UBIQUITARIANISM

Ubiquitarianism is a theory peculiar to Lutheranism, according to which the body of Christ is, in some sense, omnipresent. This Lutheran position came as a reaction against the denial of the Real Presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist by certain Reformers (sacramentarians), a denial based ostensibly on the article of faith concerning Christ's sitting in majesty at the Father's right hand. Luther himself countered with arguments which led to the ubiquitarian position. He assumed as its basis the hypostatic union of the two natures in one Person. According to Luther, such a union gives a super-natural mode of being to Christ's human nature, such that omnipresence is not precluded as one of its properties.

Lutherans themselves were divided over the question in the 16th century. Philipp melanchthon held a position more moderate than that of Luther; and the former's authority prevailed in northern Germany, given the assistance of Martin chemnitz. In the south Johann brenz gained support for the doctrine of Luther.

The Formula of Concord (1577) presents the theory as follows: "[Christ's body] is able to be somewhere or other according to a divine and heavenly mode, since he is one person with God…. According to this …wonderful and sublime mode, he [is] in all creatures, so that they do not include, circumscribe or contain them; rather, he has them present to himself, and even circumscribes and contains them" [Von heiligen Abendmahl, in Die Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch–luterischen Kirche, ed. Der Deutsche Evangelische Kirchenausschuss (Göttingen 1956) 1007].

After the period of Lutheran orthodoxy, interest in the question dwindled considerably. Still, the theory belongs to the Lutheran confessional tradition. More important, however, it stands as a monument to the nominalist influence upon Luther and his contemporaries; for the theory is ultimately founded on the notion of God's absolute power to do anything, without regard for whether or not, according to man's way of thinking, a contradiction is involved.

Bibliography: a. michel, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al., 15 v. (Paris 1903–50; Tables générales 1951–) 15.2:2034–48.

[m. b. schepers]