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Heavenly Participation: The Weaving of a Sacramental Tapestry
Surveying the barriers that contemporary thinking has erected between the natural and the supernatural, between earth and heaven, Hans Boersma issues a wake-up call for Western Christianity. Both Catholics and evangelicals, he says, have moved too far away from a sacramental mindset, focusing more on the here-and-now than on the then-and-there. Yet, as Boersma points out, the teaching of Jesus, Paul, and St. Augustine indeed, of most of Scripture and the church fathers is profoundly otherworldly, much more concerned with heavenly participation than with earthly enjoyment. In Heavenly Participation Boersma draws on the wisdom of great Christian minds ancient and modern: Irenaeus, Gregory of Nyssa, C. S. Lewis, Henri de Lubac, John Milbank, and many others. He urges Catholics and evangelicals alike to retrieve a sacramental worldview, to cultivate a greater awareness of eternal mysteries, to partake eagerly of the divine life that transcends and transforms all earthly realities.
"Hans Boersma makes a superb contribution to evangelical theological reflection in this well-designed book, and it goes a long way to drawing us back from the brink of a fashionable evangelical tendency to reductive historicism. His re-situation of the doctrine of the Incarnation in its historic sacramental language and thought opens up the way to a deeper understanding of the truths of faith that evangelicals and Catholics alike seek to comprehend and nurture." - David Lyle Jeffrey (Baylor University)
"Theology at its best, says Hans Boersma, is less interested in comprehending the truth than in participating in it. Skillfully marshalling passages from the church fathers and medieval theologians and drawing judiciously on contemporary evangelical and Catholic thinkers, Boersma shows that theology is not primarily an intellectual enterprise but a spiritual discipline by which one enters into the truth and is mastered by it. Though this sacramental tapestry, as he calls it, is as old as the church, it is refreshing to have it presented anew in this engaging book." - Robert Louis Wilken (University of Virginia)
"Hans Boersma makes a superb contribution to evangelical theological reflection in this well-designed book, and it goes a long way to drawing us back from the brink of a fashionable evangelical tendency to reductive historicism. His re-situation of the doctrine of the Incarnation in its historic sacramental language and thought opens up the way to a deeper understanding of the truths of faith that evangelicals and Catholics alike seek to comprehend and nurture." - David Lyle Jeffrey (Baylor University)
"Theology at its best, says Hans Boersma, is less interested in comprehending the truth than in participating in it. Skillfully marshalling passages from the church fathers and medieval theologians and drawing judiciously on contemporary evangelical and Catholic thinkers, Boersma shows that theology is not primarily an intellectual enterprise but a spiritual discipline by which one enters into the truth and is mastered by it. Though this sacramental tapestry, as he calls it, is as old as the church, it is refreshing to have it presented anew in this engaging book." - Robert Louis Wilken (University of Virginia)
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
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920 people want to read
About the author
Hans Boersma
31 books95 followersI serve in the Saint Benedict Servants of Christ Chair in Ascetical Theology at Nashotah House in Wisconsin—a community of formation marked by the fullness of Anglican faith and practice, Benedictine spirituality, and classical Christian thought and teaching. (If you’re interested in studying at Nashotah House, contact me: hboersma@nashotah.edu). I am a Priest in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).
Before coming to Nashotah House in 2019, I taught for fourteen years at Regent College in Vancouver, BC and for six years at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC. I also served several years as a pastor in a Reformed church. I grew up in the Netherlands and have been in Canada since 1983.
My interests range across a variety of areas: patristic theology, twentieth-century Catholic thought, and spiritual interpretation of Scripture. In each of these areas, I am driven by a desire to retrieve the ‘sacramental ontology’ of the pre-modern tradition. So, much of my work looks to the past in hopes of recovering a sacramental mindset. I suppose this makes me a ressourcement (retrieval) theologian of sorts. Retrieval of the Great Tradition’s sacramental ontology has been at the heart of almost all my publications over the past twenty years or so.
