Mondays are for Church History
12/16/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter VII. Public Worship and Religious Customs and Ceremonies." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2124-2268). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 74-101).
"§96. The Sacrifice of the Eucharist." (pp. 2238-2246).
The concepts of sacrament and sacrifice co-exist in both the Greek and Latin churches, interpreted in a way more similar to the view of Catholicism than to Protestantism (Schaff 2014, p. 2238). Schaff observes the centrality of the sacrificial idea in ancient religions, which, in Christianity, is fulfilled in Jesus' sacrificial death (Schaff 2014, p. 2239). The eucharist, then, as well as being receptive of Christian sacrifice, in accord with its name, is also a giving of thanks, a time when our prayers are heard. The offering, then, is both from God to us and from us to God (Schaff 2014, p. 2239).
Schaff observes that Greek and Roman traditions were eventually imported into the eucharist, making it a repeated offering of Jesus to God the Father (Schaff 2014, p. 2240). In his view, the sacramental aspects are eclipsed by the sacrificial aspect, which then became a materialized ritual (Schaff 2014, p. 2241).
Schaff does note that in the ante-Nicene period, the eucharist was understood as the congregation's thank offering to God (Schaff 2014, p. 2241). He views the failure to consist of a materialistic conception, as opposed to a symbolic concept. From the start as a material sacrifice, by the end of the sixth century, the eucharist had developed into a repetitive offering of Christ's body to the Father (Schaff 2014, p. 2242). The eucharistic offering becomes the fulfillment of the offerings under the Mosaic covenant (Schaff 2014, p. 2243), and it is quite literally seen as Christ offering himself to the Father again through the agency of the priest. Because the eucharist is for all Christians, it becomes a time for the living and the dead to participate together, with prayers being made to and for all those who have come before (Schaff 2014, p. 2244). These prayers may then be seen as aiding those who have come before us and who have not entirely obtained their heavenly reward, but are still in a state of purgatory (Schaff 2014, p. 2245). Again, Schaff observes the loss of the sacramental aspects of the eucharist, largely displaced by the sacrificial aspects.
12/16/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter VII. Public Worship and Religious Customs and Ceremonies." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2124-2268). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 74-101).
"§96. The Sacrifice of the Eucharist." (pp. 2238-2246).
The concepts of sacrament and sacrifice co-exist in both the Greek and Latin churches, interpreted in a way more similar to the view of Catholicism than to Protestantism (Schaff 2014, p. 2238). Schaff observes the centrality of the sacrificial idea in ancient religions, which, in Christianity, is fulfilled in Jesus' sacrificial death (Schaff 2014, p. 2239). The eucharist, then, as well as being receptive of Christian sacrifice, in accord with its name, is also a giving of thanks, a time when our prayers are heard. The offering, then, is both from God to us and from us to God (Schaff 2014, p. 2239).
Schaff observes that Greek and Roman traditions were eventually imported into the eucharist, making it a repeated offering of Jesus to God the Father (Schaff 2014, p. 2240). In his view, the sacramental aspects are eclipsed by the sacrificial aspect, which then became a materialized ritual (Schaff 2014, p. 2241).
Schaff does note that in the ante-Nicene period, the eucharist was understood as the congregation's thank offering to God (Schaff 2014, p. 2241). He views the failure to consist of a materialistic conception, as opposed to a symbolic concept. From the start as a material sacrifice, by the end of the sixth century, the eucharist had developed into a repetitive offering of Christ's body to the Father (Schaff 2014, p. 2242). The eucharistic offering becomes the fulfillment of the offerings under the Mosaic covenant (Schaff 2014, p. 2243), and it is quite literally seen as Christ offering himself to the Father again through the agency of the priest. Because the eucharist is for all Christians, it becomes a time for the living and the dead to participate together, with prayers being made to and for all those who have come before (Schaff 2014, p. 2244). These prayers may then be seen as aiding those who have come before us and who have not entirely obtained their heavenly reward, but are still in a state of purgatory (Schaff 2014, p. 2245). Again, Schaff observes the loss of the sacramental aspects of the eucharist, largely displaced by the sacrificial aspects.
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