The Eucharist: Theological Perspectives, Spiritual Practices and Artistic Representations course
In this course we will examine the development of the Eucharist with reference to theological discourse, eucharistic practice, and artistic engagement with the Eucharist.
Students will critically analyse the central place of the Eucharist in the Christian spiritual tradition.
The module gives scope to critically engage with a wide range of artistic engagements with the Eucharist including visual art, poetry, prose, and film. We will also examine the contemporary context of Eucharist including current debates surrounding the Eucharist and its relationship to issues of justice, peace, and ethics.
This is a new module open to anyone who wants to reflect on the history, meaning, role and impact of the Eucharist on their own lives and spiritual practice.
The teaching team:
Dr David Grumett is Senior Lecturer in Theology and Ethics at the University of Edinburgh and author of Material Eucharist (Oxford University Press, 2016). He has also researched and written on theology and food and on modern French Catholic theology.
Dr Rowan Williams is the Honorary Professor of Contemporary Christian Thought at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge. He previously held the role of Master of Magdalene College, and before that was the Archbishop of Canterbury. He has written on Augustine, Arius, Teresa of Avila, and Bonhoeffer, as well as on a wide range of theological, ethical, historical and political themes. He is also a poet and a translator of poetry. His book Being Christian: Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, Prayer was published by SPCK in 2014.
Dr Cláudio Carvalhaes is a former shoe-shining boy from Brazil. An artist, liturgist, theologian and activist he is now the Associate Professor of Worship at Union Theological Seminary – New York City. His most recent book is Liturgies from Below: Praying with People at the Ends of the World, published in 2020 by Abingdon Press.
Dr Karen O’Donnell is a feminist, ecumenical, practical theologian whose interdisciplinary research interests span theology, spirituality, and pedagogy. Her most recent publications are in the field of trauma theology where she has been particularly focused on feminist and intersectional approaches to trauma theology. Karen is currently working on a project looking at theological ways of thinking about pregnancy loss.
Dr Eleanor McLaughlin is Programme Leader for postgraduate programmes in Theology, Imagination and Culture at Sarum College, and research associate of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture. Her research interests include Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theology, theological anthropology, bioethics and disability theology.
