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During the Covid-19 pandemic in the USA, churches were faced with a question of medical and metaphysical importance: can Christianity's rite of Holy Communion spread Covid-19? This article examines Christian responses to Covid-19 through a case study of five of Christianity's multifaceted Covid eucharistic policies, arguing that the responses of churches in times of crisis reflect a nuanced understanding of the metaphysical theories surrounding the Eucharist. The goal of this article is to serve as a primer on the relationships between beliefs of the Eucharist and Covid-19 in American churches, seeking to provide an overview and facilitate further inquiry into modern concerns of Christianity's holiest rite and the spread of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the idea, occasionally discernible in Leibniz's writings, that civil bodies can achieve a real or substantial union through the 'mystical body' of the Church. The starting question is: can the 'person' of the state attain real internal union even if it is not a natural person? This theme is examined in light of Leibniz's interest in the ontology of complex aggregates (including civil 'bodies' or 'persons'), the miracle of the Eucharist, the mystery of transubstantiation, and the unity of the Church. Since his very early Demonstrationes Catholicae, he had strived to demonstrate that the body of the Church, despite being—so to speak—'scattered', can be regarded as a Respublica with a strong internal degree of unity, primarily due to the communion that the faithful share through the Eucharist. This article thus analyses both early and mature texts in which Leibniz discusses the bond established among the faithful by the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, arguing that he experimented with the idea that the spiritual union possible within the Church's 'mystical body' and its aggregative capacity could transform European Christian states not only politically but also substantially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pericope of 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 has been a cornerstone in the theological understanding of the Eucharist. This study seeks to reevaluate conventional interpretations by concentrating on the primary rhetorical strategies employed within the passage, using contemporary argumentation analysis. It becomes apparent that Paul strategically utilizes the Eucharist narrative to underscore the imperative of correctly interpreting the term "body," which he imbues with dual significance. The treatment of the members of Christ's body in Corinth is intrinsically linked to the treatment of the Lord himself. Consequently, those who metaphorically and literally fracture his body will incur commensurate repercussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent scholarship on the late medieval Pays de Vaud has allowed for a better understanding of the Reformation (1536) in this region, revealing it as a period marked not only by ruptures but also by significant adaptations and continuities. This article employs a trans-periodic approach to explore the material culture of the Eucharist, tracing its developments across the late medieval and Reformation periods. Key findings include the transition from stone altars to wooden communion tables, the contested continuity in the substance and shape of chalices, and the gradual shift from unleavened hosts to plain bread. These changes highlight a complex interplay of theological and practical concerns. The study provides a nuanced perspective on the Reformation in the Pays de Vaud, emphasizing the ongoing influence of medieval ecclesiastical reforms and the gradual nature of liturgical transformations. This analysis underscores the importance of material culture in understanding religious and cultural shifts during this pivotal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed theme concerning ecumenical dialogue and more specifically the dialogue between churches and Christian denominations (interconfessional) is broad, interdisciplinary and very complex to study in its specificities. The text presented examines some peculiar aspects of this important dialogue between the Church and humanity - built on some of the most important evangelical decrees and recommendations given to us personally by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – to be all one single Body, the body of the Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article analyses the motif of mixing wine and water in goliardic poetry. The research reveals that this motif has no roots in antique literature but dates back to the patristic tradition of symbolic interpretations of mixing wine and water in the Eucharistic cup. This tradition remained relevant throughout the Middle Ages. Moreover, the theological debate about the real presence of Christ in the Holy Gifts has contributed to the formation of the doctrine of concomitance (the presence of Christ in each of the Holy Gifts), which led to the establishment of the practice of giving communion to the laity in only one form (the Body only). It caused great discontent in the congregation. A reflection of these processes, as we believe, can be found in the poems of goliards. We consider the appearance of the motif in the literature of this period to be part of a literary game, parodia sacra, the essence of which consists in the parodic reversal of Church symbols, texts, and customs (in our case, the profane undiluted wine contrasts with the eucharistic diluted wine) and, on the other hand, a reaction to the changes in the Catholic Rite during this period.

