Augustine on the Eucharist, with Elizabeth Klein

St. Augustine’s Eucharistic theology is more controversial than you might think. It is controversial because throughout the Christian tradition, rival theological camps have appealed to Augustine to further their own arguments and Christian practice. It would not be uncommon for Augustine to be arguing against Augustine in these debates––at least in terms of how Augustine is presented and made to fit into the theological and spiritual program of those who seek to inherit his legacy.So what is Augustine’s Eucharistic theology and how does it accommodate this breadth of expression? On today’s show we want to try to understand what the Eucharist really means for Augustine. And I’ve got just the person to help us understand.Elizabeth Klein is Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. She is the author of God: What Every Catholic Should Know, and of Augustine’s Theology of Angels. She recently delivered a paper at the annual conference for the Academy of Catholic Theology on the topic of “Augustine on the Eucharist as Sacrament of Unity.” Our conversation today will build off of what she developed for that lecture.

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