14 October 2009
New Lutheran Quote of the Day
The Eucharist is a symbol of the renewal of all things by Christ and in Christ. This is part of Christ's total sacramental design. By His own Baptism He hallows Jordan and all water to be a saving flood and an abundant washing away of sin. By His union with His bride the Church He reflects this great mystery in the union of every Christian husband with every Christian wife and, in a fainter refraction of the mystery, in every union where every act of unselfish giving of one's self in authentic love, no matter how fleeting, mirrors His love for the world that He has reconciled to God. By His separation to His service of a man upon whom the Spirit's charism of priesthood is bestowed by the laying on of hands, Christ affirms His will that no potential harvest anywhere in the world be lost because of a lack of laborers - a point the earliest Lutheran ordinals made very strongly. Through the reconciliation of the penitent in holy absolution He affirms that the door of hope and of rescue that the Holy Spirit opened in Baptism is never closed as long as life lasts. -- A. C. Piepkorn, *The Church* pp. 198, 199
I'm uncomfortable with Piepkorn saying that the Eucharist is a symbol of renewal. It is renewal. If it were symbolic, then the Eucharist has no real power to lift us up from our infirmities, forgive sins, etc.. I'm sure it's probably not what he actually meant, but when the word "symbol" or "symbolic" is thrown around especially when speaking of the sacraments, one can feel the Calvinist and Zwinglian spirit not too far away. Just an observation.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteFrom reading Piepkorn, I think he meant "symbol" in the older sense of the word: a sign of a PRESENT reality. In other words, the Eucharistic bread and wine point to AND participate in the reality to which they point: the in-breaking of the Eschaton, of the final age, where ALL is purified by the all-consuming fire of Divine Love.
This is an amazing quote. I am loving this Piepkorn guy more and more. Tell me, where can I get his works?
ReplyDeleteThe first volume, the one I've been citing, you can pick up if you search for Piepkorn at Amazon. Just look for *The Church.* The second volume you need to contact Dr. Secker for:
ReplyDeletepsecker@snet.net
I'm not accusing Piepkorn of heresy (I leave that to my bishops) but if it the word symbol is used as "pointing to" it still says that the Eucharist points us to Christ rather than suggesting an intimate communion with Him. I'm sorry to be a stick in the mud with regards to language, but you know us linguists! :)
ReplyDelete