The article explores the early Bohemian reformation (Utraquism) as an alternative Central European project of church reform that has not been as closely connected with the Western European civilizational narrative as the Lutheran reformation. The authors build on cultural anthropological approaches and on the recent 'material turn'. They draw attention to the close historical associations between holy food and holy texts and look into the reformation of religious food and textual practices. They explore how the chalice functioned as a symbol of inclusivity and collective identity and how this became manifest in material culture. The authors analyse innovations in chalice shape (lips and tubes) and provide evidence of private or family chalices, arguing that such chalices re-introduced elements of social hierarchy in the Utraquist communion. In relation to holy food, the authors also focus on fasting, distinguishing two main lines of discourse: 1) the continuation of the medieval religious discourse of gluttony; and 2) difficulties connected with observing fasting regulations north of the Alps. Finally, they point out that the Bohemian reformation lends itself to a study of changing symbols, as suggested by Peter Burke, and they explore the model-like process through which book(s) largely replaced chalice(s) as the main symbol(s) and source(s) of identity among reformed non-Catholic Christians in the new religious situation in Bohemia after 1620. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luke's Eucharistic pattern not only serves as a Christological marker, but formative pattern for Christian faith communities. In this article, I appeal to Luke's Eucharistic pattern to advance the claim that hospitable Eucharistic table practices are not only consistent with Luke's Christology but also form faith that is capable of confronting and dismantling psychological disgust responses to outsiders. This motif is expanded in Luke–Acts, where acts of table fellowship become the places where socio-moral barriers are transgressed, signaling the good news of the gospel, especially for Gentiles. Drawing from biblical scholarship as well as recent work in psychology, I will advance the claim that hospitable Eucharistic practices not only expose disgust psychology in the faith formation of persons but also act as a potential balm, forming persons according to the good news proclaimed in Luke–Acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore how liturgical celebration can serve as a transformative response to the contemporary ecological crisis and its consequences. This is inextricably bound to the importance of addressing the pastoral needs of individuals who are hurting due to their interactions or lack thereof with the cosmos and the erosion of their relationship with nature in a technocratic consumerist society. Ritual, as a vehicle for personal and communal transformation, takes on heightened significance in a world wounded by ecological devastation. Rituals, often deeply embedded in cultural, religious, or personal practices, indeed have the capacity to facilitate personal transformation. They provide a framework for individuals to navigate life transitions, foster a sense of belonging, and connect with the overarching narrative. However, in an ecologically wounded world, where environmental degradation, climate change, and biodiversity loss are pressing concerns, the ramifications of ritual take on added significance and complexity. This paper seeks to address the urgency of the need to respond to this multifaceted crisis by paying attention to the pastoral needs of the individual and the community at large by redressing the real meaning of worship and reflecting on how, within a Christian tradition, this reconfiguration of worship can be provocative enough to instil change. However, this endeavour is not without inherent challenges and enduring questions. The pervasive influence of a technocratic worldview poses a significant threat not only to our relationship with the earth but also to the very essence of ritual itself. Can the liturgical experience, reaching its climax in the Eucharistic celebration, be truly a catalyst in asserting a proper relationship of humanity on various levels, which are concentric and, thus, dependant on each other, with humanity itself, with the cosmos, and with God? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out Joseph Ratzinger's Christocentric theology of creation as a counter to the increasingly popular naturalist movement anti-natalism. Paradoxically, anti-natalism is parasitic on the doctrine of creation and yet, at the same time, denies creation, for, as Ratzinger argues, the doctrine of creation affirms both the human person and the natural world within which she lives; creation is necessary for self-acceptance. Furthermore, creation and redemption go together. It is with and through the human person, not without, that the natural world is brought to its proper end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, which will take place in 2025 around the theme "Where now for visible unity?" this article explores the marks of visible unity set out in the Gospel of John and the Letter to the Ephesians. The two texts show an astonishing convergence. Following a biblical exegesis, the article concludes that discussions about the visible unity of the church need first to