Eucharistic Liturgy and the Kin-dom of God.pdf (original) (raw)
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Doctoral thesis defended at the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen. In this study I tried to show just how relative the term "orthodox teaching" really is by examining some of the negative effects of the triumph of the Christological doctrine of homoousios for the liturgy and the devotional practices of the church. That is to say, the doctrinal interpretation, which placed Christ at the same level as - of 'one being with' - God the Father. It is hoped that the extensive and detailed researches invested in this thesis (an analysis of over 200,000 pages of Latin and Greek texts from the period stretching between the 4th -7th centuries) will contribute in a constructive fashion to the current patristics but also ecumenical theology.
Scripture and Liturgy: Offering Christ
Studia Liturgica
What do we think we are saying and doing when we as a worshiping community hear the words "This is the gospel of Christ" and respond "Praise to Christ our Lord" or "Praise to you, a Christ"; or when we hear "The Word of God for the people of God" and respond "Thanks be to God"? And, what is it we are saying and doing with our "Amen" after hearing "The body of Christ, broken for you; the blood of Christ shed for you" as we receive the bread and cup? While there are a number of possible answers to these questions, I want to explore one primary idea: that in the liturgical proclamation of scripture and in the sharing of the eucharistic bread and cup Christ is being offered to us. Our response, however we ritualize it, is an acceptance of that offer. Three concerns that Michael Vasey raised in his short essay "Worship and the Bible" have guided my reflections: first, the church's tendencies to separate the cerebral and symbolic, word and sacrament; second, current Protestant tendencies to see scripture and sacrament as "intrusions into 'real worship' " or as simply some kind of adjunct or aid to preaching; and third, Vasey's proposal that "liturgy is the incorporation into the life, memory and celebration of the community of the 'word of Christ.' "1 In brief, then, my thesis is this: scripture and sacrament have their home in Christian liturgy, where, as comparable means of grace, they make present to us the incarnate Word of God, and through which God offers Godself to us for the sake of our salvation.
EUCHARISTIC THEOLOGY CONTEXTUALIZED?
The issue of the " Post-Patristic " character of contemporary Orthodox theology, both in the sense of our historical reality, and in more profound theological terms, brought into the fore at a first level the tension between our precious and invaluable theological past (patristic theology) and its application into our present mission (Orthodox witness), and at a second level the legitimacy of a contemporary autonomous Orthodox theology and practice in our modern and post-modern condition (contextual theology). Although the former tension seemed to have been solved almost a century ago by the famous "neo-patristic theology," suggested by the late Fr. Georges Florovsky with his plea to follow the " spirit " and not the " letter " of the Fathers, the latter is still haunting as a ghost, conditioned by the prevailing view that Orthodoxy is the Christian "confession" that is mainly characterized by its faithfulness to the "tradition". All efforts to solve this latter tension are limited to the "interpretation" of the patristic theology. In view of the imperative of mission, at least to the same extent the preservation of our tradition is pursued, this article is an attempt to tackle the question posed in the title by examining: (a) the profound meaning of (Orthodox) "tradition" , (b) the new methodology of "contextuality" , and (c) the "Eucharistic ecclesiology" ; only then (d) have I tried to respond to the question posed in the title.
Eucharistic Communities 0511.docx
In Medieval Europe, the central authority of the Pope as the head of the Church was widely-appreciated across Europe. In 1378, the Papacy itself was vacated by death, always an embarrassing nonsequitur, and was filled by first two and then three claimants who virulently and violently made broad a war of their dispute. Theologian Phyllis Tickle notes that this event did two things: The spectacle challenged the narrative and the prevailing illusion “that there was one Pope and that he was directly and specifically chosen of God…”. Secondly, the contest evoked the question – “Where now is the authority?” Some observers, and the millions of people whose hopes were waste in the chaos, may also be led to the parade of theodicies. At the very least, in Tickle’s word, Divine Right was “pocked”. In the Reformation, Martin Luther, provided the answer: Sola Scriptura. With great excitement, the public and even many of its perpetually mendicant scholars turned with great interest to The Word as the sufficient and ultimate Authority. Scripture filled the Authority vacuum: Literacy then became the unintended consequence, because Scripture needed to be read. Readers “in turn accelerated the drive toward rationalism and from there to Enlightenment and from there straight into science and technology and literature and governments…”. By an irony few can appreciate, our world is again facing the spectacle of illegitimacy in leadership. We examine "ritual" --what it does and how it comforts us. The Reformation impulse divided, and remains divided over a ritual--the Eucharist. We examine that gesture. As Friar Rohr, among other "emergent" leaders, introduces his homily on the Trinity as a sacred circle dance. As Unitarian Universalists, we can join because opening the table, the circle, is always the invitation of mystery and tolerance. The essay is a reflection on why a ritual meant to bring community has been the one sacrament which Christians use to separate themselves from themselves.
EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION: HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
This paper explores the development of the various forms of Eucharistic piety from the beginnings of reservation to the emergence of Eucharistic processions and the solemnity of Corpus Christi. I discuss the stages in the development of Eucharistic devotion - the reservation of the Eucharist, adoration, the role of Eucharistic processions and customs connected to the celebration of Corpus Christi. This overview addresses Eucharistic devotions not only as phenomena that expressed a gradual departure from communion, but - in spite of the difficulties - as legitimate and valuable expressions of piety.