Cooke, Bernard J. The future of Eucharist: how a new self-awareness among Catholics is changing the way they believe and worship. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1997

Nevile, Donald C.

English

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 25
Issue 1 Contextual Perspectives in Pastoral Care and
Counselling
Article 27
5-1-1999
The future of Eucharist: how a new self-awareness
among Catholics is changing the way they believe
and worship
Donald C. Nevile
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Nevile, Donald C. (1999) "The future of Eucharist: how a new self-awareness among Catholics is changing the way they believe and
worship," Consensus: Vol. 25 : Iss. 1 , Article 27.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol25/iss1/27
144 Consensus
getting into heaven. Yancey states: “A lot of us talk like Augustine on
Sundays and live like Pelagius the rest of the week.”
In 1975, William Horden, then President of the Lutheran Theological
Seminary in Saskatoon, wrote Living By Grace. The thesis of Hordern’s
book was: “my observation of the churches in action leads me to believe that
a major aspect of the problem is that Protestant churches practice a works-
righteousness that speaks more loudly than the words with which they teach
justification” (14). Yancey wholeheartedly agrees. Some twenty plus years
later, through this book, he brings together powerful testimonies to help us
reflect on and practice graceful living in a world yearning for grace in
“thought, word and deed”.
In reading Yancey’s Whats So Amazing About Grace?, especially
through its many personal anecdotes of grace and ungrace, as well as stories
from literature, from movies and from a variety of church contexts, 1 find
myself reflecting much on the question: How do 1 live God’s grace within the
contexts that 1 experience within a given day? As 1 wrestle with this question,
1 name it and my struggles with it in my teaching and in my leading of
seminars. When 1 do so there is a strong identification on the part of others
with both the question and the struggles.
Yancey notes that he usually writes about a concept, puzzle or
experience, not to find answers, but to become empowered to grow in
understanding and in practice. In Whafs SoAmazingAbout Grace?, Yancey
does indeed explore rather than define grace. He invites us to engage again
and again God’s extravagant love and grace in our lives, in the world, and as
the heart of the church’s gospel ministry. This book has tremendous value
for personal reflection, small group study, and congregational ministries.
Arnold D. Weigel
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
The Future of Eucharist
Bernard Cooke
Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1997
61 pages, $5.95 GS Paperback
Bernard Cooke is a Roman Catholic practical theologian who, early in
his career, taught at the University of Calgary’s faculty of Religious Studies,
and presently teaches in San Antonio, Texas. The subtitle of this slim
monograph is, “How a new self-awareness among Catholics is changing the
Book Reviews 145
way they believe and worship.”
Cooke is dealing here with the changing patterns of the celebration of
the Mass by Roman Catholics since Vatican 11. The title is a response to the
declining number of ordained priests available in the Roman Church to
preside at the Eucharist. But the discussion also has to do with the changing
awareness and attitudes of Romans toward the Eucharist, especially their
participation in and understanding of it. This, he says, goes beyond the
Vatican 11 reforms and their original intention. He identifies six aspects of this
new awareness among Roman laypersons, clerics, and religious.
First, there is a new understanding of sin, in which the faithful have lost
the former sense of constant sinfulness, and are able to understand the
Eucharist as a place where sin is truly forgiven. In addition, there is today a
new awareness of the social aspects of sin, and a realization that there is
more to our relationship with God than sin forgiven. This means that many