Before coming to Nashotah House in 2019, I taught for fourteen years at Regent College in Vancouver, BC and for six years at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC. I also served several years as a pastor in a Reformed church. I grew up in the Netherlands and have been in Canada since 1983.
My interests range across a variety of areas: patristic theology, twentieth-century Catholic thought, and spiritual interpretation of Scripture. In each of these areas, I am driven by a desire to retrieve the ‘sacramental ontology’ of the pre-modern tradition. So, much of my work looks to the past in hopes of recovering a sacramental mindset. I suppose this makes me a ressourcement (retrieval) theologian of sorts. Retrieval of the Great Tradition’s sacramental ontology has been at the heart of almost all my publications over the past twenty years or so.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 11, 2023
This was my first book by Hans Boersma, but I intend for it to be far from my last. I don’t agree with him at every point, but I’m eager to hear from anyone making a good faith effort to recapture what so many are recognizing we have lost. Chapter 8 on Scripture was easily my favorite.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
September 2, 2015
Thesis: Until the late middle ages people looked at the world as a mystery (Boersma 21). By mystery Boersma means a sacramental link between creation and God, that creation participates in God. In other words, the connection, though not identical, is real. Mystery, so Boersma reads the “Platonist-Christian synthesis” (hereafter PCs) refers to the “reality behind the appearances.”
Boersma structures his book around the (neo)Platonic movement of exitus and reditus (the departure from and return to), except exitus now refers to how the church lost the PCs and the reditus on possible steps for regaining it.
It is not Boersma’s goal to defend Platonism as such. Rather, he seeks to combat the "antiheaven rhetoric among Evangelicals" (187).
For Boersma--and for the earlier Tradition--Created realities point beyond themselves (carry extra dimension to them). A Sacramental world not only points to God but participates in him. The signum points to and participates in the res. The end of created being lies beyond itself (30).
The Fathers were able to weave a sacramental tapestry around Christ: Christ contains the heavenly and creaturely universals in which we participate. Our particular humanity depends on the participation of humanity in Christ (51).
Sadly, this garment came unwound in the late middle ages with an increasing extrincisim of the Church. Scripture and Tradition, Eucharist res and Eucharistic signum, were now be defined in opposition to one another. With Occam and Scotus the unwinding became a cutting. No longer was there a higher realm of being in which created being participated. Rather, God and man were subsumed under the generic categor of being.
How do we return (reditus)? Boersma examines the implications of Henri de Lubac and the Nouvelle Theologie. In their works we see a real transubstantiation, but it is when the congregation is changed into the body of Christ. This leads de Lubac to posit a threefold body: the bread, the congregation, Christ. Further, we see that sacramental time is when past, present, and future coincide (124). Chronological time thus opens up to eschatological time. Thus, “eschatological realities are able to enter into time” (125). God inserts mystery into time. Earthly events become sacraments of eschatological mysteries. Time participates in God’s eternity.
Conclusion
The painting, or tapestry rather, was awe-inspiring. Boersma gives a convincing picture of how Platonism can be modified to serve Christianity. One can question, of course, the finer points of his readings on Scotist, but it seems more or less accurate.
Boersma structures his book around the (neo)Platonic movement of exitus and reditus (the departure from and return to), except exitus now refers to how the church lost the PCs and the reditus on possible steps for regaining it.
It is not Boersma’s goal to defend Platonism as such. Rather, he seeks to combat the "antiheaven rhetoric among Evangelicals" (187).
For Boersma--and for the earlier Tradition--Created realities point beyond themselves (carry extra dimension to them). A Sacramental world not only points to God but participates in him. The signum points to and participates in the res. The end of created being lies beyond itself (30).
The Fathers were able to weave a sacramental tapestry around Christ: Christ contains the heavenly and creaturely universals in which we participate. Our particular humanity depends on the participation of humanity in Christ (51).
