Went to a new Anglican Church yesterday and was shocked that they used intinction as their means of distributing the elements.
What is the history of this practice? Is it a post Vatican II novelty? Is it just irregular or should it be regarded as heretical?
I don't know the history, but it seems like a deviation from the words of institution. The idea is supposed to be that a) his body was broken and b) his blood was spilled, both to our benefit. Or, better, that his blood was separated from his broken body.
I recall the practice of intinction in my Roman Catholic church as a child, but I do not know of any truly Reformed church that maintains this practice. There is nothing in Scripture or in the Westminster Directory for Public Worship to justify it.
During the middle ages the doctrine of transubstantiation took on a real force. The "mystery" of the sacrament rose to new heights. The Eucharist being Christ's actual blood and body could not be defiled. At times the congregation was kept from dealing with the wine of Supper because they might spill Christ's blood. Intinction is a way of distributing the supper to the congregants in a way that shows the privilege of the clergy to the table and communicates a false piety to the participants. It's an obnoxious practice that has no place in law-abiding churches.
During the middle ages the doctrine of transubstantiation took on a real force. The "mystery" of the sacrament rose to new heights. The Eucharist being Christ's actual blood and body could not be defiled. At times the congregation was kept from dealing with the wine of Supper because they might spill Christ's blood. Intinction is a way of distributing the supper to the congregants in a way that shows the privilege of the clergy to the table and communicates a false piety to the participants. It's an obnoxious practice that has no place in law-abiding churches.
