidentally) when we discovered that the Scout assigned to bring the water and bread had forgotten. Well, we had a glacier-fed stream there, so that solved the water problem. We ended up using potato chips instead of bread.

I'll give you a link to the Catholic side of the story from the best authority I know of, the Catholic Encyclopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05572c.htm (see especially the paragraph starting with the term "The organic connection"

Sincerely your brother in Christ,
Marc A. Schindler
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada - Gateway to the Boreal Parkland