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<p>Abstract</p><p>The Lord’s Supper has long held a position of high esteem in doctrinal
statements of the United Methodist Church and the Methodist movement. John Wesley
advocated for “constant communion,” and expected Band Society members to, “be at church,
and at the Lord’s table, every week.” Yet, across the denomination today, despite
the official position since 2004 encouraging the weekly celebration of Holy Communion,
many do not partake of Holy Communion on a frequent basis. Congregational practices
vary, with some celebrating Communion once per month, and others quarterly or even
less frequently. While infrequent celebration does not necessarily imply a lower
view of Holy Communion, I am interested in discovering the prevailing attitudes and
views of today’s United Methodists regarding the Eucharist, with a focus on the Wesleyan
understanding of the Christ’s Presence. </p><p>After The United Methodist Church
approved an official interpretive document on baptism, a survey conducted by the General
Board of Discipleship concluded that a similar resource for Holy Communion was needed.
The result was This Holy Mystery: a comprehensive document adopted in 2004 with the
goal of enhancing the appreciation of Holy Communion among United Methodists. The
document acknowledges that many United Methodist churches have, “strayed far away
from the rich liturgical and sacramental heritage of Christian tradition.” The intention
of my research is to identify current “on the ground” understandings and regard for
Holy Communion in comparison to a Wesleyan understanding of the Eucharist.</p><p>It
is not enough for the General Conference to issue a document stating what the United
Methodist Church believes about Holy Communion. This Holy Mystery is subtitled,
“A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion.” And, indeed, this document
articulates the doctrinal standards for Holy Communion through an exploration of principle,
background, and recommended practice. However, it does not articulate the principles
and practices of the people in the pews, which are not always congruent with official
doctrinal standards. In order to draw United Methodists into a richer sacramental
life in line with our rich Wesleyan heritage, we must understand how they view the
sacraments. It is not enough to explore history and official documents; it is also
necessary to include human research, interacting with today’s United Methodists.
My research will be designed to answer three questions: How do United Methodists
understand Christ’s Presence in the Eucharist? How did they come to their beliefs?
And, what impact do these beliefs regarding his presence have on the way they value
Holy Communion? I believe answering these three questions will be vital in moving
toward a Eucharistic renewal in United Methodism. </p><p>In United Methodism, there
seems to be a wide disconnect between contemporary understandings and practices regarding
Holy Communion. While I have seen speculative articles and anecdotal accounts of why
Methodists may not view Holy Communion as an essential element of worship, I have
not uncovered any documented qualitative or quantitative research. If the church
is serious about enhancing “appreciation of the sacrament of Holy Communion,” then
it is important to understand how Methodists understand the Christ’s Presence, and
to develop a better understanding of how that collective understanding has been shaped.</p><p>In
order to determine what United Methodists believe about the presence of Christ in
the Eucharist, how they came to their beliefs, and how that affects their perception
of value in Holy Communion, I conducted an ethnographic study based on qualitative
interviewing techniques, and a quantitative survey that served as a comparative backdrop
to those interviewed. I found United Methodist have an understanding of Christ’s
presence that illuminates their perceived value of Holy Communion, and that their
understanding has been shaped primarily by experience.</p>
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