Catholics come to the altar not out of fear but out of desire.
Second, there is a new awareness of Jesus, with more focus on his
humanity. Cooke sees this as creating a sense of anamnesis in eucharistic
celebration which was never present. There is also an important recognition
of Jesus’ social ministry among the poor.
Third, there is a new awareness of the nature of the risen Christ. Recent
developments in thinking about Jesus’ resurrection have influenced Roman
attitudes toward the Eucharist. Formerly the faithful believed that Jesus was
present only in the consecrated and reserved host. Now they are more able
to see Christ present in the gathered community itself. As they realize this,
they become the “celebrant”
,
and the priest is seen simply as the “presider”.
Fourth, there is a new sense that the church is not frozen in time but
evolving. There is more awareness among Catholics that they are the
church. Hence, there is more “ownership” of the Mass. Participation
becomes more a deliberate choice than custom or obligation. They are
more inclined to see church as a community to which they belong.
Fifth, there is a growing desire to celebrate the Christian life through the
Eucharist. People are more inclined today to bring their experiences, joys,
sorrows, and problems to the Eucharist. This affects its celebration. People
sense that we know God and God knows us in the ordinary. This enhances
a sense of the sacramentality of all life.
Sixth, there is a recognition of the benign power of eucharistic ritual.
People are changed through the Eucharist. The liturgy works as rituals work,
by making the faithful aware of their Christian identity and increasing their
commitment to the community of faith and God’s will.
In the long haul, Cooke anticipates fewer but more vital celebrations of
146 Consensus
Eucharist among Romans, largely because of the shortage of priests. Like
most Roman Catholic scholars, he does not recognize that there is a solution
to this, which lies very simply in the ordination of married men and, heaven
forbid, women! But that is another issue altogether.
Is this book necessary? For Roman Catholics, perhaps so. For
Protestants, it provides an interesting window upon recent developments
and attitudes among our Roman brothers and sisters. It is a call to leave
behind routine and obligation in Eucharist and seek the depth and grace
which is there. In this sense, we may all benefit.
Don Nevile
Highwood Lutheran Church
Calgary, Alberta
Clergy Killers: Guidance for Pastors and Congregations Cinder
Attack
G. Lloyd Rediger
Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1997
200 pages, $17.50 Paperback
With the title of this book, Rediger names a demon which afflicts most
pastors at some time in their professional careers: the person who,
consciously or unconsciously, makes it their goal to undermine and destroy
the pastor’s ministry in that place. Clergy killers are “...persons who
intentionally target pastors for serious injury or destruction” (9). They come
in all shapes and forms, but invariably are characterized by the four D’s:
destructive, determined, deceitful, and demonic.
Every pastor must deal with conflict at some time in his or her ministry.
Do all these involve clergy killers? Mo, says Rediger. Conflict is a normal and
often constructive part of everyday ministry. In contrast, the Clergy Killer is
a discrete pathological syndrome, which goes beyond normal ministerial
conflict or the “attitudinally challenged” person.
Rediger carefully distinguishes between normal conflict and “killer”
conflict, and provides helpful information to help the clergy professional tell
which is which. He uses a “case study” method similar to that pioneered by
Lyle Schaller in his many books. Hypothetical situations are presented, in
which clergy are depicted in conflict with various types of “killers”. The
balance of his book is enhanced by the inclusion of a chapter about the other
side of the coin
—
“killer clergy”. Rediger recognizes that the shoe can also be