establish the similarities and differences in the understanding of the eucharist. The question of the understanding of ministry must first be clarified in a differentiated way. If the unity of the church consists in the confessional fellowship of believers, then it is not the institutionalized uniformity of the ministerial structure that is decisive, but rather unity in faith in the one shepherd and Lord as head of the church and Saviour of the world. Unity becomes visible above all in common prayer and worship, not only within different traditions as in Ephesus, but even more so when different church traditions celebrate ecumenically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the participation of women in the Archdiocese of Mexico, in the context of renewal, fostered by the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) and the provisions of Miguel Darío Miranda (1956–77), which allowed greater involvement of the laity in the Church, based on the recognition of their own mission and identity (no longer dependent on the clergy). It highlights the unique experience of Catholic women in two areas that had been exclusive to priests: decision making and planning in pastoral councils; and distributing the Eucharist as extraordinary ministers of Communion. The essay thus examines the differences between men and women in mixed spaces, the possibilities for women's leadership and involvement, the number of laywomen who participated, and the way in which they did so. It also discusses the changes that took place with respect to the preconciliar period, clerical attitudes, and the limitations imposed because of women's gender. The article aims to contribute to the history of both the Archdiocese of Mexico and Catholic women in the postconciliar period, which has been insufficiently studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rm 12,1 exhorts to perform spiritual worship, which is born of the Eucharist. This theme was central both in the writings of Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI and in those of St. Josemaría Escrivá. The former concentrates his thought on the Eucharist itself, which is opus Dei and the sacrifice of the Logos that must influence Christian life. St Josemaría, for his part, stressing the Eucharistic foundation of life, points to the existential praxis of spiritual worship performed through work offered to God as a Mass on the altar of the human heart. Although the texts differ in style, they have a wonderful complementarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With reference to Andrew Linklater's The Transformation of Political Community, this article explores how liturgical practices contribute to the critique of the exclusionary bias baked into the dominant international system. It begins by regarding the system as not a given but a series of standpoints, each of which bears the capacity for interpreting and transforming political reality. This article then looks at the directions that a liturgical transformation of political reality can take. It will explore the implications of a liturgical ontology of participation, before looking at how the liturgy redefines terms of citizenship and provides an avenue to engage with difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article further probes three of the findings of the author's DMin project thesis, which explored God's call of racial justice in a predominantly white, affluent Episcopal church. The research revealed theological and missional challenges that inhibit the church from joining in God's mission of justice, namely participants viewing the church as the host of missional engagement, white privilege hindering the practice of listening and the reluctance of members to articulate the presence and activity of God as it relates to justice. In consideration of these obstacles, this article recommends the indiscriminate generosity of God for funding the imagination of the missional community for faithful innovation related to racial justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following article examines the role of the sentidos and the entendimiento in Pedro Calderón de la Barca's auto sacramental, El cubo de la Almudena. While scholarship recognises the pervasiveness of the play on the senses in early modern Spain, scholars often either deny or overemphasise the reliability of the senses as a means of truth acquisition. Moreover, scholarship often attaches too much weight to hearing, thus neglecting the role of the eyes of the entendimiento. Based on a Thomistic framework, Calderón demonstrates that the literal element of allegory relies on the active vehicle of the senses to serve as guides for the entendimiento and an entrance into devotion. Although hearing plays a central role in the play, it serves as a herald for sight, by which the devotee exercises faith. Moreover, where the sentidos prove limited, the entendimiento is an auxiliary support that makes up for their lack, seeing beyond sensual perception through faith. In this way, the medium of the auto sacramental and the theology of the Eucharist train the audience to use the vision of faith through both the senses and the entendimiento to see the allegorical meaning of the play, the divine nature of the Eucharist provided by Mary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article I build on recent critiques of theological