The Eucharist as a Countercultural Liturgy: An Examination of the Theologies of Henri De Lubac, John Zizioulas, and Miroslav Volf by Yik-Pui Au

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Eucharist as a Countercultural Liturgy: An Examination of the Theologies of Henri De Lubac, John Zizioulas, and Miroslav Volf by Yik-Pui Au Kevin Magas Yik-Pui Au The Eucharist as a Countercultural Liturgy: An Examination of the Theologies of Henri De Lubac, John Zizioulas, and Miroslav Volf Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2017 xv + 176 pages. Paperback. $24.00. Since the latter half of the twentieth century, Roman Catholic theologians such as the late Anscar J. Chupungco, O.S.B., and magisterial documents such as Varietates Legitimae (1994), have reflected on the topic of liturgical inculturation. Too often, however, the richness and theological density of such reflections have been pastorally translated into "adaptation to culture," leading to the increasing subjectivization of liturgical rites. Sometimes forgotten in the [End Page 310] relationship between liturgy and culture is the fact that liturgy not only adapts and incorporates but also purifies and challenges cultural trends in Church and society. Seen in this light, Yik-Pui Au's thesis on the countercultural dimension of the Eucharist reminds us of the multifaceted nature of liturgical inculturation. This book, an evolution of the author's doctoral thesis at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is an ecumenical examination of how the theological interpretations of the Eucharist in the works of Henri De Lubac, John Zizioulas, and Miroslav Volf-representing the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions, respectively-confront the cultural issues they identify. Her introduction and second chapter lay out the methodological foundations of her study, where she finds evidence for the countercultural foundation of the Eucharist in theologies of culture, ritual studies, and liturgical history, particularly in the early Christian communities. Chapters 3-5 are studies of her three major interlocutors, where she proceeds with the same four-step method of analysis, including: (1) analyzing the theologian's theological interpretation of the Eucharist; (2) identifying the cultural currents addressed by the theologian; (3) examining how the theologian counters cultural currents by the Eucharist; (4) evaluating the countercultural function of the theologians' interpretation of the Eucharist. This is the work of a systematician, and it characteristically follows a very clear organizational structure. In short, she finds De Lubac's writings on Eucharistic ecclesi-ology countering individualism as well as "totalitarianism and hierarchical cultures" in the Church. Zizioulas' theology of personhood counters individualism through an affirmation of otherness as well as the ecologically exploitive culture on nature through an account of cosmic priesthood. Au rightfully recognizes that Volf, who represents the "Free Church tradition" lacks an explicitly developed Eucharistic dimension to his Trinitarian and ecclesiological reflections. Nevertheless, she thinks his theology of embrace and connection of the Eucharist to the personal formation of "catholic agents" provides resources to challenge the cultural trends of social exclusion. [End Page 311] Chapter 6 represents her comparative evaluation of her interlocutors using a mutually critical correlation of insights, the results of which are distilled in her concluding chapter 7. Au's comparative evaluation offers many interesting insights into how her figures might complement each other in understanding the countercultural function of the Eucharist. For instance, although De Lubac's account of the relationship between natural and supernatural helps shape his understanding of the countercultural function of the Eucharist, he does not adequately deal with the cosmic dimension of the Eucharist and his perspective is more Christocentric than Trinitarian. His account could be complemented by Zizioulas' more Trinitarian articulation of the cosmic dimension of the Eucharist and the Orthodox tradition of cosmic priesthood. Volf's description lacks the concrete ritual-liturgical details of the celebration of the Eucharist, and should be supplemented by the "thicker" descriptions available in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Au's study accomplishes what it sets out to do in the very clear, methodical way one would expect from an adaptation of one's dissertation. While the study offers many important insights for Catholic liturgists, and its ecumenical focus should be applauded, the author's Protestant perspective colors the interpretation of her figures. In particular, in her analysis of De Lubac we get the sense that "hierarchy" is always a dirty word, and she consistently throws around charges of "totalitarianism in the Church" without...