The Lord's Supper: Five Views

by Gordon T. Smith (Editor), Jeffrey Gros (Contribution by), John R. Stephenson (Contribution by), Leanne Van Dyk (Contribution by), Roger E. Olson (Contribution by)

Overview

Lord's Supper. Eucharist. Communion. Sacrament. Ordinance.

While it's the meal that should unite us as followers of Christ, it sometimes appears we can't even agree on what to call it, let alone how we might share a common theological view of its significance. Even if we cannot reach full agreement, how can we better understand one another and this central observance of the Christian faith?

In this Spectrum Multiview volume Gordon Smith has invited five representatives of differing views within Christian tradition. Each holds his or her views with conviction and makes the case for that tradition. Each responds to the other views with charity, highlighting significant areas of agreement and disagreement. The views and contributors include

• The Roman Catholic View—Brother Jeffrey Gros, F.S.C., Professor of Church History, Memphis Theological Seminary, Memphis, Tennessee
• The Lutheran View—John R. Stephenson, Professor of Historical Theology, Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catherines, Ontario
• The Reformed View—Leanne Van Dyk, Academic Dean and Professor of Reformed Theology, Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan
• The Baptist View—Roger E. Olson, Professor of Theology, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Waco, Texas
• The Pentecostal View—Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Professor of Systematic Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California

Here's a book that offers more light than heat on an important topic.

Spectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830828845
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	07/29/2008
Series:	Spectrum Multiview Book Series
Pages:	159
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Roger E. Olson (PhD, Rice University) is professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the author of The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition Reform, The Mosaic of Christian Belief: Twenty Centuries of Unity Diversityand The Westminster Handbook to Evangelical Theology. He is also coauthor of 20th-Century Theology: God the World in a Transitional Age and Who Needs Theology? An Invitation to the Study of God (both with Stanley J. Grenz), and of The Trinity (with Christopher A. Hall).

Gordon T. Smith is president of reSource Leadership International for Theological Education (formerly Overseas Council Canada), which works with other reSource affiliates to support and enable excellence in theological education in the developing world. Formerly academic dean and associate professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, he has also taught in the Philippines and at Canadian Bible College and Theological Seminary in Regina, Saskatchewan. He is the author of Beginning Well, Courage and Calling, Listening to God in Times of Choice and The Voice of Jesus.

Veli-Matti Käkkäinen is professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He has published numerous articles in international journals of theology. His books include Pneumatology (Baker), Christology (Baker), Toward a Pneumatological Theology (UPA), An Introduction to Ecclesiology (InterVarsity Press), Trinity and Religious Pluralism (Ashgate), The Doctrine of God (Baker) and One with God (Liturgical Press).

Table of Contents

Introduction

1 The Roman Catholic View
Brother Jeffrey Gros, F.S.C.
A Lutheran Response
A Reformed Response
A Baptist Response
A Pentecostal Response

2 The Lutheran View
John R. Stephenson
A Roman Catholic Response
A Reformed Response
A Baptist Response
A Pentecostal Response

3 The Reformed View
Leanne Van Dyk
A Roman Catholic Response
A Lutheran Response
A Baptist Response
A Pentecostal Response

4 The Baptist View
Roger E. Olson
A Roman Catholic Response
A Lutheran Response
A Reformed Response
A Pentecostal Response

5 The Pentecostal View
Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen
A Roman Catholic Response
A Lutheran Response
A Reformed Response
A Baptist Response

Conclusion

For Further Reading

Indexes

Editorial Reviews

I think any layperson with an interest in comparing various views of the Lord's Supper without having to read 5 systematic theology texts will be well served by this book.

September 3 InternetMonk.com

What this volume does well is to show how within each tradition there is real overlap and points for conversation. This is a great introductory volume.

Kyle Strobel

The Lord's Supper: Five Views contains a wealth of important information, especially in regards to the history of each position.

Trevin Wax

I wish I had had this book years ago when I moderated a wide-spred e-mail discussion group that focused on the meaning of Holy Communion. . . . In the end, it makes for an insightful look into a major sacrament that has divided Christianity for centuries. This would be a great study book for church groups.

Bill Tammeus

The Lord's Supper: Five Views contains a wealth of important information, especially in regards to the history of each position.

--Trevin Wax, Kingdom People (trevinwax.com), November 13, 2008

I think any layperson with an interest in comparing various views of the Lord's Supper without having to read 5 systematic theology texts will be well served by this book.

--InternetMonk.com, September 3, 2008

I wish I had had this book years ago when I moderated a wide-spred e-mail discussion group that focused on the meaning of Holy Communion. . . . In the end, it makes for an insightful look into a major sacrament that has divided Christianity for centuries. This would be a great study book for church groups.

--Bill Tammeus, Faith Matter (billtammeus.typepad.com), August 23, 2008

What this volume does well is to show how within each tradition there is real overlap and points for conversation. This is a great introductory volume.

--Kyle Strobel, Theology Forum (theologyforum.wordpress.com), December 17, 2008

From the Publisher