accounts of the eucharistic which overextend the practice's potential to form a Christian ethic and alternative polis. In analysing these critiques, often drawing on historical and contemporary cases of Christian malformation and its basis in liturgical practice, I suggest a greater distinction is needed between the practice's ability to raise political consciousness and the necessity of separate material political action. I approach this reconfiguration through appeal to debates on the political efficacy and responsibility of art, focusing in particular on contemporary German theatre director, Thomas Ostermeier and his influential production of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. Ostermeier distinguishes theatrical performance from material politics, while still demonstrating how theatre might enact a repoliticisation, provoking audiences to think beyond the story on stage to the world beyond where they live and try to act. Connecting the theological critiques with Ostermeier's work, I offer three areas in which a reconfiguration of the relationship between the Eucharist and Christian ethics might focus: depristinising in practice, disrupting catharsis, and being sent. These theatrical interventions allow for clearer recognition of the practice's ethical and political limits and potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swiss natural philosopher, physician, and radical reformer Theophrastus of Hohenheim (1493–1541), known as Paracelsus, endeavoured to reconcile his various perspectives in his extensive biblical exegeses. Symbolizing this effort were the two lights of nature and the Holy Spirit, which, on one hand, explored worldly and mortal aspects of nature and, on the other hand, led to eternal life. In response to the prevailing dispute between Luther and Zwingli over the interpretation of the Eucharist, Paracelsus developed his own viewpoint, introducing the concept of the new human with a renewed corporeal body. His comprehensive interpretations of the Gospel of Matthew not only addressed theology but also engaged with the perspectives of a natural philosopher, physician, and advocate of natural magic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we survey six factors encouraging a eucharistic interpretation of Heb 13:9-10: (1) the broader context of Hebrews and its warning against idolatry; (2) the understanding of βεβαιοῦσθαι τὴν καρδίαν in 13:9 as literal nourishment; (3) the conceptualization of the table of the Lord's Supper as a θυσιαστήριον in early Christianity; (4) the similar triangulation in 1 Corinthians 10 of the Lord's Supper and the Levitical altar over against food associated with idols; (5) the story of the wilderness generation's craving for the foods of Egypt as background; and (6) the social function of the Lord's Supper as an instrument for addressing hunger in early Christianity. Considered collectively, these factors suggest that Heb 13:9-10 encourages looking to the Lord's Supper, and not idolatrous, pagan "foods," for nourishment. The passage highlights through a comparison with Levitical priests the reasons for doing so all the more. In these regards, Heb 13:9-10 recapitulates in brief form the a minore ad maius comparative argument featured at length throughout the speech. Thus, these considerations, in addition to encouraging a eucharistic interpretation of these verses, contribute to the thesis that Hebrews is concerned not with reversion to non-Christian Judaism but, rather, reversion to pagan, imperial culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guy de Brès, reformer of the southern Low Countries, was tried and condemned for heresy in 1567. In prison he was interrogated by François Richardot, bishop of Arras. De Brès' notes and letters were published posthumously as Procedures tenues. As he had written Le baston de la foy chrestienne as a guide for the Reformed who had to defend their faith, now de Brès had to defend himself and use his knowledge of the Church Fathers. The critical edition of this work will show what material from Le baston returns and what knowledge he acquired that goes beyond his own anthology. We analyze his use of Scholastic authorities, of the first eucharistic controversy of Radbertus and Ratramus, and of a specific edition of the Opus imperfectum on the Gospel of Matthew, published in Antwerp and thus accessible to the itinerant preacher. De Brès had recourse to a range of treatises on the Lord's Supper, which were translated into French, from various reformers. He had also developed the skills to go beyond works of reference, study a contemporaneous edition of a Church Father, and make an informed decision of its value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Josse Ravesteyn, or Judocus Tiletanus, was promoted as a doctor of theology in 1546, acted as participant in the Council of Trent in 1551, and was appointed as inquisitor-general of the Low Countries in 1559. This temporal triptych alone reflects the precipitous degradation of Christian and civil cohesion in the second half of the sixteenth century and how the responsibilities of theologians accordingly changed. Throughout this period, Louvain, its University and its Faculty of Theology were increasingly called upon to provide their expertise to the various appeasement attempts. Inside the Faculty, Tiletanus was also his colleague Michael