Holy Meal

Gordon Smith’s A Holy Meal , just out from Baker, is the latest (to my knowledge) in a small stream of books on sacramental theology coming from Reformed and evangelical presses. It’s a heartening sign. Smith’s book examines the Eucharist as remembrance, communion, forgiveness, covenant-renewal, nourishment, anticipation, and thanksgiving, and ends with a pneumatological account of the real presence. He hits some key points: the evangelical reduction of the Supper to a mental act, the corporate reality of the church, the connection of the Supper with creation and incarnation, the need for frequent communion. His explanation of the “sacrificial” dimension of the Eucharist is helpful (we enter into Christ’s single sacrifice, and so are crucified with Him), and his interpretation of discerning the body is spot-on. Though the writer is clearly evangelical/Reformed in his own theology, he draws on a variety of traditions with sympathy. He unfortunately employs some standard (but wrong-headed) definitions of symbol and sacrament, and there is nothing earth-shaking here. But the book is solid and workmanlike, and I hope will play a role in the continuing evangelical/Reformed recovery of the sacraments.