 | Concise Dictionary of Religion |  |
ACCIDENT:
a philosophical term derived from ARISTOTLE which distinguishes between what is essential to an entity, (substantia) or ESSENCE, and its accidents, or unessential ATTRIBUTES. The idea enters CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY with the ROMAN CATHOLIC doctrine of TRANSUBSTANTIATION where the essence of the bread and wine become the body and blood of CHRIST although outwardly remaining bread and wine.
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