Bridging the Ancient and Modern: The Example of Thomas Oden

There is without question a renewed interest in our times of exploring the patristic heritage. While such interest might seem to be a positive development to traditional patristic scholars, many have critiqued the new movement as prone to a selective reading strategy for approaching the ancient texts. In some quarters, this critique is developed further to suggest that any Protestant or Christian not associated with the ancient churches (Catholic or Orthodox) must, by default, embrace some form of selective reading. I would like to answer this critique by holding up the example of Thomas Oden. In Classical Christianity, a revision of Oden’s three volume systematic theology, he proposes a consensual theological method based on widely agreed upon figures and theological statements. In his scheme, greatest preference is given to scripture followed by patristic sources, then medieval theologians, reformation figures, and finally modern interpreters. Oden’s method attempts to be authentically ecumenical in its reading of sources, searching continuously for consensus and complementarity. He is aware of his locatedness as an interpreter in the Methodist tradition, which makes his interpretation of the ancient texts all the more careful.

Taking into consideration Oden’s example, perhaps those traditional patristic scholars, who are disappointed with the treatment of ancient texts by post-modern Christian interpreters should acknowledge that there exists a continuum of selective reading. Some groups and individuals like Oden are committed to an in-depth, careful, reading of the texts (even if from a Protestant ecclesial context) whereas others may in fact be more inclined to take only those things from the patristic texts that they agree with or like, leaving the rest (this is sometimes charged against certain emergent church approaches). Acknowledging an interpretive continuum also highlights that, in some sense, all of the Christian traditions read the church fathers selectively depending on their point of reference. For example, some Orthodox might feel this way toward some Catholics when discussing issues like Papal primacy and vice versa.

If the problem with new approaches to patristic texts is their allegedly arbitrary picking and choosing, where should the line be drawn for traditional approaches, which also can read these same texts selectively? In ecumenical dialogues, it is common to see the Catholic and Orthodox Churches acknowledging their profound closeness, rooted in their ancient, undivided heritage. Oden’s approach seeks to draw on this ancient, undivided heritage in a way that is faithful and authentic. One can see quickly that the Nicene Creed serves as the orienting motif of his entire work. Some traditional patristic scholars may questions whether he has gone far enough beyond the bounds of his particular confessional context, but others will see in his method a genuine and responsible approach. From my perspective, it is impressive to see the degree to which Oden has built bridges between ancient and modern forms of Christianity.

As appreciation grows for the patristic literature in popular Christian circles I believe that we will be seeing other approaches similar to Oden’s. In the end, this could create renewal of the larger Christian communities as greater numbers of people become aware of the ancient heritage of the Church. It is good that more popular discussion is happening related to ancient figures and ideas because modern Christian communities can learn valuable lessons from the history of those who have gone before them in Christ.

This is certainly Oden's vision for all Christians for he writes: "all of these traditions have an equal right to appeal to the early history of Christian exegesis...Protestants have a right to the Fathers. Athanasius is not owned by Copts, nor is Augustine owned by North Africans. These minds are the common possession of the whole church. The Orthodox do not have exclusive rights over Basil, nor do the Romans over Gregory the Great. Christians everywhere have equal claim to these riches and are discovering them and glimpsing their unity in the body of Christ" (Matthew 1-13, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; InterVarsity Press, 2001, xvii).

Many Traditions, Many Gifts, One Spirit, One Lord

I am very interested in the concept of gifting for exploring the Holy Spirit's work in drawing all Christians (and their larger ecclesial traditions) back together into one body without loosing a sense of each one's unique vocation. If one can speak of the various divided churches and communities as possessing unique gifts, perhaps, by God’s providential wisdom, these have been given to encourage greater cooperation, love, and, ultimately, unity among God's people in His saving plan for humanity. This all occurs in the context of repudiating past sins, errors, and divisions.

Let me offer some examples of what I am talking about when I speak of gifting in terms of broader ecclesial communities. These are generalizations and I realize that one could see examples of all three of these in each of the traditions respectively, but I think there is something to the way in which they are emphasized in each tradition according to its own heritage and vocation. They are: Spirit-centered experience (a gift emphasized in Pentecostalism), Word-centered proclamation (a gift emphasized in Protestantism), and Community-centered, apostolic oversight and practice (a gift emphasized in Catholicism and Orthodoxy).

This could be parsed out in a variety of ways. In spiritual discernment one could speak of pneumatological elements of discernment including the gift of discernment (emphasized in Pentecostalism), dynamic understanding of circumstances in light of Scripture (emphasized in Protestantism), and inspired guidance for weighing events in light of Tradition (emphasized in Catholicism and Orthodoxy). Related Christological elements of discernment could include Christ’s character experienced through the spiritual fruits (Pentecostalism), Christ’s teachings recorded in Scripture (Protestantism), and Christ’s authority incarnationally and visibly preserved by the Church and the passing on of Sacred Tradition (Catholicism and Orthodoxy).

