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Last update: October 7, 2001 The overheads and handout for this session, as well as the general reference list for the series can be downloaded as a .pdf file from the Download Page.
Topics 1.1. Definition 1.2. God and worship 1.3. The roots from which springs our worship 1.4. The diverse settings and expression of worship 1.5. The dual actions of worship 2. A Sacramental Universe. The Sacraments 2.1. Intimations of the Divine in the Created World: A Sacramental View of The Universe 2.2. The Basis for a Sacramental View of the Universe 2.3. Sacramental Rites in Our Daily Lives 2.4. Sacramental Rites or Rituals in the Church 2.5. The Outward Parts and Inward Spiritual Reality of a Sacrament 3.1. Introduction 3.2. The Eucharist and Christ 3.3. The Holy Eucharist as Sacrament: Matter, Form, and Grace 3.4. The Three Facets of the Holy Eucharist 3.5. The Holy Eucharist as a Meal 3.6. The Holy Eucharist as the Real Presence of Jesus 3.7. Holy Eucharist as Sacrifice 3.8. The Holy Eucharist: Summary 4.1. Centrality of the Prayer Book to Anglicans and The Episcopal Church 4.2. The Prayer Book: History and Development 4.3. Table of Contents 5.1. Origin of the “Daily Offices” in Medieval Monasticism 5.2. "Daily Offices" in the Prayer Book 5.3. Motivation and Importance of the Daily Offices
1. What is Worship? 1.1. Definition Webster’s definition:
1.2. God and worship God:
worship:
1.3. The roots from which springs our worship
“Thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in thee.” - St. Augustine of Hippo (b. 354)
Worship is rooted in our:
1.4. The diverse settings and expression of worship Worship can involve language, music, art, dance, all the senses
May be corporate or private.
Can be in diverse locations: Gothic cathedral to private home.
1.5. The dual actions of worship Worship involves both:
2. A Sacramental Universe. The Sacraments 2.1. Intimations of the Divine in the Created World: A Sacramental View of The Universe Intimations of the divine in the created world as described in literature:
“Teach me, my God and King, in all things thee to see” - George Herbert, Anglican poet
“Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees takes off his shoes, The rest sit round and plunk blackberries.” - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“To me, the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.” - William Wordsworth
“Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made.” (NRSV) - St. Paul, Romans 1:20
Duality of Our Experience in this world
A “sacramental” view of the universe links the two pieces of this duality:
2.2. The Basis for a Sacramental View of the Universe Fundamental basis of a Sacramental View of the Universe is:
1. the material world is good:
2. the material world can be a door to the sacred:
2.3. Sacramental Rites in Our Daily Lives There are many “sacraments:” material objects, or physical events/actions that can be “doors” to the sacred We have many “rites” = ritual physical actions, that express and are “doors” to feelings, inner realities, meaning beyond the mechanics of the act:
2.4. Sacramental Rites or Rituals in the Church Church has defined seven “sacramental” rites or rituals: “Sacraments”
Two Sacraments of the Gospel:
Other Sacramental Rites that evolved under guidance of the Holy Spirit:
2.5. The Outward Parts and Inward Spiritual Reality of a Sacrament 1. outward or visible part = “matter” and/or “form.”
2. inward spiritual reality = “res”
3.1. Introduction The Eucharist is the “supreme” sacrament
Other names for the Holy Eucharist:
3.2. The Eucharist and Christ Christ is the
3.3. The Holy Eucharist as Sacrament: Matter, Form, and Grace The outward part: 1. “matter” and/or “form”
The inner spiritual reality: 2. “res”
3.4. The Three Facets of the Holy Eucharist The three facets of the Holy Eucharist:
3.5. The Holy Eucharist as a Meal 3.5.1. Original setting was in a Jewish meal The original setting of the Holy Eucharist (the last supper) was a Jewish meal.
Note the form of the Jewish beraka (blessing or thanksgiving): before meal:
after meal:
3.5.2. Meals in the Ancient World In Israel and ancient world: a meal was not merely an occasion for eating, drinking, but a sacred occasion. In the ancient church, the Eucharist began as a regular meal; then gradually became a symbolic meal.