Sadly, this garment came unwound in the late middle ages with an increasing extrincisim of the Church. Scripture and Tradition, Eucharist res and Eucharistic signum, were now be defined in opposition to one another. With Occam and Scotus the unwinding became a cutting. No longer was there a higher realm of being in which created being participated. Rather, God and man were subsumed under the generic categor of being.
How do we return (reditus)? Boersma examines the implications of Henri de Lubac and the Nouvelle Theologie. In their works we see a real transubstantiation, but it is when the congregation is changed into the body of Christ. This leads de Lubac to posit a threefold body: the bread, the congregation, Christ. Further, we see that sacramental time is when past, present, and future coincide (124). Chronological time thus opens up to eschatological time. Thus, “eschatological realities are able to enter into time” (125). God inserts mystery into time. Earthly events become sacraments of eschatological mysteries. Time participates in God’s eternity.
Conclusion
The painting, or tapestry rather, was awe-inspiring. Boersma gives a convincing picture of how Platonism can be modified to serve Christianity. One can question, of course, the finer points of his readings on Scotist, but it seems more or less accurate.
April 6, 2025
Would be five stars if I were fully convinced of the necessity of retrieving a Platonist-Christian synthesis! And if Boersma couldn’t do it, I’m not sure who will
March 30, 2024
This book really made me think.
June 7, 2023
This book ranks in my top five most impactful. In it, Boersma makes a compelling case that much of the problems we see in the church today stem from the abandonment of a sacramental ontology. In recovering this, he advocates for the patristic Platonic-Christian worldview. He attacks nominalism and the ideas that were formed from that, showing that the only way in which we are to truly re-engage ancient Catholic Christianity is through a participatory view of God and his relationship with the world.
Excellent book. Highly recommended.
Excellent book. Highly recommended.
January 29, 2016
I have been gripped these past few years by the notion of a 'sacramental worldview' that sees a unvisible, universal, eternal truth expressed in visible, localized, time-bound shapes, so in something that is part of our world, we see what has always been true even if we didn't know it. The loss of this view and of the interwoven nature of Gods reality and ours, has led to us viewing creation as 'just' matter and using it in a way that seems right to us (and seeing ourselves that way too). And this had continued to our theology where we see Jesus and what he did as transactions, not as revelations of what was always true. We think God had to be changed by a sacrifice or other act, so we would receive something we wanted. Instead of Jesus in his life and death and resurrection expressing the heart of God in all eternities, and the mystery that we will find ourselves participating in if we just open our eyes. Needless to say, I am not the first person in the history of the Church to think about the sacramental nature of reality (even if those who think about this subject are more often found in catholic and orthodox circles). So here we have a theologian who pleads us, evangelicals and catholics both, to return to the sacramental worldview of the 'Great Tradition' - (before the year 1000 or so), when the mystery became visible because our world participated in it in a real way. This forces him to go against the grain, not only of our postmodern culture that seems superficially to embrace mystery but really embraces skepticism, but also of our theology, that for years now has argued against the perceived platonic influences in the early medieval world view. It's become hip to be against platonist influences, but well, do we not in the same way bring influences from our time into our theology? Boersma argues clearly that these early christians were not so uncritical to swallow Plato wholesale, but found ideas there to illuminate what they already perceived in Scripture, i.e. a much closer relationship between heaven and earth than had previously been imagined. And to them a two way interaction became important: by engaging with the world, they did truly engage with the mystery of heaven (that came to be expressed in the world), and by engaging with the mysteries of heaven, they gained a fuller understanding of this world and their roles in it. Just chucking these ideas out leaves us impovered. Not only do we lose sight in our imagination of the heavenly reality, the reality of the realm of God, but also we lose sight of the meaningfulness of earth, reducing everything to 'only matter'. Even we, ourselves, are dressed down to stimulus-respons automatons, or totally depraved creatures, unable to choose for good and God, that are surrendered to the whims of nature or God, both capricious. Leaning on mid 20th century French catholic theologions, he tries to point out a way forward, to a renewed weaving of the tapestry that is now being torn apart.