In terms of soteriology one could speak of the Pentecostal emphasis on manifestations of the Spirit in transforming and healing human beings (the language of "baptism in the Spirit"), the Protestant emphasis on union with Christ in faith as freeing individuals (the language of "imputation of righteousness"), and the Catholic and Orthodox emphasis on sacramental cleansing and healing (the language of "infused grace" and "participating in the divine nature" respectively).

In terms of ecclesiology one could speak of the charismatically sustained service of the local body and spiritual unity of all Christians (Pentecostalism), the Word-centered confessional unity of the churches (Protestantism), and the visible unity and apostolic succession of the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

I think John Paul II captures the hopefulness necessary for and inherent in such a vision of gifting and Christian reunion: “One...is capable of bringing forth good even from evil, from human weakness. Could it be that these divisions have also been a path continually leading the Church to discover the untold wealth contained in Christ’s Gospel and in the redemption accomplished by Christ? Perhaps all this wealth would not have come to light otherwise...More generally, we can affirm that for human knowledge and human action a certain dialectic is present. Didn't the Holy Spirit, in His divine 'condescendence,' take this into consideration? It is necessary for humanity to achieve unity through plurality, to learn to come together in the one Church, even while presenting a plurality of ways of thinking and acting, of cultures and civilizations. Wouldn't such a way of looking at things be, in a certain sense, more consistent with the wisdom of God, with His goodness and providence?” (Crossing the Threshold of Hope, 153).

In addition, Miroslav Volf's approach to gifting is quite helpful. He suggests that Christians in community reflect the perichoretic relations of the Triune God as they serve one another in love with their unique gifts, affirming one another without subordination or homogenization (see: After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity). Perhaps this image could be applied to larger Christian traditions as they serve one another in Christ and cooperate at the regional and global level.

One final point needs to be mentioned. Each ecclesial tradition needs to examine what it identifies as its own gifting, realizing that all of the practices and teachings (often thought of as a unique heritage) within a given tradition may not be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Yves Congar attributes some of these developments to social, political, and historical factors that do not always contribute positively to the cause of Christian unity and should not necessarily be retained (I Believe in the Holy Spirit, 2:203-204). A reunited Church could affirm the particular gifts of many Christian traditions, but invite such a critical self-examination in faithfulness to the vision of unity in Jesus' prayer in John 17. If the various Christian traditions can be assured that their own gifts and sense of vocation will contribute to the direction and well-being of a reunited Church then perhaps greater openness to the idea might ensue.

Comparison of the Roman Catholic Mass with the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy

The text of the Roman Catholic Mass was promulgated by Paul VI (1897–1978) (commonly known as the Roman rite liturgy). The text of the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy originated with John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) (commonly known as the Byzantine rite liturgy).

I have taken the liturgical texts of these two traditions and made a comparative table. It was very interesting to find many common elements between the two. I was not able to find direct equivalents in all parts of both texts so only those I perceived to be substantial parallels have been included.

Before I provide the comparative table I would like to share a few observations from the book American Eastern Catholics by Fred J. Saato concerning thematic differences between the Roman and the Byzantine liturgies. Saato suggests that the Roman rite liturgy emphasizes the Lord's Supper as the model for the Mass with a simpler use of symbols and an emphasis on the present. He also suggests that the Roman rite uses direct prayers with little repetition and readings alternating with silence. He then suggests that the Byzantine rite liturgy has an eschatological focus stressing heaven on earth in repetition and continual singing of liturgical texts, iconography, incense and other sense related aspects. He also feels that the priest and the congregation face east showing their expectation of Christ coming again.

In light of Saato’s perspective, it seems to me that the differences between the Roman and Byzantine liturgies is not theological at the most basic level (they both see the liturgy as a proclamation of God’s Word and as a reception of Christ’s body and blood made present on the alter), but rather a divergence, to some extent, of the focal metaphors for the liturgy. To phrase it differently, the different theological emphases of these two traditions are centered more on the why and how of the liturgy (i.e., its particular form) than the what of the liturgy (i.e., its essence).

Roman Catholic Mass Text promulgated by Paul VI (Roman Rite)

Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy Text of John Chrysostom (Byzantine Rite)

Trinitarian Greeting: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. [Other forms of greeting are permitted that are not explicitly Trinitarian.] Penitential Rite: Kyrie: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. [There is no direct equivalent to the 1st Antiphon at this point in the Mass.] Gloria: [A hymn retelling the work of Christ in salvation history and as glorified with the Holy Trinity.] Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. [There is no direct equivalent to the 3rd Antiphon at this point in the Mass.]