The future of Eucharist: how a new self-awareness among Catholics is changing the way they believe and worship

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 25Issue 1 Contextual Perspectives in Pastoral Care andCounsellingArticle 275-1-1999The future of Eucharist: how a new self-awarenessamong Catholics is changing the way they believeand worshipDonald C. NevileFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationNevile, Donald C. (1999) "The future of Eucharist: how a new self-awareness among Catholics is changing the way they believe andworship," Consensus: Vol. 25 : Iss. 1 , Article 27.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol25/iss1/27144 Consensusgetting into heaven. Yancey states: “A lot of us talk like Augustine onSundays and live like Pelagius the rest of the week.”In 1975, William Horden, then President of the Lutheran TheologicalSeminary in Saskatoon, wrote Living By Grace. The thesis of Hordern’sbook was: “my observation of the churches in action leads me to believe thata major aspect of the problem is that Protestant churches practice a works-righteousness that speaks more loudly than the words with which they teachjustification” (14). Yancey wholeheartedly agrees. Some twenty plus yearslater, through this book, he brings together powerful testimonies to help usreflect on and practice graceful living in a world yearning for grace in“thought, word and deed”.In reading Yancey’s Whats So Amazing About Grace?, especiallythrough its many personal anecdotes of grace and ungrace, as well as storiesfrom literature, from movies and from a variety of church contexts, 1 findmyself reflecting much on the question: How do 1 live God’s grace within thecontexts that 1 experience within a given day? As 1 wrestle with this question,1 name it and my struggles with it in my teaching and in my leading ofseminars. When 1 do so there is a strong identification on the part of otherswith both the question and the struggles.Yancey notes that he usually writes about a concept, puzzle orexperience, not to find answers, but to become empowered to grow inunderstanding and in practice. In Whafs SoAmazingAbout Grace?, Yanceydoes indeed explore rather than define grace. He invites us to engage againand again God’s extravagant love and grace in our lives, in the world, and asthe heart of the church’s gospel ministry. This book has tremendous valuefor personal reflection, small group study, and congregational ministries.Arnold D. WeigelWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryThe Future of EucharistBernard CookeMahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 199761 pages, $5.95 GS PaperbackBernard Cooke is a Roman Catholic practical theologian who, early inhis career, taught at the University of Calgary’s faculty of Religious Studies,and presently teaches in San Antonio, Texas. The subtitle of this slimmonograph is, “How a new self-awareness among Catholics is changing theBook Reviews 145way they believe and worship.”Cooke is dealing here with the changing patterns of the celebration ofthe Mass by Roman Catholics since Vatican 11. The title is a response to thedeclining number of ordained priests available in the Roman Church topreside at the Eucharist. But the discussion also has to do with the changingawareness and attitudes of Romans toward the Eucharist, especially theirparticipation in and understanding of it. This, he says, goes beyond theVatican 11 reforms and their original intention. He identifies six aspects of thisnew awareness among Roman laypersons, clerics, and religious.First, there is a new understanding of sin, in which the faithful have lostthe former sense of constant sinfulness, and are able to understand theEucharist as a place where sin is truly forgiven. In addition, there is today anew awareness of the social aspects of sin, and a realization that there ismore to our relationship with God than sin forgiven. This means that manyCatholics come to the altar not out of fear but out of desire.Second, there is a new awareness of Jesus, with more focus on hishumanity. Cooke sees this as creating a sense of anamnesis in eucharisticcelebration which was never present. There is also an important recognitionof Jesus’ social ministry among the poor.Third, there is a new awareness of the nature of the risen Christ. Recentdevelopments in thinking about Jesus’ resurrection have influenced Romanattitudes toward the Eucharist. Formerly the faithful believed that Jesus waspresent only in the consecrated and reserved host. Now they are more ableto see Christ present in the gathered community itself. As they realize this,they become the “celebrant”,and the priest is seen simply as the “presider”.Fourth, there is a new sense that the church is not frozen in time butevolving. There is more awareness among Catholics that they are thechurch. Hence, there is more “ownership” of the Mass. Participationbecomes more a deliberate choice than custom or obligation. They aremore inclined to see church as a community to which they belong.Fifth, there is a growing desire to celebrate the Christian life through theEucharist. People are more inclined today to bring their experiences, joys,sorrows, and problems to the Eucharist. This affects its celebration. Peoplesense that we know God and God knows us in the ordinary. This enhancesa sense of the sacramentality of all life.Sixth, there is a recognition of the benign power of eucharistic ritual.People are changed through the Eucharist. The liturgy works as rituals work,by making the faithful aware of their Christian identity and increasing theircommitment to the community of faith and God’s will.In the long haul, Cooke anticipates fewer but more vital celebrations of146 ConsensusEucharist among Romans, largely because of the shortage of priests. Likemost Roman Catholic scholars, he does not recognize that there is a solutionto this, which lies very simply in the ordination of married men and, heavenforbid, women! But that is another issue altogether.Is this book necessary? For Roman Catholics, perhaps so. ForProtestants, it provides an interesting window upon recent developmentsand attitudes among our Roman brothers and sisters. It is a call to leavebehind routine and obligation in Eucharist and seek the depth and gracewhich is there. In this sense, we may all benefit.Don NevileHighwood Lutheran ChurchCalgary, AlbertaClergy Killers: Guidance for Pastors and Congregations CinderAttackG. Lloyd RedigerLouisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1997200 pages, $17.50 PaperbackWith the title of this book, Rediger names a demon which afflicts mostpastors at some time in their professional careers: the person who,consciously or unconsciously, makes it their goal to undermine and destroythe pastor’s ministry in that place. Clergy killers are “...persons whointentionally target pastors for serious injury or destruction” (9). They comein all shapes and forms, but invariably are characterized by the four D’s:destructive, determined, deceitful, and demonic.Every pastor must deal with conflict at some time in his or her ministry.Do all these involve clergy killers? Mo, says Rediger. Conflict is a normal andoften constructive part of everyday ministry. In contrast, the Clergy Killer isa discrete pathological syndrome, which goes beyond normal ministerialconflict or the “attitudinally challenged” person.Rediger carefully distinguishes between normal conflict and “killer”conflict, and provides helpful information to help the clergy professional tellwhich is which. He uses a “case study” method similar to that pioneered byLyle Schaller in his many books. Hypothetical situations are presented, inwhich clergy are depicted in conflict with various types of “killers”. Thebalance of his book is enhanced by the inclusion of a chapter about the otherside of the coin—“killer clergy”. Rediger recognizes that the shoe can also be

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