This post is the final in our series on the history of communion. The Contemporary Church In general, the five major Reformation views on Communion persist today, although with literally tens of thousands of denominations worldwide, explanations of Communion can vary greatly among contemporary churches. Adding further complexity is the “rediscovery” of worldwide Christianity inContinue reading “A Brief History of Communion: Contemporary Christianity”
Tag Archives: Bread
A Brief History of Communion: Five Reformation Views
This post is part of an ongoing series on the history of communion. The Reformation Church With the outbreak of theological reforms in the 16th century came considerable revisions and specifications of the theologies and practices of Communion. Essentially, five major views solidified: Tridentine, Consubstantial, Reformed, Via Media, and Memorialist.
A Brief History of Communion: Medieval Christianity
This post is part of an ongoing series on the history of communion. The Medieval Church During the medieval period, the Church began to use a common liturgy for Eucharistic celebration, with prescribed texts and traditions for services and practice. Some differences emerged between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity, differences which were formalizedContinue reading “A Brief History of Communion: Medieval Christianity”
A Brief History of Communion: 2nd to 5th Centuries
This post is part of an ongoing series on the history of communion. Second to Fifth Centuries After Justin, we see a proliferation of Christian writers, many of whom speak about Communion, some with great regularity. These Christians come from all corners of the Roman Empire and beyond: Gaul (Irenaeus), Egypt (Clement of Alexandria andContinue reading “A Brief History of Communion: 2nd to 5th Centuries”
A Brief History of Communion: Justin’s Apology
This post is part of an ongoing series on the history of communion. Justin’s Apology Justin Martyr, writing around 150 CE in Rome, provides a unique perspective into the weekly practice of Communion among second century Christians. Toward the end of his First Apology he outlines the liturgy of the Roman Church: Scripture readings followedContinue reading “A Brief History of Communion: Justin’s Apology”
A Brief History of Communion: Apostolic Fathers
This post is part of an ongoing series on the history of communion. The Apostolic Fathers The earliest non-canonical references to Communion come in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, namely Ignatius of Antioch (c. 108 CE) and the Didache (c. 110 CE). Ignatius, much like Paul in 1 Corinthians, indicates that he is veryContinue reading “A Brief History of Communion: Apostolic Fathers”
A Brief History of Communion: Origins
Christians of all sorts partake of some form of communion. Known by different names—the Lord’s Supper, Eucharist, Holy Communion, Breaking of Bread, Mass—and taken at different frequencies—daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly—this practice involving bread and wine stands as a testament to both Christian unity as well as divisions. What do contemporary Christians believe about the Lord’sContinue reading “A Brief History of Communion: Origins”
Engaging Pseudo-Dionysius
The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite forms part of a treatise which belongs to a corpus of works said to have derived from Dionysus the Areopagite from Acts 17:34.[1] This writer of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy also wrote treatises on a Christian Celestial Hierarchy (dealing with realms of angels and angelic beings), the Divine NamesContinue reading “Engaging Pseudo-Dionysius”
Luther and Zwingli on the Lord’s Supper
It has been widely noted that few events in the history of the Christian Church have dramatically impacted the course of western culture and civilization as the Age of Theological Reformation in the 16th century. Within the myriad of events that transformed a relatively institutionally monolithic Catholic Church into a plethora of competing theological claims,Continue reading “Luther and Zwingli on the Lord’s Supper”
Pursuing Veritas 