Nate holds Scripture and the cup, asking whether the Eucharist is literal or symbolic—while abolitionist protests unfold behind him.

Abolitionists Rising & The Eucharist: Is It Literal? (Ask A Christian)

What does it take to get a room full of Christians arguing about communion, church authority, and whether a wafer actually becomes flesh? Apparently, a Tuesday morning livestream and one very patient caller. In this episode of the Ask A Christian Podcast, Nate opens with a story about Abolitionists Rising—a group amassing billions of views by refusing to play the incremental pro-life game—before diving into the theological deep end on the Eucharist, sola scriptura, and whether baptism saves. The result is part news recap, part seminary cage match, and entirely on-brand for a show that treats doctrine like it actually matters.

Abolitionists Rising and the Eucharist: The Biblical Bottom Line

On abortion, the episode draws a sharp line between the “mushy” pro-life movement and the abolitionist position. Abolitionists Rising, founded in Norman, Oklahoma, and led by Russell Hunter, states plainly: “We seek to abolish abortion totally and immediately.” Nate argues this is not extremism but consistency—if preborn children are image-bearers, incremental legislation that regulates the “who, what, when, where, and why” of abortion is partiality dressed up as pragmatism. The biblical standard, he contends, is repentance and justice, not political calculation.

On the Eucharist, Nate’s position is equally direct: the Lord’s Supper is symbolic, not transubstantiated. He rejects Rome’s transubstantiation, Luther’s real presence, and Calvin’s spiritual presence alike, arguing that Scripture nowhere describes the mechanics of bread and wine becoming body and blood. For a deeper look at the doctrinal commitments that shape this show’s approach to Scripture and authority, explore our statement of faith. The discussion also covers sola scriptura—Nate prefers the “incorrect” solo scriptura, meaning Scripture is the only authority, not merely the final one—and why he does not trace his theology through Luther or Calvin but through the first-century church. He points directly to passages like Ephesians 2:8-9 to argue that salvation is by grace through faith, not works, which anchors his symbolic view of the sacraments.

The Caller Who Would Not Quit (And the Bears)

The episode’s most entertaining stretch comes from a caller identifying as Orthodox who methodically challenges Nate on canon, councils, and the Eucharist for nearly forty minutes. At one point Nate admits he feels like he’s “taking crazy pills” defending faith alone from Scripture while being asked to produce a first-millennium church father who agreed. Earlier, the show tackles the skeptic’s objection about Elisha and the bears—Nate’s response includes the observation that the Hebrew term doesn’t mean toddlers and that the mob was large enough that forty-two maulings implies a crowd, not a Sunday school class. He also compares the scene to the French riots, which is a sentence that exists now.