The thesis delineates an existential view of history, in which the eternal is defined as the ground of authentic human life which underlies true historical action. The historical is the manifestation of the eternal in the unique moment, and redefines the ahistorical conditions of human life. The ahistorical is the social and ideological conditioning of all human knowledge, usually presented in terms of various kinds of myth and ritual . The ahistorical contains both good and bad elements, but always has the tendency to become oppressive and is therefore constantly in conflict with the historical. The life of Jesus is described as the perfect expression of the eternal in true historical action, by which he came into conflict with the ahistorical of his society, as expressed in his death. By his resurrection, his life breaks the limitations of time and becomes transformative enabling all subsequent historical action. The eucharist is described as engaging with each of these dimensions of our existence. By being itself a ritual action containing a myth, the eucharist has an ahistorical form and therefore easily engages with the ahistorical dimensions of society. However, without a constant dialogue with the historical, the eucharist, as an ahistorical medium, can become allied to the dominant forces of society and become a means of oppression. The eucharist has at its centre the remembrance of the historical action of Jesus. True historical action in the present will result from a proper hermeneutic of the gospels. The eucharistic anamnesis must be regarded as part of the wider search for a relevant contemporary christology. The eucharist remembers the Last Supper, which is a parable of the whole life of Jesus and a prelude to his death and is a sacrifice in that it has a sacrificial form, and leads to our historical action, which will usually take the form of a conflict with the ahistorical and have sacrificial dimensions. The eternal only becomes present in our historical action, but the eucharist, by uniting us with the transforming power of the death and resurrection of Jesus, is a powerful aid to such action. The eucharist also provides the opportunity for resonances between Jesus and the ground of our being, thus enabling deep shifts of attitude and consciousness. Three fundamental prerequisites for human life are isolated and related to the eucharist: belonging, nurturing and giving. In order for the eucharist to ennable historical action is must hold these dimensions in tension. In its actual form it does this through the balance between the Words of Institution and the Epiclesis, which, in turn, provide the christological ground of the eucharist and relate this to the present through a particular pneumatology. The real presence is described by the thesis in a way which connects the eucharistic presence with the historical Jesus and leads to our historical action. Finally, some consequences of the thesis for Eucharistic practice are suggested. The relationship between the ahistorical form of the eucharist and the anamnesis is important. In this way the eucharist objectifies the ahistorical, reflects on this in terms of the historical action of Jesus, and reforms the ahistorical by modelling a response. This should lead to a more authentic expression of the eternal in the contemporary world

This thesis shows that the incarnation of Jesus Christ is an ever present reality for St. John. Christ's abiding presence is known to those who are committed to him because he is their Saviour and Lord. This presence is especially real when his disciples, the believers, the Church gather for worship. In the eucharist, which is an act of worship, the meaning and purpose of the incarnation becomes apparent for St. Paul. By showing that aspects of John's understanding of the incarnation co-incide with the early Church's doctrine of eucharist (as portrayed by St. Paul) the conclusion is reached that we have eucharistic allusions in the gospel of John. Furthermore, John presents Jesus in contrast to the Old Covenant. Jesus supersedes the Old Covenant and establishes the new covenant of love. Just as the Old Covenant was celebrated in the Passover, so the eucharist re-enacts the new covenant. By alluding to the old sacrament, John shows how the eucharist fulfils the true meaning of Passover. After a brief examination of existing methodologies, I present the working hypothesis for this dissertation as outlined above. In a fairly detailed exegesis of Jn 6 (with digressions to other relevant passages in John) which is divided into three sections (In 6:1-21 6:22-48, 6:49-71), I have tried to show that John sees the eucharist as a celebration which emphasises the community of the church, which re-enacts God's great demonstration of love (typified especially in the death of Jesus) and which foreshadows that great heavenly banquet, when, all will be gathered to him. I reach the conclusion therefore that we are justified in finding allusions in the eucharist in the gospel of John.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 333-346).

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2007. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 298-313).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-210).

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2007. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 298-313).

Thesis (M.A.P.S.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [62]-64).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-210).

Thesis (M.A.P.S.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [62]-64).

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-193).