Baius' main theological opponent from 1564 onwards; after the Council of Trent came to an end, the former called upon different levels of authority to have the latter's works and assertions censured, culminating in Pius V's 1567 bull Ex omnibus afflictionibus. Seeing however how Baius' confidence and notoriety were left somewhat unscathed, Tiletanus confronted him directly in a personal correspondence made up of six letters in 1568. This article is the first attempt to determine to what extent the Council shaped Tiletanus' sense of responsibility as a theologian as well as his relationship with Michael Baius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time is not sequential only. This essay considers the simultaneousness of times as we experience it in the Eucharist, the re-enacting of the past and the anticipation of our future wholeness in the celebration of the present moment. It shows that this simultaneousness can be linked to the way in which people with dementia relate to time. When people with dementia get mixed up about time this is a symptom of a serious disease. But there may be other aspects to it. Their re-enacting the past may be valid behaviour. Their low future orientation may make it possible to value the present more. Losing cognitive memory does not mean that there is no memory at all. Involuntary memory or implicit memory is still available even after cognitive recall goes. This paper postulates that this is a memory which points to God's grace and shows that people with dementia can help us to see the Eucharist from a different perspective. They remind us of our own fragility and dependence on grace and make us aware that Eucharistic remembrance is involuntary, too. If we are willing to learn from them we may approach and celebrate the Eucharist in a less cognitive way [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1264 in the town of Orvieto, St. Thomas Aquinas composed the Lauda Sion as the Mass sequence for Pope Urban IV's new universal solemnity of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the feast of Corpus Christi. The present paper will consider this text of St. Thomas's liturgical sequence in relation to the eucharistic theology that he teaches in the Summa Theologiae. Just as, according to the Dionysian Aquinas, the Psalms contain all the doctrines revealed in the rest of scripture but transposed into the highest literary genre of praise, so the Lauda Sion contains all the essential eucharistic doctrines of the Summa Theologiae , now set in that same laudatory genre as the Psalter. The paper is divided into ten sections, corresponding to the questions in St. Thomas's treatment of the Holy Eucharist in the Tertia Pars. Proceeding one topic at a time, this paper will show how the Lauda Sion serves as a doxological compendium of St. Thomas Aquinas's whole eucharistic theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very little is known about the chalice used by Jesus of Nazareth at the Last Supper. The first Christians used a cup of blessing for the Eucharistic celebration (1Cor 10:16), which insinuates that Jesus used a ritual cup. An exegetical study of the synoptic gospels reveals that this ritual dinner was celebrated in the home of a wealthy disciple of Jesus, who would have lent him the most valuable cup of blessing owned by the family. Hence, it is unlikely that this cup was made of common and cheap materials, such as ceramic or wood. The only mention of this cup in the early centuries is due to St. John Chrysostom, who states (ca. 395 AD) that it was not made of silver. However, its veracity is not reliable due to the lack of earlier comments. In recent decades, archaeological excavations in the Holy Land have revealed that, at the time of Jesus, the use of vessels carved in limestone was common in Jerusalem for ritual practices in the domestic sphere because they were considered unsusceptible to impurity. This fact suggests that the chalice of the Last Supper might have been a valued cup of carved stone, which is consistent with the use of such bowls in the Hellenistic–Roman period among the aristocratic classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores Maurice Blondel's (1861–1949) later notion of the "cycloid" of thought, particularly as this helps us to understand his earlier work L'Action (1893). The aim is to demonstrate how Blondel incorporates aspects of the Christian faith, particularly the Eucharist, into his philosophy without abrogating his "method of immanence". In particular, the article shows how Blondel saw attention to the Christian spirit as essential to the development of a metaphysics that attends both to finite actions and to the action of God, actus purus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article defines the doctrinal concepts of ‘preexistence’ and ‘incarnation’ as they are applied to Jesus Christ. It explores the doctrine of the incarnation in Christian scripture as it was interpreted by the first seven ecumenical councils of the ancient church. It argues that these councils offer a coherent body of teaching on Christ, then it describes the significance of the incarnation for understanding Christian worship, salvation, and the sacrament of the Eucharist. It discusses modern challenges to this doctrine and surveys major modern theologians who have written on the doctrine among Catholics and Protestants.

