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Ascetic Eucharists with the Very Rev’d Dr. Andrew McGowan
Read more: Ascetic Eucharists with the Very Rev’d Dr. Andrew McGowanIn this episode we’re joined by the Very Rev’d Dr. Andrew McGowan, an Anglican priest, Dean and President of the Berkeley Divinity School of Yale University and the McFaddin Professor of Anglican Studies and Pastoral Theology, and he’s the author of Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (with Oxford University Press)….
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My Case for ‘Virtual’ Communion
Read more: My Case for ‘Virtual’ CommunionAs the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 drags on, questions regarding the nature and place of the Eucharist are becoming more and more important. Christians in all traditions are now forced to grapple with the reality that it may be some months before congregations and church families can meet again in person. Churches…
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Gathering Together Virtually: Communion Conversation Continued (Podcast)
Read more: Gathering Together Virtually: Communion Conversation Continued (Podcast)In this episode we continue our earlier podcast episode on communion, in the light of recent criticism of the broad position for which we generally advocated. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Anchor, or wherever you get your podcasts. Our earlier conversation was called “Is Virtual Communion Valid?” (posted on March 25th, 2020). You can…
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Is Virtual Communion Valid? (Podcast)
Read more: Is Virtual Communion Valid? (Podcast)Our new podcast episode is out! You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Anchor, or wherever you get your podcasts. In this episode we discuss the difficulty of doing church and being the church in the midst of the present Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). To what extent is virtual communion valid? Given the…
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Mark 1-14 is about the Eucharist: Part I of III
Read more: Mark 1-14 is about the Eucharist: Part I of IIIIn the Gospel According to St. Mark, Jesus introduces and institutes the Eucharist Feast in very few words: And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take, this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks…
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Simon, Matthew, and Communion: Where Are The People We Disagree With?
Read more: Simon, Matthew, and Communion: Where Are The People We Disagree With?At the table sat seven fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, and the other three apostles who at the very least were Jews. If you’re like me and grew up in 21st century United States, then that probably wasn’t the most eyebrow raising description. Except for the tax collectors, because I don’t think the majority…
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What is Communion Really About?
Read more: What is Communion Really About?The theology behind the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, or Communion has been debated throughout church history. However, the continued practice of it shows that it is an essential part of the church’s life. In my experience, Communion has always been about reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice and repenting for sins. Growing up, it was always at…
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Why did Jesus use Alcohol for Communion?
Read more: Why did Jesus use Alcohol for Communion?Until I recently moved to Scotland, I spent most of my Christian life in American Evangelical churches. In these churches, they have unanimously done communion with grape juice, without the option to use wine if one so desired. As much as I regularly experienced this, I never really understood why churches decide to use grape juice instead…
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“There Is A River”: Worship Reflection
Read more: “There Is A River”: Worship ReflectionI have just recently returned from Scotland and there have been a lot of interesting adjustments in the process, like a reverse culture-shock. But one of the things that has particularly stood out is the fact that I haven’t known any of the worship songs at the chapel and church services that I’ve attended since…
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Blood on my Hands
Read more: Blood on my HandsWhen I heard that we were receiving communion as a church staff, I was thankful. I needed it. I was wearied from two stressful weeks of constant ministry. Lots of counseling, lots of planning, lots of situations in which I had no idea what to do. I was tired. That morning, it had taken everything…