Positive and Negative Elements of Eucharist Ecclesiology of Nicholas Afanasiev Cover Image

Позитивни и негативни елементи евхаристијске еклисиологије Николаја Афанасјева
Positive and Negative Elements of Eucharist Ecclesiology of Nicholas Afanasiev

Author(s): Goran Vučković
Subject(s): Systematic Theology, Eastern Orthodoxy
Published by: Православни богословски факултет „Свети Василије Острошки“
Keywords: Eucharist ecclesiology; Eucharist; community; catholic and universal ecclesiology;

Summary/Abstract: Eucharist ecclesiology of Nicholas Afanasiev is one of the most important contributions to Orthodox ecclesiology in 20th century. Although many positive elements in this theological concept are already recognized, there are still doubts and negative remarks regarding his Eucharist ecclesiology, notable for its identification of Church and Eucharist, i.e. the identification of local ecclesial community with the Church of God. Nevertheless, the review of the entire Afanasiev’s textual corpus leads us to conclude that the critiques of his ecclesiology are exaggerated, while many positive elements were overshadowed by those same critiques. The greatest and most famous critic of Eucharist ecclesiology is John Zizioulas, although his ecclesiology reaches same conclusions as that of Afanasiev. This paper is an attempt to point at both negative and positive elements of Eucharist ecclesiology in the context of Zizioulas’ critique.

  • Issue Year: 2018
  • Issue No: 17
  • Page Range: 36-46
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Serbian