3.5.3. Problems with Eucharist as regular meal Problems with doing the Eucharist as part of a regular meal in the early world are documented in the New Testament (a name used for these gatherings of a meal and the Holy Eucharist was "love feast"):
I Cor 11: “I do not commend you, because when you come together, it is not for the better, but for the worse . . . it is not the Lord’s Supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk.”
Jude 1:12: “These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves.”
3.5.4. Summary of the Eucharist as a Meal As a meal, Eucharist includes:
3.6. The Holy Eucharist as the Real Presence of Jesus 3.6.1. The Mystery of the "Real Presence of Jesus" in the Eucharist We affirm that the body and blood of Christ are "truly present" in the Eucharist, that the flesh of Christ is in some way "life-giving." But how can this be? This is a matter of continued theological speculation, but ultimately remains a mystery.
St. Augustine's description is still an apt description of the mystery of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
“That which you see is bread and the cup, which even your eyes declare to you; but as to that in which your faith demands instruction, the bread is the body of Christ, the cup is the blood of Christ. . . these things are called sacraments for this reason, that in them one thing is seen, another thing is understood.”
- St. Augustine of Hippo (b. 354)
3.6.2. Transubstantiation During the Middle Ages a view called Transubstantiation attempted to provide an explanation for the real presence: Transubstantiation is based on Greek view of reality. Every “thing” has:
Transubstantiation says that the "substance” of bread and wine is changed into the "substance" of the body and blood of Christ; the “accidents” of the bread and wine remain, still genuinely there.
The view of transubstantiation however is difficult to reconcile with the atomic and molecular view of matter in modern science.
3.6.3. Summary: The Holy Eucharist as the Real Presence of Jesus In the material objects (the “matter”) of bread and wine, a “door” is open to us, and we truly receive Jesus The “how” is a mystery and a continued matter for theological speculation
3.7. Holy Eucharist as Sacrifice 3.7.1. Sources of the View of the Holy Eucharist as Sacrifice Last Supper likely a Passover meal, a sacrificial feast:
Scripture also refers to the sacrificial nature of Jesus' mission:
3.7.2. Remembrance: not Repetition, but Re-presenting We affirm Jesus’ death on Calvary is a unique and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of humanity. A "repetition" of Calvary in the Holy Eucharist is thus unnecessary and an affront to this affirmation.
Jesus asked: "Do this in “remembrance” of me." What is mean by "remembrance?"
In the Holy Eucharist, we "re-present" the sacrifice of Calvary. This “re-presenting” of Calvary is not merely a psychological “trick,” but a recognition of a metaphysical reality:
3.8. The Holy Eucharist: Summary The Holy Eucharist is a:
Note: a copy of the current Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. can be downloaded as a hyperlinked Microsoft .lit or an HTML ebook.
4.1. Centrality of the Prayer Book to Anglicans and The Episcopal Church The Prayer Book is central to the Episcopal church. Other denominations have theologians:
The Anglican Church does not have a dominant theologian, but rather finds unity through its prayer book.
4.2. The Prayer Book: History and Development 1549: first Prayer Book
Today, each Anglican Church has its own Prayer Book
4.3. Table of Contents Note the Holy Eucharist lies at the center of the book (It is easier to use a book opened at its center).
5.1. Origin of the “Daily Offices” in Medieval Monasticism Medieval Monasticism in the West defined “offices” of prayer through the day:
5.2. "Daily Offices" in the Prayer Book First Prayer Book tried to make prayer part of daily life with two “offices” of prayer: morning and evening
The 1979 Prayer Books has short (< 5 minutes) prayers for four times during the day:
5.3. Motivation and Importance of the Daily Offices The Daily Offices reflects a biblical image of church as a people of prayer
6. References The main references for this session were: A Guide to the Sacraments. John Macquarrie. Continuum. New York. 1998 Welcome to the Episcopal Church An Introduction to Its History, Faith, and Worship. Christopher L. Webber. Morehouse. 1999
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