LOL, that's one way to put it. (Though I think most of the Orthodox would balk at the "first" part.)
Hey, it's not important to me what you think of as valid. You won't be standing before me on judgment day
FYI: The Anglican and Lutheran understandings of the Eucharist are slightly different from the Catholic understanding, as follows.
Catholics believe in "transubstantiation." That is, the elements of wine and bread, at the words of institution, become the body and blood of our Lord, and cease being wine and bread.
Lutherans teach "consubstantiation." The Body and Blood are there in the Bread and Wine -- both/and, not either/or. The elements don't cease being bread and wine. Christ's body is "in, with, and under" the earthly element of bread, and Christ's blood is "in, with, and under" the earthly element of wine.
Anglicans, in true form of the "via media," prefer not to make any grand theological statements about what, exactly, is happening. We believe that it is the Real Presence of Christ. How exactly it happens is a mystery.
If you're interested, Methodists believe that the bread and wine (or grape juice, in most cases) are symbols of Christ's body and blood. I would have to say that is not "real presence," but at least they also recognize Eucharist as a means of grace. It's not just "in remembrance of...." but something real is happening. By the time you get to Presbyterians, it's pretty much just a memorial service.
I thought it was funny that one of the Catholic posters (I forget which one now) claimed that the Catholic belief is "real presence," because that is exactly what the Episcopal Church calls it.
Catholics believe in "transubstantiation." That is, the elements of wine and bread, at the words of institution, become the body and blood of our Lord, and cease being wine and bread.
Lutherans teach "consubstantiation." The Body and Blood are there in the Bread and Wine -- both/and, not either/or. The elements don't cease being bread and wine. Christ's body is "in, with, and under" the earthly element of bread, and Christ's blood is "in, with, and under" the earthly element of wine.
Anglicans, in true form of the "via media," prefer not to make any grand theological statements about what, exactly, is happening. We believe that it is the Real Presence of Christ. How exactly it happens is a mystery.
If you're interested, Methodists believe that the bread and wine (or grape juice, in most cases) are symbols of Christ's body and blood. I would have to say that is not "real presence," but at least they also recognize Eucharist as a means of grace. It's not just "in remembrance of...." but something real is happening. By the time you get to Presbyterians, it's pretty much just a memorial service.
I thought it was funny that one of the Catholic posters (I forget which one now) claimed that the Catholic belief is "real presence," because that is exactly what the Episcopal Church calls it.
As long as you admit that Anglicans are no less "catholic" than Orthodox, we're in agreement (at least to that point.)
FWIW, Anglicans all say the filioque, so in some ways we're "more" catholic than the Orthos.... (Of course, they would say that makes us more wrong. LOL)