Customer Reviews

The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church

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I am satisfied with my purchase from the Sweetspot. The book arrived and was practically new. Also received timely. Thank you.

If you want a Catechism go get one! If you want biblical scholarship get this book from a renowned scholar....Fr LaVerdiere shines in his writings and is not for beople who want His writings are more specific for other GOSPELS, Dining in: the Kingdom of God: The Eucharist in Luke's Gospel, THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL (2VOLUMES)

Many would prefer a catechism for answers,but long before the Catechism the early church and the New Tesyament were the rock upon which the theology, or better ther biblical groundings of the Eucharist dwelt.

It is there that the Theology still finds its foundation and still dwell.

I read this book in 1997 and I have re-read it several times. It still provides me with a rich biblical background.

I highly recommend any of Eugene's books they are solidly gounded in the original Greek text and explain meanings and situations from that Greek text.

This man is brillant!

I treasure this book and those mentioned above. See my profile for other works if you desire.

If you are looking for a book that will give you the Catholic Church's rich interpretation of the biblical text and Church Fathers on the Holy Eucharist, this book is not the one for you.

Fr. LaVerdiere sadly takes a fundamental attitude of skepticism towards the biblical text -- taking the historical-critical method to its outer extremes -- and feels that he has to reconstruct the experience of the early Church and the development of Eucharistic praxis. In so doing, he inflicts a Protestant ecclesiology on the biblical text. As such, the conclusions that he sets forth are largely his own educated guesses and opinions -- based on very shaky foundations -- rather than the sure faith that the Church has handed down to us.

But it does not have to be this way. The Church has preserved for the last 2,000 years the great treasure that the Lord gave to us, and has a very rich and highly-developed theology of the Holy Eucharist firmly rooted in the biblical texts and patristic witness. You may find this first of all in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and then in many other fine books, such as "The Hidden Manna" by Fr. James T. O'Connor or "Holy Eucharist" by Fr. Louis Bouyer.

I'm sure Fr. LaVerdiere wrote his book with good intentions, but he greatly missed the mark. Help stop the cutting down of trees for bad books: don't buy this book!

Eugene Laverdiere is a scholar who has proven his credentials, and yet is no dry scholar. When the bishops of vatican II demanded we return to the sources to reformulate the sacraments, they needed scholars like Laverdiere to point the way.
This book certainly returns to the sources, and provides us with accurate and understandable history.
It is sad that whilst scholars ore obedient to the council some of the leaders are not, and we have seen a return to a style of liturgy that the bishops and presumably the Holy Spirit were trying to supplant.
If you read this book you will have the opportunity to make your own assessment.

Anything that comes from the liturgical press is worth reading for Catholic reseach. This is no exception. The majority of the books of the New Testament as well as some patristic texts are explained in Eucharistic terms as well as a theme for each book ie: Dining in the Kingdom of God: The Eucharist in Luke's Gospel. LaVerdiere is clear in his statements and allows rooms for questioning early practices. He is a poet in his research as much as he is a historian.

If you want to know the preoccupations and concerns of late 20th Century theologians, this book is an excellent resource. If, on the other hand, you are not interested in how many times the word "community" can be used (over 400 times in the book), or you have a healthy skepticism regarding the self-assured conclusions of the historical-critical method run amok, or you actually want to know what the Early Church thought about the Eucharist ... buy another book. Buy a Bible and a copy of the Catechism. Go rent a movie. Just don't spend your time or money on this.