Zeno Carra’s New Catholic Eucharistic Theology as a Collaboration for Discernment on Intercommunion of the Protestant Spouse

Abstract

The ecumenical rapprochement between Lutherans and Roman Catholics intensifies as systematic theology and pastoral theology dialogue. The “state of the art” in this area is in the investigation of the possibility of Eucharistic communion by the Protestant faithful in an interfaith marriage. This article addresses the theme and presents, in the criticism of the concept of transubstantiation, used by Catholic theology, a way of approximating the mutual understanding of the Eucharist by these two denominations. Based on the document generated by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), entitled “From Conflict to Communion”, it will be analyzed historically as Catholic and Lutheran understandings of presence. Some considerations about the pastoral subsidy generated by the German bishops, called ‘guiding aid’ (Handreichung), entitled Walking with Christ: in the footsteps of unity, about interfaith marriages and will participate with the communist will be exposed. Finally, approach the theme from the book Hoc Facite, by Zeno Carra, which presents a critique of transubstantiation as a model and presents an original proposal to explain the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This approach addresses the Lutheran and Catholic understanding of the real presence and helps to advance ecumenical dialogue