THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION AS PARTICIPATION IN THE HEAVENLY BANQUET
The dissertation addresses the theological theme of "Eucharist celebration as participation in the Heavenly Banquet". The dissertation examines how some specific moments of the Eucharist evoke a sense of participation in the divine feast and how long-established concepts such as transubstantiation and real presence can contribute to this notion. The study suggests that participation in the Eucharist is meant to cross cultural and religious boundaries in order to anticipate the eschatological unity of humans and all creation with the divine.
Research concerns
The Second Vatican Council aims to acknowledge the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist as the foremost means for expressing and revealing the mystery of Christ and the authentic essence of the church. This demands recognizing the Church’s dual nature: both human and divine, visible and invisible, engaged in worldly affairs yet directed towards heavenly pursuits, and for this, certain knowledge, competence and formation are necessary for those involved in liturgical celebrations. However, practical observations reveal a deficiency in this formation, resulting in misunderstandings and inadequate execution of liturgical rites.
Research questions
1. What significance does the ‘heavenly banquet’ metaphor hold in the context of the Eucharistic celebration?
2. Which specific elements or rituals of the Eucharistic celebration make it a heavenly banquet?
3. How could a liturgical performance look like, in order to express and make tangible the anticipation of the heavenly banquet, and how might it influence an individual's experience during the Eucharistic celebration?
Research methods
The dissertation uses the “liturgical commentary” to explain the current pattern of Eucharistic celebration and the textual hermeneutics of Paul Ricœur more adequately for a close examination and analysis of the language, structure and theological content of the liturgical texts in order to demonstrate the relationship of Eucharistic celebration to the heavenly banquet.
Literature
Maurer, Pius. “Sanctus-Deutungen in Werken der griechischen Patristik.” Dissertatione ad Doctoratum, Pontificio Instituto Liturgico, Romae, 2002.
Meßner, Reinhard. Einführung in die Liturgiewissenschaft, 2nd ed. München: Ferdinand Schöningh, 2009.
Marshall, Ian Howard. Last Supper and Lord’s Supper. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, 1980.
Supervisor
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Liborius Olaf Lumma
Department of Biblical Studies and Historical Theology
Doctoral Candidate
Arohit Kujur SJ
Arohit.Kujur(at)student.uibk.ac.at