The Cathedral of Valencia, Spain, has preserved the so-called Holy Chalice of the Last Supper since 1437. It consists of a foot, a gold stem, and an upper cup carved in agate stone. Based on a pious tradition, this cup is supposed to be the one used by Jesus of Nazareth to institute the Eucharist. According to an archeological study published in 1960, this agate bowl was crafted around the 2nd–1st centuries BC, but people visiting this famous relic often wonder about its authenticity and about the evidence supporting it as a Hellenistic–Roman cup. Attempting to clarify this concern, a photographical characterization of the agate cup is presented and discussed. The main conclusions are the following: (i) The typology of the bowl is common to classical tableware, but the wall thickness, shape of the rim, and foot are typical of gemstone cups from the Hellenistic–Roman period. (ii) This cup would have been extremely valuable, which agrees with the location of the Cenacle in the aristocratic neighborhood of Jerusalem. This case study highlights the importance of further investigating the dating of historical objects as a key issue to support their authenticity.

This paper explores the idea, occasionally discernible in Leibniz’s writings, that civil bodies can achieve a real or substantial union through the ’mystical body’ of the Church. The starting question is: can the ‘person’ of the state attain real internal union even if it is not a natural person? This theme is examined in light of Leibniz’s interest in the ontology of complex aggregates (including civil ‘bodies’ or ‘persons’), the miracle of the Eucharist, the mystery of transubstantiation, and the unity of the Church. Since his very early Demonstrationes Catholicae, he had strived to demonstrate that the body of the Church, despite being—so to speak—‘scattered’, can be regarded as a Respublica with a strong internal degree of unity, primarily due to the communion that the faithful share through the Eucharist. This article thus analyses both early and mature texts in which Leibniz discusses the bond established among the faithful by the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, arguing that he experimented with the idea that the spiritual union possible within the Church’s ‘mystical body’ and its aggregative capacity could transform European Christian states not only politically but also substantially.

The text just quoted constitutes an introduction and corazóna framework for this article. Throughout the pages we will try to discover and get to know the relationship of the Founder of Opus Dei with the liturgy, through the most significant biographical aspects, especially his relationship with the liturgical movement, complemented by references to his liturgical thought. The Author's love for the liturgy will lead him to "relate" with many of the intuitions of the liturgical movement already in the 1930s and will lead him to a preaching and liturgical teachings that will precede, at times, the liturgical magisterium of the Second Vatican Council. This same love for the liturgy, as an ecclesial reality, is what moved him to promote an orderly and progressive introduction of the liturgical reform in the celebrations of the centers of Opus Dei, as requested by the Holy See. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The doctrine of transubstantiation (as understood by Aquinas and much subsequent Roman Catholic theology) involves the counter-intuitive claim that accidents can come to exist independently of any substance. In particular, the spatial dimensions of bread and wine can come to exist independently. I point out that a key idea that motivated this claim was an aspect of mediaeval philosophy of nature: namely, relationism about space. I argue that if relationism is dropped in favour of substantivalism, then room is made for a model of transubstantiation which needn't involve an implausible commitment to independently existing accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a systematic presentation of St. Cyril al Alexandria's Theology of the Eucharist. This theology is strongly linked with St. Cyril's Christology and it is appropriately integrated in the context of 5th Century Christological controversy. The author puts emphasis also on the consequences of this controversy for the development of a theology of the Eucharist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central theme of the work is the study of the concept of spiritual worship, that is, of logiké latreía (Rm 12,1) in the writings of Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI and St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, with a comparative analysis of the positions of both authors. After an introductory exegetical-theological examination of logiké latreía, the study focuses on the presentation of the Greek concept in the texts of Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI. For Ratzinger, it is the most appropriate term to explain the Eucharist as opus Dei and to point out the necessity of transforming the Christian's life into continuous adoration of God, to which he is called by baptism and participation in the Eucharist. In harmony with the German theologian's thought, Escrivá's writings are then analyzed, which show how rational worship is carried out. The saint uses the expressions «Deo omnis gloria», «sacrifice», «holocaust» and «service of God and of souls» to illustrate that spiritual worship takes place especially through sanctified work offered to God on the altar of the human heart. The final comparison of the two perspectives points to love as the foundation of authentic worship in the New Covenant and underlines the contribution of the saints' writings to systematic theological reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cathedral of Valencia, Spain, has preserved the so-called Holy Chalice of the Last Supper since 1437. It consists of a foot, a gold stem, and an upper cup carved in agate stone. Based on a