The Holy Grail and the Eucharist (Library of Russian Philosophy)

by Caitlin Matthews, Sergei Bulgakov, Boris Jakim, etc.

Release Date: July, 1997

Edition: Paperback

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The Body and Blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Made available through the Esalen-Lindisfarne Library of Russian Philosophy, this volume contains two essays _The Holy Grail_ and _The Eucharist_ of Russian philosopher and Orthodox priest Father Sergius Bulgakov as well as some commentary by the translator Boris Jakim, an introduction by Byzantine Catholic priest Father Robert Slesinski, and two excellent afterwards expounding on Bulgakov's ideas by Constantin Andronokov and Caitlin Matthews. Father Sergius Bulgakov was a fascinating figure in Russian philosophy who began as a Marxist and developed through German idealism until eventually embracing Orthodoxy and becoming a priest. Along with Vladimir Solovyov and Pavel Florensky, Bulgakov remains one of the most important Sophiologists (theosophists of the Divine Sophia) of the modern era, although he was often accused of heretical leanings and Gnostic tendencies. The essays contained in this volume are as follows.

_The Holy Grail_. "one of the soldiers pierced his side and forthwith there came thereout blood and water." - from the Gospel of Saint John.
As a religious symbol the Holy Grail represents the chalice of blood which Joseph of Arimathea obtained from the body of Christ upon the piercing of his side by the spear of the Roman centurion Longinus. Bulgakov explains how this symbol played an important role in medieval society within both Latin and Eastern traditions, although frequently looked at somewhat askew by prominent clergy. According to legend, Christ was crucified atop the Mount of Golgotha where the head of Adam was supposedly buried. Bulgakov notes that within the Eastern churches it is believed that a drop of Christ's precious blood fell upon Adam's head thus saving him. Joseph of Arimathea is believed to have taken the chalice to Glastonbury in Britain and to have started a church there according to certain Western traditions. This essay is an excellent piece which explains the importance of the Holy Grail, and how it comes to embody the entire world, which is redeemed through Christ's salvific blood. Bulgakov concludes by noting the apocalyptic implications of this legend in particular as it relates to modern Russia and mentions the quasi-Christian thinker Nikolai Fyodorov who wanted to use technology to restore the dead to life.

_The Eucharist_. In this piece Bulgakov challenges the traditional scholastic Catholic interpretation of the Eucharist as transubstantiation of bread and wine into body and blood of Christ. Bulgakov compares Catholic (as well as Protestant, e.g. consubstantiation of Luther) and Eastern (patristic) notions of the Eucharist and notes the importance of the Eucharist for Eastern theology. According to Bulgakov, the Eucharist should be understood in terms of transmutation (calling to mind alchemy, perhaps?) of bread and wine into body and blood of Christ, so that the consumption of the Eucharistic meal plays a role in the consecration. Bulgakov concludes with mention of the Sophiological role in the Eucharist, mentioning his unique Sophiological theories of Christ's incarnation as well as the incarnation and resurrection of the Mother of God, Mary. I believe this essay is somewhat weaker than the other one, and tend to agree with Father Slesinksi's assessment of it, in that Bulgakov ignores an important component in the notion of transubstantiation. Nevertheless, this essay is interesting for any reader, either Catholic or Orthodox, to understand.

Eucharist, Heart of the Christian Mystery

I am an Orthodox priest, and a convert to the Orthodox Church. People often ask me what drew me to the priesthood, and in all honesty I had to say, somewhat hesitantly, that I became a priest to celebrate the Eucharist. Reading this book of Fr Sergei's has made me no longer hesitant to say this, as it shows with total clarity that the fullness of Christian faith and life is concentrated in the Eucharist. I am always at a loss for what to say about Fr Sergei's works, since it seems to me anyway that they reveal astonishing mysteries on every page. They are difficult for me to read, since I want to put them down frequently to "digest" what I've read. Here, the Eucharist is for Fr Sergei a doorway into the heart of Christian faith, into the heart of the mysteries of the Trinity, of the Incarnation, of Christ's sacrifice on Golgotha, of the Resurrection, of Ascension, of Pentecost, of the life of the Church -- he touches on all these things in profound ways in the course of these two essays. But the very best is the colophon on the sophiological interpretation of the Eucharist -- it is on fire with the Spirit and it shows so clearly the power of his sophiology as a tool for dogmatic exegesis. Fr Sergei said once that the task of modern theology is to produce a "neo-Chalcedonian" synthesis, and you can see how he approaches this work here. These Eucharistic texts are completely rooted in Chalcedonian faith. I tell people that the truth defended at the Council of Chalcedon is the foundation of my spiritual life, and I think Fr Sergei would agree with me. What is so wonderful is to see his complete devotion to the dogmatic tradition of the Church, and yet his simultaneous freedom in following inspired speculation to elucidate and expound this dogmatic tradition. In no way does he ever show a shadow of a doubt about the Church's dogmas; you are not reading a liberal or a modernist when you read Fr Sergei, you are reading the most convinced traditionalist! Yet at the same time, he puts all his powers into bringing that tradition to life in your heart. There are TREMENDOUS passages in these two essays, passages that made me weep, that confirmed me deeply in Orthodox Christian faith. Especially to Orthodox, I beg you to open your heart to Fr Sergei. As you read more of him, you will begin to see how uncharitable and uninformed even his kindest critics are. Perhaps you will join me in praying for his glorification.