Rector’s Reflections
Wednesday 26th March 2025
A Theologian for the Modern World: Edward Schillebeeckx
Having provided some general words by way of background, it is now time to look at some of Edward’s thoughts about what it means to be a Christian in the modern world.
I’m going to start with an important book which Edward wrote on the Eucharist. It was originally published in Dutch in 1959, but as my Dutch is non-existent, I’m going to refer to the English translation, Christ the Sacrament of the Encounter with God, published in 1963.
In essence, this book looks at how we should understand the Eucharist in our modern world. Eucharistic theology has traditionally got itself tied up in highly technical Late Mediaeval and Early Modern debates about how we should understand the effect of the consecration – the priest’ s prayer during which the priest blesses the bread and wine. Are the bread and wine actually turned into the real body and blood of Jesus? If so, what does this mean? If they are not actually turned in the real body and blood of Jesus, what is the theological significance of the Eucharist? Is it simply a memorial of the Last Supper? Much ink has been spilt over these questions.
Similarly, much attention has been to the liturgical correct celebration of the Eucharist. A trivial example would be rule that provides that the Gloria be omitted during Lent. A deeper example would be the question as to whether only duly-ordained priests may preside at the Eucharist, or is Lay Presidency permitted?
Finally, what is the effect of a validly celebrated Eucharist? How is God’s grace at work? Do the sacraments work like some kind of divinely bless slot machine, in which the priest puts in the official words, and, hey presto! out pops the sacramental grace ?
Edward invites us to lay all these debates and arguments aside, and to stop looking at the sacraments as if they were pieces of ecclesiastical machinery for the distribution of grace. Instead, we are to see the sacraments, and especially the eucharist, in terms of personal encounters with the Risen Lord Jesus. During the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, he had many encounters with his fellow human beings, and we read about many of these encounters in the gospels. Jesus continues to encounter human beings in his Risen state, specially through the sacraments. So the Eucharist is above all a personal encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus.
So abstruse theological debates on the precise nature of Jesus’ presence in the bread and wine are neither here nor there. Similarly, heated debates about the correct way of celebrating the Eucharist are also only of secondary value- if they are of any value at all.
The key question for us all to ask is this: how is our celebration of the Eucharist a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ? How do the traditions of the Church help us to recognise this moment of encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ? What changes can we make, to ourselves and to Church practices, to ensure that every time with attend the Eucharist, we do indeed experience a personal encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus Christ? If the customs and rules of the Church help us in our personal encounter of Jesus, they are to be kept. But if they are no longer of assistance, or if they are getting in the way of a real encounter with Jesus, we need to get rid of them.
Radical stuff! Too radical an approach? Or a welcome opportunity for us to create a transforming experience of worship, which brings us into the very presence of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ? What do you think?