pious tradition, this cup is supposed to be the one used by Jesus of Nazareth to institute the Eucharist. According to an archeological study published in 1960, this agate bowl was crafted around the 2nd–1st centuries BC, but people visiting this famous relic often wonder about its authenticity and about the evidence supporting it as a Hellenistic–Roman cup. Attempting to clarify this concern, a photographical characterization of the agate cup is presented and discussed. The main conclusions are the following: (i) The typology of the bowl is common to classical tableware, but the wall thickness, shape of the rim, and foot are typical of gemstone cups from the Hellenistic–Roman period. (ii) This cup would have been extremely valuable, which agrees with the location of the Cenacle in the aristocratic neighborhood of Jerusalem. This case study highlights the importance of further investigating the dating of historical objects as a key issue to support their authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the need for liturgical formation that Pope Francis recently highlighted for the whole Catholic Church in his apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi. The current American Eucharistic Revival encourages engagement in this. Based on a detailed spiritual–liturgical reading of the Emmaus account (Lk 24:13–35), the article develops guiding principles for liturgical catechesis and considers their practical applications with a particular focus on families. The first principle underscores the connection between liturgy and life, which makes catechesis relevant for daily life, e.g., by including testimonies of parents. A second principle outlines the pivotal importance of symbols and suggests methods to enhance their understanding. Fostering active participation in the liturgy, the third principle, is a practical consequence because the celebration itself forms the participants. Moreover, liturgical catechesis connects explanation and experience, as the mystagogical catecheses of the Church fathers demonstrated. Along with Pope Francis, this article also highlights Sunday as a gift and discusses ways of integrating families in the Sunday Eucharist. Finally, the last principles shed light on the task of the priest as the "catechist of catechists". This article both explains the biblical basis of these principles and outlines practical ways to implement liturgical catechesis for families in parishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates the political implications of Thomas Hobbes's extensive treatment of religion by taking up the motif of the Eucharist (and accompanying doctrine of transubstantiation) in Leviathan. Hobbes holds out transubstantiation as an exemplar of absurdity and an historical outgrowth of Christianity's inauspicious meeting with pagan practices. At the same time, Leviathan contains allusions to eucharistic imagery in its narration of the generation of the "Mortal God," the commonwealth, as the incorporation of a civil body. These conflicting sentiments are illustrative of a wider tension running through Hobbes's thought. Although Hobbes's repudiation of superstition is well-known, it stands in stark contrast to Leviathan' s treatment of Christianity as an exemplar of "true" religion. The varied allusions to eucharistic doctrine illustrate how proper use might be made of a persistent "natural religiosity." Both in its consonance with reason and its political logic, Christianity remains a politically constructive expression of "power invisible." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues that the image of Luther cutting his mystical roots when he became a reformer draws more from a concept of orthodox or even liberal Lutheranism than from Luther himself. It shows that Luther and Karlstadt did not divide about the question of following mysticism or not, but about the way mysticism was shaped theologically. For Luther, after his debate with Karlstadt, mysticism was always based on the Word. He also developed a sacramental mysticism, with the Eucharist at its core. One might say, thus, that Luther's mysticism shaped the central aspects of Lutheran ecclesiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contends that Christ's eucharistic offer of friendship, and the habits of attentiveness such real presence demands, must shape the church's mission in a digital milieu that tends to shallow attention and relationships. It makes this argument in dialogue principally with the theology of Bernard Lonergan and the pontificate of Pope Francis, while aided by the cultural commentary of Nicholas Carr, Sherry Turkle, and Marshall McLuhan. First, I consider how Lonergan's focus on human knowing and choosing anticipates the recent turn in the Catholic magisterium under Pope Francis that considers the formative effects of digital communication technologies. Second, I show how Lonergan's account of bias helps explain the shallowing effects of these technologies, for both cognition and community. Third, inspired by Lonergan and Pope Francis, I propose how practices of friendship—informed by Christ's own friendship extended through Eucharistic presence—can foster habits of real presence able to counter the shallows of our digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article probes three of the findings of the author’s D.Min. project thesis, which explored God’s call of racial justice in a predominantly white, affluent Episcopal parish. The research revealed theological and missional challenges that inhibit the church from joining in God’s mission of justice, namely participants viewing the church as the host of mission, white privilege hindering the practice of listening, and the reluctance of members to articulate the presence and activity of God as it relates to justice. In consideration of these obstacles, this article calls upon the indiscriminate generosity of God for funding the imagination of the missional community for faithful innovation related to racial justice.

