The Lord’s Supper and the Resurrection of the Body

The starting point of this article is a text of Irenaeus in defense of the resurrection of the body against the Gnostics. In the very different context of the zweiter Abendmahlsstreit in the 16th century this text was part of a dossier of Patristic texts that was used by both parties, Lutheran and Reformed. One of the issues was whether the body of Christ was eaten by the mouth or by faith. It will be shown how Calvin and Heshusius understood this text. In the end it will appear that for various reasons the issue seems to have lost its relevance. With the Leuenberg Agreement the dispute was laid to rest.