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The Four: A Survey of the Gospels
Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom
From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John
Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
1 Corinthians 10:16-17: Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the loaf which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.
What is the church? The church is a body, and like a body it has many different parts and organs and limbs but is yet one. The church is a loaf; as the Didache says, we are like grains gathered from many distant hills to be ground, sifted, baked into a single loaf of bread.
Equally, the church is a song.
Not only, the church sings, but the church is a song. Jonathan Edwards said that when he thought of a perfect society, he always thought of people sweetly singing together. In song, our voices are distinct yet not distinct. We make each other vibrate. Our breaths mingle together. In worship, we speak and sing “as one man.” We make one song; we are one song.
And in our life together, outside of worship, our different voices and gifts are to be harmonized and orchestrated into a great symphony. Our life together is a creative improvisation of the fugue of Triune life.
That song that is the church is a song of thanks and praise. Under the direction of the Son, and breathed through by the Spirit, our voices unite in a single great noise, a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.
Here, at this table, we are invited to become what we are. For the church is a song of thanks, a Eucharistic hymn.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 5:40 am
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