Trinitarian Greeting: Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. [A form of the Penitential Rite appears later in the text before the reception of communion.] [The Great Litany uses the phrase “Lord, have mercy” at the end of each petition.] 1st Antiphon: [A hymn with a Marian theme.] 2nd Antiphon: [A hymn retelling the work of Christ in salvation history and as glorified with the Holy Trinity.] Save us, O Son of God, who rose from the dead, we sing to You, Alleluia (repeated three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Only begotten Son and Word of God, although immortal You humbled Yourself for our salvation, taking flesh from the holy Theotokos and ever virgin Mary and, without change, becoming man. Christ, our God, You were crucified but conquered death by death. You are one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us. 3rd Antiphon: [theme varies]

LITURGY OF THE WORD: [The procession with the Gospel book occurs later in the Mass after the 2nd reading.] [There is no direct equivalent to the Thrice Holy Hymn at this point in the Mass.] First Reading: Responsorial Psalm: 2nd Reading: [Responses to the reading of the text varies between the Roman and Byzantine rites.] Lector: The Word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God! Alleluia: Choir or Cantor: Alleluia! All repeat: Alleluia! Choir or Cantor: [a verse is sung] All repeat: Alleluia! Gospel Reading: [The deacon or the priest can read the text.] Deacon (or Priest): The Lord be with you. All: And also with you. Deacon (or Priest): A reading from the Holy Gospel according to (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) All: Glory to you, Lord! After the Gospel Proclamation: Deacon (or Priest): The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ! Homily: Nicene Creed (or Apostles’ Creed): General Intercessions:

LITURGY OF THE WORD: Procession with the Gospel book: Thrice Holy Hymn: [There is no direct equivalent to the 1st reading at this point in the Divine Liturgy.] [There is no direct equivalent to the Responsorial Psalm at this point in the Divine Liturgy, however the lector does read verses from the Psalms here.] Epistle Reading: [Responses to the reading of the text varies between the Roman and Byzantine rites.] Deacon: Wisdom. Let us be attentive. Alleluia: People: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Gospel Reading: [Only the priest can read the text.] Priest: Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace be with all. People: And with your spirit. Priest: The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John). Let us be attentive. All: Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. After the Gospel Proclamation: People: Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. Homily: [The Nicene Creed Appears later in the liturgy of the Eucharist before the anaphora.] [There is no direct equivalent to the General Intercessions at this point in the Divine Liturgy, however the Great Litany from earlier in the text expresses similar sentiments.]

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST: Bringing of the Gifts to the Alter: Offertory Hymn: [There is no direct equivalent to the Litany of Petitions at this point in the Mass.] Offertory Prayer: [Prayer to God concerning the gifts.] [The sign of peace occurs later in the text after the Lord’s Prayer.] [Appears earlier in the text before the general intercessions.] Eucharistic Prayer: Priest: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you. Priest: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. All: It is right to give him thanks and praise. Sanctus: All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. [The Words of Institution occur earlier in the text of the Mass at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer.] Memorial Acclamation: Priest: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith: All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. or Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. or When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory. or Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the World. [The invocation of the Holy Spirit to come down upon the gifts and make them holy occurs earlier in the text of the Eucharistic Prayer before the Words of Institution (according to forms 2, 3, and 4 of the Eucharistic Prayer).]

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST: Bringing of the Gifts to the Alter: [Sometimes this is referred to as the great entrance.] Cherubic Hymn: Litany of Petitions: Proskomide: [Prayer to God concerning the gifts.] [The kiss of peace can be exchanged at this point.] Nicene Creed: Anaphora: Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you. People: And with your spirit. Priest: Let us lift up our hearts. People: We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord. People: It is proper and right. Holy, Holy, Holy: People: Holy, holy, holy, Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled with Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna to God in the highest. Words of Institution: [There is no direct equivalent to the Memorial Acclamation at this point in the Divine Liturgy, however the priest prays a prayer with similar themes.] Priest: Remembering, therefore, this command of the Savior, and all that came to pass for our sake, the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the enthronement at the right hand of the Father, and the second, glorious coming, We offer to You these gifts from Your own gifts in all and for all. Epiclesis: [A prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to come down upon the gifts an make them holy.]

Commemoration of the Saints: Doxology and Great Amen: [There is no direct equivalent to the Litany of Supplication at this point in the Mass.] The Lord’s Prayer: Sign of Peace: Breaking of the Bread: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace [A form of the Penitential Rite appears at the beginning of the Mass after the opening greeting.] Communion: Communion Hymns: Prayer After Communion: [The order of the Blessing and the Dismissal are reversed in the Roman and Byzantine Rites]. Blessing: Priest: May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. [Other forms for the Dismissal may also be used]. Dismissal: Deacon or Priest: Go in the peace of Christ. or The Mass is ended, go in peace. or Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. All: Thanks be to God!

Commemoration of the Saints: [There is no direct equivalent to the Doxology and Great Amen at this point in the Divine Liturgy.] Litany of Supplication: The Lord’s Prayer: [The kiss of peace customarily occurs earlier in the text before the recitation of the Nicene Creed.] Breaking of the Bread: Priest: The Lamb of God is broken and distributed; broken but not divided. He is forever eaten yet is never consumed, but He sanctifies those who partake of Him. Penitential Prayer: Communion: Communion Hymns: Prayer After Communion: [The order of the Blessing and the Dismissal are reversed in the Roman and Byzantine Rites]. Dismissal: Priest: Let us depart in peace. Blessing: Priest: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us. People: Amen. Priest: May the holy Trinity protect all of you. (Distributing the antidoron, the priest says:) Priest: May the blessing and the mercy of the Lord be with you.