Two Views of the Mass: Medieval Linguistic Ambiguities

Abstract

THE PURPOSE of article is to give a summary sketch and evaluation of some of the main Catholic theological explanations of the Eucharistie sacrifice from the time of St. Thomas and, in the second part, to relate the findings of inquiry to the important question, just now so topical, whether there is any sound basis for the Anglican claim that the thirty-first of their Thirty-nine Articles of Religion was, on its negative side, directed less against the traditional orthodox doctrine of the Mass than against a rather confused and unsatisfactory popular theology of the Mass current in the late Middle Ages. Both for priests and people is the Mass that matters, and it is rather surprising how comparatively rarely sermons are preached upon this sacrament of our redemption, as it happens to be called in the Secret for day on which I unlimber my typewriter. One reason for rarity may be the almost bewilderingly rich variety of theories about the Mass which have now prevailed for some considerable time. The preacher may even be uncertain which theory he favors himself; and even if he confidently holds one view, he may well feel diffident about combining in a sermon (which has its own kind of literary and emotional unity) both the Church's authoritative teaching and a particular theological explanation of it—especially as he knows that, whichever theory he chooses to enlarge upon to excite and satisfy devotion, there will be a considerable weight of theological opinion against it.