The Eucharist and the Church in the Thought of Henri De Lubac and Rowan Williams: Sacramental Ecclesiology and the Place of the Church in the World

Abstract

Henri de Lubac and Rowan Williams have, in different ways, insisted upon the bond between the eucharist and the church. For both theologians, the eucharist is not simply the product of the ecclesial gathering but rather is instrumental in the realization of the ecclesial body of Christ. Likewise, both theologians have, in different ways, asserted that the church must resist introversion but recognize its responsibilities to the world beyond it. This essay examines the connection of the eucharist and the church in the thought of de Lubac and Williams and traces aspects of their resultant ecclesiologies before considering how their thought might facilitate the church's ongoing interaction with the wider world.