Memorialism

Memorialism is the belief held by some Christian denominations that the elements of bread and wine (or juice) in the Eucharist (more often referred to as The Lord's Supper by memorialists) are purely symbolic representations of the body and blood of Jesus, the feast being established only or primarily as a commemorative ceremony. The term comes from : "This do in memory of me" and the attendant interpretation that the Lord's Supper's chief purpose is to help the participant remember Jesus and his sacrifice on the Cross.

This viewpoint is commonly held by Baptists, Anabaptists, the Plymouth Brethren, Jehovah's Witnesses, segments of the Restoration Movement and some non-denominational Churches, as well as those identifying with liberal Christianity, but it is rejected by most branches of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, the Church of the East, Independent Catholic Churches, Lutherans, Presbyterians and other traditional Calvinists, as well as the vast majority of Anglicans and Methodists, who variously affirm the doctrine of the real presence.

Zwingli's memorialism 

The Reformed theology of Huldrych Zwingli, the most important Protestant Reformer of Switzerland, is commonly associated with memorialism. Zwingli, who was a former Roman Catholic priest, affirmed that Christ is truly (though not naturally) present to the believer in the sacrament or amid a Christian congregation that remembers with strong intensity the events of the Last Supper through the power of God. However, the sacrament - for Zwingli - is not used instrumentally to communicate with Christ, as John Calvin taught. 

Zwingli argued that the Eucharist is more about the presence of Christ in the minds of people instead of his presence in the elements. This indicates that, although its liturgies remain an important aspect of being a Christian, its potential benefits are not found in any metaphysical interpretation related to the bread and wine used in the ritual.  

In addition, unlike the Lutheran theory, Zwingli maintained that the Scripture and the creeds support the idea that Christ sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

References

Category:Protestant theology
Category:Seventh-day Adventist theology
Category:Eucharist