The Mass of the Early Christians
by Mike Aquilina
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Description
What did the first Christians believe about the Eucharist?How did they follow Jesus' command, "Do this in remembrance of me"?How did they celebrate the Lord's Day?What would they recognize in today's Mass?The answers may surprise you.In The Mass of the Early Christians, respected author, scholar, and television host Mike Aquilina reveals the Church's most ancient Eucharistic beliefs and practices. Using the words of the early Christians themselves — from many documents and inscriptions — show more Aquilina traces the history of the Mass from Jesus' lifetime through the fourth century. That the Mass stood at the center of the Church's life is evident in the Scriptures, as well as the earliest Christian sermons, letters, artwork, tombstones, and architecture. Even the pagans bore witness to the Mass in the records of their persecutions.These legacies from the early Church bear witness to the same worship Catholics know today: the altar, the priest, the chalice of wine, the bread, the Sign of the Cross ... the "Lord, have mercy" ... the "Holy, holy, holy" ... and the Communion. show lessTags
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Member Recommendations
fulner A History of Christianity
is written from an evangelical perspective, but has high respect for traditional Christianity. Mass of focuses on how the early Christians actually celebrate. What the truly personal relationships originally manifest as.
The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity by Lee Strobel
fulner Case for faith is the sequel to car for Christ. After journalist investigation if Jesus was a real person Stobel continues with an investigation if one really needs to put faith in this member of the part. Mass of the early Christians investigates how the early believers celebrated their faith in Christ through their eyes without trying to tie it to today's Evangelical practice.
Member Reviews
A very brief overview of the writings of many early Church fathers as they describe the mass (really, the Eucharist). It's arranged by person, rather than by element. Meant for reading rather than scholarship, it offers some interesting insights to the early meetings of Christians.
After a brief introduction, the author has collected brief segments from various Early Church Fathers on how they celebrate and think about the Mass.
I really enjoyed the book, it is readable, even for non-theologians. The quotes come from a variety of people, famous and not as much, Christians and non-Christians. It was fascinating to see how similar the Mass I go to today is to what was celebrated in the first couple of centuries.
The last chapter was also one of my favorites as the author combines the info from the previous chapters to narrate what it would have been like to go to Mass in the first couple of centuries.
I really enjoyed the book, it is readable, even for non-theologians. The quotes come from a variety of people, famous and not as much, Christians and non-Christians. It was fascinating to see how similar the Mass I go to today is to what was celebrated in the first couple of centuries.
The last chapter was also one of my favorites as the author combines the info from the previous chapters to narrate what it would have been like to go to Mass in the first couple of centuries.
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Author Information
54+ Works 2,787 Members
Mike Aquilina is the author or editor of more than forty books on Catholic history, doctrine, and devotion. He has cohosted eight series for EWTN and is a frequent guest on Catholic radio. He is the author of Yours Is the Church: How Catholicism Shapes Our World.
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2001
Classifications
- Genres
- Religion & Spirituality, Nonfiction, History, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 264.011036 — Religion Christian organization, social work & worship Public worship Public worship; ritual Eastern Orthodox ritual
- LCC
- BV823 .A65 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Practical Theology Practical Theology Ecclesiastical theology Sacraments. Ordinances Holy Communion. Lord's Supper. Eucharist
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 382
- Popularity
- 81,617
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.03)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 1
