Martyrdom, Sacrificial Libation, and the Eucharist of Ignatius of Antioch

Fred Klawiter argues that Ignatius' Eucharist contained a sacrificial wine libation, symbolizing Jesus' blood and unity with the crucified, risen Jesus.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2022
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

After demonstrating that sacramental realism is absent from both Ignatius and John 6:51b-58, Fred Klawiter contends that Ignatius' Eucharist included a sacrificial wine libation (poured into a dish on the altar), representing the pouring out of Jesus' blood in his sacrificial death. Christians then sought unity of agape with one another and the crucified, risen Jesus through drinking from the libation cup during the Eucharist/agape meal, while also anticipating the possibility of martyrdom.

Background:
Sacramental realism, a theological perspective that holds that the elements of the Eucharist, such as bread and wine, are truly the body and blood of Jesus Christ, has been a topic of debate among Christians for centuries. While some denominations, such as Roman Catholicism, maintain a strong sacramentalist tradition, others, such as Protestants, have a more symbolic interpretation of the Eucharist.

Ignatius and John 6:51b-58:
In his book "The Eucharist in the Early Church," Fred Klawiter argues that sacramental realism is not present in the writings of Ignatius, the third-century bishop of Antioch. Klawiter examines the text of Ignatius' letters and finds no explicit reference to the use of sacrificial wine or any other form of blood sacrifice in the Eucharist.

Similarly, in John 6:51b-58, Jesus states that "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." This passage is often interpreted as a reference to the Eucharist, but Klawiter argues that it does not necessarily imply sacrificial realism. Instead, he suggests that Jesus was using a metaphorical language to emphasize the importance of faith and belief in him.

Sacrificial Wine Libation:
Despite the absence of sacramental realism in Ignatius and John 6:51b-58, Klawiter argues that Ignatius' Eucharist did contain a sacrificial wine libation. He suggests that this libation symbolized the pouring out of Jesus' blood in his sacrificial death and was a way for Christians to express their devotion and unity with one another.

According to Klawiter, the sacrificial wine libation was poured into a dish on the altar and was consumed by the participants in the Eucharist. This act was seen as a way to unite the participants with the crucified, risen Jesus and to anticipate the possibility of martyrdom.

Conclusion:
While sacramental realism is not explicitly supported by the writings of Ignatius and John 6:51b-58, Fred Klawiter's argument that Ignatius' Eucharist contained a sacrificial wine libation is intriguing. This libation symbolized the pouring out of Jesus' blood and was a way for Christians to express their devotion and unity with one another. However, it is important to note that this interpretation is not universally accepted and that different Christian denominations have different interpretations of the Eucharist.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978712751