This article analyzes Christian liturgical elements in the performance Herinner ons [Remember us] as a case study to illustrate the relevance of interperformativity and intertextuality in contemporary climate performance art. The theatrical farewell ceremony, staged by Gouden Haas in 2023, invites the audience to become part of an inclusive ecological community. This invitation incorporates various Christian liturgical elements adapted for the occasion, capitalizing on the ritual repertoire of existing (religious) traditions modified to address the current theme of the climate crisis. Using Herinner ons as a case study, this article argues that intertextuality and interperformativity are relevant in the process of meaning-making prompted by the current climate crisis. In this process, existing liturgical and ritual practices undergo transformation, acquiring new forms and meanings in response to the challenges posed by the climate crisis.

Saint Thomas Aquinas’ notion of participation is developed by Cornelio Fabro with the notion of ‘attingere’. In this essay I address the importance of ‘participare’ as attingere by uncovering it in Aquinas’ commentary on John 6:57. I introduce the notion of supernatural participation of grace and Fabro’s development of the notions of ‘attingere’ as ‘partecipare per similitudinem’ and ‘partecipare per operationem’ for a fuller understanding of the notion of participation that Fabro holds to be so essential. Afterwards we will see a concrete example in the uncovering of said notions in the Angelic Doctor’s commentary on a central verse of the Bread of Life discourse. Thus, we will be able to see both (a) the importance of the notion of ‘participare’ and ‘attingere’ in Saint Thomas’ work, and (b) have a more profound understanding of a key aspect of the thought of the Doctor Communis on grace and the Eucharist.

In spiritual conversations with believers, the opinion is often expressed that there is no salvation without Baptism. Believers base this attitude on the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; and he who does not believe shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16), as well as the words: “Unless one is born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The paper analyzes the foundation of such a point of view. Firstly, the words from the New Testament, as well as from the Holy Fathers’ literature, which highlight the importance of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, are cited. But then another argument from the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament is presented, which testifies that the act of Baptism itself does not guarantee salvation. The most obvious example is Captain Cornelius who was filled with the Holy Spirit even though he had not yet been baptized. Also, we see that the repentant thief on the cross was saved even though he could not show acts of repentance. He was not baptized but he displayed sincere faith. In the conclusion, it is emphasized that the most important criterion for salvation is faith, and all according to the words of the Savior recorded by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John: “Truly, truly, I say to you: He who heeds my word and believes in the One who sent me shall have eternal life, and not come to judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

The Cathedral of Valencia has kept an important relic since 1437: the Holy Chalice of the Last Supper. It consists of an agate cup, a gold stem, and a gemstone foot. According to a pious tradition, this cup is the one used by Jesus of Nazareth to institute the Eucharist. Tourists visiting Valencia Cathedral often doubt its authenticity. There are certain queries that pilgrims wonder about, some of which have not been studied in depth. For example: What is known about the family who owned the chalice? Why would Jesus use a gemstone cup instead of one made of glass, silver, or gold? Aimed at clarifying these concerns, the research methodology was essentially centered on a review of the literature. The main conclusions are the following: (i) The Cenacle belonged to a rich disciple of Jesus, who would have lent him a valuable cup of blessing. Quite likely, it was the family of Saint Mark, who had a close link with Saint Peter. (ii) It is unlikely that Jesus used a cup made of glass because this material was relatively affordable. By contrast, gemstone vessels were highly appreciated. This case study highlights the importance of promoting historic and scientific studies about Christian artworks as a pre-requisite to foster heritage tourism.