Our “I Am Eden” video on October 9th, 2020 featured Rev. Dr. Christopher Grundy with Rev. Dr. Deb Krause as they talked about his new book, Recovering Communion in a Violent World.
Recovering Communion in a Violent World provides a challenging examination of how the ritual practice of reenacting the violence done to Jesus in Holy Communion can shape our instincts for living. Even as it critiques this aspect of the sacrament, however, the book offers biblical alternatives for a radical renewal of the Christian meal. Grounded in a theology of resilience, this project ultimately calls the church back to riskier communion practices that refuse to reenact the violence of crucifixion, focusing instead on practices that nurture openness, generosity, and the ability to find God in the other, even in the face of violence.
The result is a scholarly exploration that is both unflinching in its critique and passionate in its argument for the place of renewed sacramental meal practices in the church’s life and ministry. In an era when world religions have come under greater scrutiny as sources of violence, this book asks readers to look squarely at the reenactment of violence that has come to narrowly define Holy Communion for so long and imagine that more radical and generous practices are possible.
