Eucharistic Spirituality

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Eucharistic Spirituality
An Overview of Anglican Theolgy in Thought
Practice
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• Sources of Information and Formation
• The Bible Passover Meal, Maundy Thursday, Agape
  feast, St Paul (1 Cor), Marriage Supper of
  the Lamb (Revelation)
• Sacred Tradition Didache, Apostolic Traditions
• The Book of Common Prayer Beginning in 1549
• Customs, Piety, and Local Flavor

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• Some Anglican Distinctives and Contributions
• The offering of the Eucharist in the
  vernacular (usually) not Latin.
• The offering is common prayer not the
  private work of the priest.
• Although Protestant still retains catholic
  values (role of priesthood, sacramental, etc.)
• Restored an epiclesis in the Western Rite long
  before the Roman Rite did

• The principle of lex orandi, lex credendi
  literally, the law of prayer is the law of
  belief.
• The Book of Common Prayer is the expression and
  articulation of what Anglicans believe and
  practice... even with all its ambiguities and
  omissions!

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• Rite and Ceremony
• The Rite (words of the service) are prescribed in
  the Book of Common Prayer.
• The Ceremony (the ways in which the service is
  carried out) is not spelled out in the Book of
  Common Prayer.
• Things Left Unsaidin the BCP...

• Vestments to be worn (or not to be worn)
• Leavened or Unleavened bread for the eucharist
• The use of icons, candles, or crosses
• Manual gestures of the celebrant (only to touch
  the elements)
• Requirements to genuflect or bow

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Novus Ordo Missae Changes in Rite Ceremony
in Recent Times

• The Second Vatican Council brought in
  far-reaching reform, not just in the Roman
  Church, but in Anglicanism and global
  Christianity as a whole. The overall purpose was
  to renew the church and move toward Christian
  unity as a whole.
• Some Post-Conciliar Eucharistic Reforms
• Simple, approachable liturgies. Revised
  Lectionaries.
• Emphasis on Eucharist as common meal rather than
  ritual action.
• Removal of secret prayers and priestly actions.
• Movement of the altar away from the wall
• Replacement of choir chant with folk music.

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Classic Anglican Eucharistic Aphorism Christ was
the Word that spake it He took the bread and
brake it And what that Word did make it I do
believe and take it (John Donne - Divine Poems.
On the Sacrament)
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• Anglican Eucharistic
• Theology Spirituality
• Divergent in belief and practice (Low, High,
  Broad)
• Multiform not uniform in composition
• Comprehensive in tradition
• Comfortable with mystery
• Anchored in the BCP tradition
• Most affirm real presence of Christ
• Ideas are often tied to particular technical and
  hermeneutic interests of various church parties
  within the Anglican tradition.