Why are transubstantiation and baptism necessary?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In the Coptic Orthodox faith, the necessity of Holy Baptism and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (which we understand through the term "Transformation" or "Change" rather than the scholastic Latin term "transubstantiation") is rooted in the restoration of fallen human nature and our union with God.

The Necessity of Holy Baptism

Baptism is not merely a symbolic rite or a public profession of faith; it is a literal rebirth and the "gate" through which one enters the Kingdom of God. Its necessity is established by the following:

1. Regeneration and Sonship: Through the fall of Adam, human nature became corrupt and subject to death. Baptism is the means by which this old man is buried and a new man is born. As noted in the Fraction by St. Athanasius, it is through "the holy baptism" that God made us "worthy of sonship," allowing us to dare to call God "Our Father."
2. Remission of Sins: We believe in "one baptism for the remission of sins." It washes away both the original sin inherited from Adam and any actual sins committed prior to the rite.
3. The Command of Christ: Our Lord explicitly stated, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Without this rebirth, the path to theophanic union with God remains closed.

The Necessity of the Holy Eucharist

While the Catholic Church uses the term "transubstantiation" to explain the manner of the change using Aristotelian philosophy, the Coptic Orthodox Church affirms the fact of the change—that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Christ—referring to it as the "Transformation". This is necessary for several reasons:

1. Life Eternal: Our Lord taught in John 6:53, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." The Eucharist is the "medicine of immortality." Just as physical food sustains physical life, the Body and Blood of Christ sustain the spiritual life of the believer.
2. Union with Divinity: The purpose of the Christian life is theosis (deification/union with God). In the Liturgy, we pray that when the "transformation of the bread and wine to Your Body and Blood" occurs, "our souls will change to share Your glory, to unite with Your divinity."
3. Healing and Forgiveness: The Eucharist is given for "the forgiveness of our sins and the healing of our souls, bodies, and spirits." As we are prone to sin after baptism, the Eucharist serves as a continuous source of grace and cleansing.
4. The Sacrifice of the New Covenant: In the Coptic tradition, the Eucharist is a true sacrifice. We offer the "Lamb from above" to the Father. As the Fraction of St. Athanasius expresses, we offer the priestly work to Him who is the Priest, the Sacrifice, and the Offering.

Distinguishing the Coptic Perspective

It is important to distinguish our faith from that of others:

• Against Protestants: We reject the notion that these are merely symbols. If the bread and wine do not truly become the Body and Blood, there is no union with Christ's divinity. If Baptism is only a symbol, there is no actual regeneration or washing away of the "old man."
• Terminology: While we agree with the Roman Catholic Church on the Real Presence, we avoid the term "transubstantiation" because we view the change as a "Divine Mystery" that transcends human logical definitions or philosophical categories like "substance" and "accidents."

In summary, Baptism is necessary to begin the life in Christ by granting us sonship, and the Holy Eucharist is necessary to sustain that life and unite us perfectly to His divinity.