It's a fascinating thesis, as you will gather from my words here, but I do think the book (that is supposed to be a popular adaptation of the author's academic work) still keeps this too much a theory, and fails to show how the sacramental view would really, really change our lives, our churches, our world. It does not, to me, in itself convince me why I should want to desire this paradigm shift, and it still remains the province of theology, the way he describes it here. I must confess there were parts I found it hard to keep my attention focused. So it's up to others to translate these new directions of thought into practical application! I hope to play a role in this process somewhere!
It's a fascinating thesis, as you will gather from my words here, but I do think the book (that is supposed to be a popular adaptation of the author's academic work) still keeps this too much a theory, and fails to show how the sacramental view would really, really change our lives, our churches, our world. It does not, to me, in itself convince me why I should want to desire this paradigm shift, and it still remains the province of theology, the way he describes it here. I must confess there were parts I found it hard to keep my attention focused. So it's up to others to translate these new directions of thought into practical application! I hope to play a role in this process somewhere!
April 18, 2020
I have since re-read this through and revised my review:
Boersma makes a plea for "heavenly participation", i.e. a greater coherence and "connectedness" in all reality through Christ has the Word, the One in whom everything exists. He applies to the Eucharost, Tradition, Biblical Interpretation, Truth and Sacramental Discipline. There is great deal that is thought provoking and the introduction to the "Nouvelle Theologie" (having just read Jean Danielou, "The Bible and the Liturgy")was very timely.
I am still worried about the "Christian Platonism", reading it again some of his qualifications "help" with those concerns. For me, I'd rather jettison the terminology and aim to ground it in Scripture more carefully.
The book could have done with more exegetical foundations. So in the end maybe the result of what he is suggesting is little different to the sacramental worldview advocated in James Jordan's "Through New Eyes"?
_______________
However, there are many insights and the interaction with and appreciation if the Nouvelle Theologie is interesting And worth following up.)
Boersma makes a plea for "heavenly participation", i.e. a greater coherence and "connectedness" in all reality through Christ has the Word, the One in whom everything exists. He applies to the Eucharost, Tradition, Biblical Interpretation, Truth and Sacramental Discipline. There is great deal that is thought provoking and the introduction to the "Nouvelle Theologie" (having just read Jean Danielou, "The Bible and the Liturgy")was very timely.
I am still worried about the "Christian Platonism", reading it again some of his qualifications "help" with those concerns. For me, I'd rather jettison the terminology and aim to ground it in Scripture more carefully.
The book could have done with more exegetical foundations. So in the end maybe the result of what he is suggesting is little different to the sacramental worldview advocated in James Jordan's "Through New Eyes"?
_______________
However, there are many insights and the interaction with and appreciation if the Nouvelle Theologie is interesting And worth following up.)
April 1, 2021
Mycket bra. Boersma visar på hur bandet mellan himmel och jord klippts av, och varför det är viktigt att återförena de två: med en stor dos neoplatonism.
Rekommenderas för uttråkade protestanter i andligt betongväst
Rekommenderas för uttråkade protestanter i andligt betongväst
October 16, 2016
Boersma claims (along with many others) that postmodernity is simply modernity coming home to roost (2). I hope Boersma's undermining of earthly concerns (which he denies doing) isn't the Gnosticism of John of the Cross coming home to roost. He's protesting a little too much.
As the subtitle makes clear, he's trying to mend the rift between "evangelicals" (Protestants?) and Catholics, so part 1 talks about what caused the rift, and part 2 is about how to get the sides to talk to each other and even come together again. The book is attempt to get Catholics and Protestants to look at themselves and each other honestly regarding this "sacramental view of the world."
Those who consider themselves to be Reformed will not like Chapter 5.
A book by my professor Barry Harvey (Can These Bones Live?) is cited on p. 105. The subtitle of Harvey's book calls him a Catholic Baptist.
I got to meet Boersma at a Wilken Colloquium at Baylor University (Feb. 28, 2014).
