Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 04:2 (Spring 2018)
Article: Christ And The Spirit: The Meaning And Promise Of A Reformed Idea
Author: Mark A. Garcia

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Christ And The Spirit: The Meaning And Promise Of A Reformed Idea1

Mark A. Garcia

Adjunct Professor of Church History
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Though a rather narrow topic at first blush, the “economic identity” of Christ and the Spirit brings into view an impressive collection of the perennial questions with which theology continues to be engaged. I have chosen to come at this topic from the perspective of Calvin’s theology, particularly as it informs his exegesis of Romans and opens up this vast theological expanse. Through a brief analysis of union with Christ and story in Calvin’s theology, I will point to several of the more significant features in Calvin’s model and raise some matters for reflection.

Christ Without His Spirit? Medieval Mice And Reformed Theology

The Objectivity Of Christ’s Eucharistic Presence

From one perspective, the theological tradition which we call “Reformed” began with a mouse on a medieval church floor. The medieval tradition, made official at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), affirmed a presence of Christ in the eucharistic elements so objective that it is wholly independent of the worthiness of the communicant. This tradition was motivated by a concern to emphasize the objectivity of Christ’s presence in the Mass in order to ensure God does not become dependent on the creature. For theologians, however, this also raised an immediate and pressing question. Is Christ’s presence so definite, so objective, that his transubstantiated body and blood may be consumed not only by an unbeliever but even by an animal, say, a mouse?

Aquinas And The Mouse

Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225–1274) provided the definitive answer to this question (whether or not unbelievers partake of Christ in the Supper) as well as the related thought experiment (whether or not animals partake of Christ). He explained that Christ’s bodily presence necessarily persists as long as the accidents of bread and wine remain. And so Aquinas grants the point of the thought experiment: if a crumb of consecrated bread should fall to the floor and be eaten by a mouse, then the body of Christ will in fact have been eaten by a mouse. However, though

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Christ’s body will have been consumed, it will have been eaten physically, not spiritually. For to use the elements spiritually is to use them properly, that is, to one’s spiritual benefit, something of which a mouse is naturally incapable.2

What is true for mice must then be true for unbelievers. In Aquinas’ words, “Sho...