G.E.M. Anscombe's "On Transubstantiation" argues that the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, the change of the entire substance of bread and wine into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ, is logically coherent and philosophically defensible. Anscombe maintains that the doctrine does not require adherence to a substance-accident metaphysics that is often wrongly attributed to it, nor does it involve problematic notions of matter or material composition. She seeks to clarify the meaning of "substance" as used in theological contexts and demonstrate how the doctrine can be understood within a framework that does not necessitate Aristotelian scholastic philosophy.
The key takeaway for readers is a philosophical defense of a significant theological claim, demonstrating how philosophical language and concepts can illuminate, rather than undermine, religious dogma. Anscombe addresses common philosophical objections by reinterpreting the language of transubstantiation, showing how it can be understood as a description of a miraculous change in the nature of bread and wine, rather than a physical alteration incompatible with sensory experience. The book aims to remove philosophical barriers to accepting the doctrine.
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Key concepts
- Transubstantiation — The Catholic doctrine that, during the Eucharist, the entire substance of bread and wine is changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ, while the appearances of bread and wine remain.
- Substance (philosophical/theological) — Anscombe distinguishes philosophical and theological senses of "substance," arguing the latter does not necessitate problematic metaphysical commitments.
- Accident (philosophical/theological) — Refers to the perceptible properties or appearances of a thing, which in transubstantiation are understood to remain even as the underlying substance changes.
- Aristotelian scholasticism — A philosophical tradition often associated with transubstantiation, which Anscombe argues is not essential to the doctrine's logical coherence.