Rediscovering the Lord's Supper: Communion with Israel with Christ and Among the Guests

Following his fathers classic work CHURCH DOGMATICS Markus Barth considered the doctrine of the Lords Supper which had not received a full treatment. His work resulted in an exegesis of the Lords Supper texts in the Synoptics the Fourth Gospel and the Pauline letters. His perspective sees the Lords supper and its accomanying Agape meal as a symbolic event that allows Gods people to commune in an atmosphere that remains open to all including the Jews whose Passover continues to shed light on this sacrament. His presentation covers the Lords Supper Passover the relationship of Christians and Jews and the participation of children in communion. He challenges the definitions of Baptism Eucharist and Ministry as expressed in the Lima Document offering one of the most sharply stated alternatives available. His discussion provides a reexamination of the Lords Supper as a symbol of ecumenism--the opportunity for all Gods people to celebrate together. This approach makes an important ecumenical contribution to understanding the Lords Supper from a New Testament perspective. Markus Barth (1915-1994) studied Protestant theology in Bern Basel Berlin and Edinburgh and received his Th.D.from the University of Goettingen in 1947. He served as pastor in Bubendorf Switzerland from 1940-1953. Thereafter he taught New Testament at theological schools in Dubuque Chicago Pittsburgh and Basel. His books include Israel and the Church Justification The People of God and Jesus the Jew.