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John Chrysostom, Theologian of the Eucharist
Series: Patristic Theology
Imprint: Catholic University of America Press
Despite the fact that John Chrysostom wrote more on the Eucharist than any other Greek Church Father, there has never been a full treatment of his doctrine in English. In this book, Kenneth Howell brings together a wide array of sources from which he develops a many-sided portrait of Chrysostom’s eucharistic thought. While the Antiochene preacher assumed the real presence and the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist, he focused more on the moral and spiritual implications of communion. At the root of his theology lies the conviction that the Eucharist with its home in the liturgy is the extension of Christ’s incarnate life through space and time. All that Christ accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection is present and available to the communing Christian who stands in union with the angelic hosts in the liturgy of the church. John’s preaching at times reaches encomiastic proportions as he never tires of praising the benefits and power of the Eucharist and he deftly applies the sacrament to the struggle of virtue and vice as he explores both the invitation and the obstacles to communion. Among the moral implications of the Eucharist, John seems to distinguish well between sins arising from human weakness versus malicious dispositions freely chosen. He is especially keen to exhort his hearers to lay aside the remembrance of evil ( mnesikakia) done to them in their past lives. Humility and forbearance are two essential virtues in arriving at forgiveness of past injuries. And lack of forgiveness is like greed in that both constitute a turn in on oneself. The Eucharist demands love of neighbor and active ministry to the less fortunate of the world. For John, God is interested in golden souls more than golden chalices.
Kenneth J. Howell is Academic Director of the Eucharist Project and President of the Pontifical Studies Foundation.
"Howell provides a significant contribution to scholarship on Chrysostom and on the early Church's teaching on the Eucharist in a way that benefits disciplines in the academy (e.g., patristics, sacramental theology) and also is admirably accessible to general audiences of Christians from both East and West."
~Andrew Hofer, OP, author of The Power of Patristic Preaching: The Word in Our Flesh
"At last the scholarly community has access to a historical and systematic analysis of the whole of John Chrysostom’s eucharistic theology. Kenneth Howell’s pedagogical clarity also allows the erudite non-specialist reader to dive into this gem of patristic scholarship"
~Bernhard Blankenhorn, OP, author of Bread from Heaven: An Introduction to the Theology of the Eucharist
"Kenneth Howell has given a deeply sympathetic and engaging presentation of St. John Chrysostom’s teaching on the power of the Eucharistic love of Jesus. Howell highlights Chrysostom’s sacramental worldview in which heaven and earth are united in the liturgy, and points to the vividness and passion with which Chrysostom speaks about the real presence of Christ and His Sacrifice, the dignity of the priesthood of the New Covenant, and the moral and mystical dimensions of Holy Communion. This book is beneficial not only for Patristic scholars but also for all those who seek to grow in eucharistic wonder and live a eucharistic life."
~Lawrence Feingold, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
"Surprisingly little has been written in recent decades on the Eucharistic theology of the Church Fathers. Kenneth Howell's book arrives, therefore, like a breath of fresh air. It is astoundingly comprehensive and erudite, while also never forgetting that the Fathers were pastors. Howell leads us into Chrysostom's theology of the Eucharist both masterfully and lovingly, sharing the great saint's love of Christ and the Eucharist. This book merits a wide readership!"
~Matthew Levering, James N. Jr. and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary
"A long overdue book attempting to take a holistic look at the eucharistic theology of the Greek-speaking father...a helpful tool for both liturgical and patristic scholars interested in the theology of St John Chrysostom, a patriarch of Constantinople who undoubtedly shaped the liturgy and theology of the Byzantine world, continuing to do so even in modern times"
~Journal of Theological Studies