Ministry: Leadership in the Community of Jesus Christ by Edward Schillebeeckx OP/ Early Church, No link between Ministry and Presiding at Eucharist

Edward Schillebeeckx, O.P Professor of Theology, University of Nijmegen

In the New Testament,

Ministry

did not develop

from and around

Eucharist or Liturgy,

but from the building up of

Community

through Preaching.

Ministers

were Pioneers,

those who inspired the Community

and served as models

for the whole Community.

For the New Testament

there was no special treatment

as to who should preside

at the Eucharist;

Nothing was so specified.

Even Paul

did not call Eucharist

an apostolic Tradition.

Eucharist was Jesus’ parting gift

to the whole Community.

Nowhere in the new Testament

was an explicit connection made

between Ministry of the Church

and presiding at Eucharist.

There are no biblical grounds anywhere

for a sacral and mystical foundation

to the ministry in the Eucharist.

Early Eucharist

was structured so that

anyone who is competent

to lead the Community

in one way or another

was presider at the Eucharist

without any special separate authorization.

And In House (Home) Churches

very often

the Host/Hostess

would preside at Liturgy/Eucharist

even though

Not a Community Leader.

Liturgy/Eucharist

simply were not a part of

Church Ministry

in the New Testament.

(Special thanks to John Chuchman for posting this scholarship)