1: Spufford at Baylor University (Unapologetic)
4: cf. "over-ruralize eschatology" (Gnostic)—cf. William Cowper's "The Task" ("God made the country")
6: Did Seth build a city?
6: Abraham and David were "sojourners"
Difference between Heaven and the New Earth?
7: Boersma keeps denying that he's not undermining earthly participation (protesting too much?)
10-11: pagan enchantment; desacramentalizing
11: blame the Reformation
27: Lee Ryken—the Bible isn't just propositions
33: Mouw loves Kuyper
Donnelly: John Owen is all covenant all the time
Barth is a supralapsarian—that's why "covenant is the internal basis for creation, and creation is the external basis for covenant"
41: Gnostic escape
50: pagan echo
Christians have favored Platonism because Plato said someone could be virtuous while suffering (sounds like the crucifixion), and Aristotle said you need stuff (and if you say you don't, you’re just trying to win an argument)
Donnelly: "Platonic-Christian synthesis" is a broad term encompassing classical metaphysics (and not excluding Aristotle); even Augustine (a Neoplatonist for a time) speaks of "corporeal forms" (Aristotelian)
76-77: absolute power (God’s will can contradict/override His nature); cf. Kierkegaard's suspension of the ethical; Andrew: Luther says that God could make adultery virtuous (cf. Biel's skepticism on p. 78—Luther connection?)
creation isn’t emanation: that's pantheism
107: scholasticism (also 128)
154: cf. Milton post-class response from 2-6 on Truth (also 159, 161, 164, 166-67, 169)
160: reflection/mirror
163: Kant's subjectivist focus
As the subtitle makes clear, he's trying to mend the rift between "evangelicals" (Protestants?) and Catholics, so part 1 talks about what caused the rift, and part 2 is about how to get the sides to talk to each other and even come together again. The book is attempt to get Catholics and Protestants to look at themselves and each other honestly regarding this "sacramental view of the world."
Those who consider themselves to be Reformed will not like Chapter 5.
A book by my professor Barry Harvey (Can These Bones Live?) is cited on p. 105. The subtitle of Harvey's book calls him a Catholic Baptist.
I got to meet Boersma at a Wilken Colloquium at Baylor University (Feb. 28, 2014).
1: Spufford at Baylor University (Unapologetic)
4: cf. "over-ruralize eschatology" (Gnostic)—cf. William Cowper's "The Task" ("God made the country")
6: Did Seth build a city?
6: Abraham and David were "sojourners"
Difference between Heaven and the New Earth?
7: Boersma keeps denying that he's not undermining earthly participation (protesting too much?)
10-11: pagan enchantment; desacramentalizing
11: blame the Reformation
27: Lee Ryken—the Bible isn't just propositions
33: Mouw loves Kuyper
Donnelly: John Owen is all covenant all the time
Barth is a supralapsarian—that's why "covenant is the internal basis for creation, and creation is the external basis for covenant"
41: Gnostic escape
50: pagan echo
Christians have favored Platonism because Plato said someone could be virtuous while suffering (sounds like the crucifixion), and Aristotle said you need stuff (and if you say you don't, you’re just trying to win an argument)
Donnelly: "Platonic-Christian synthesis" is a broad term encompassing classical metaphysics (and not excluding Aristotle); even Augustine (a Neoplatonist for a time) speaks of "corporeal forms" (Aristotelian)
76-77: absolute power (God’s will can contradict/override His nature); cf. Kierkegaard's suspension of the ethical; Andrew: Luther says that God could make adultery virtuous (cf. Biel's skepticism on p. 78—Luther connection?)
creation isn’t emanation: that's pantheism
107: scholasticism (also 128)
154: cf. Milton post-class response from 2-6 on Truth (also 159, 161, 164, 166-67, 169)
160: reflection/mirror
163: Kant's subjectivist focus
April 23, 2025
4-4.5
Haha have to return this book to the library so tried to finish up quickly over the last few days!
A solid read (both solid in the sense of I quite enjoyed it, and solid in the sense that it was dense at times), but still accessible and clear. This book continues to add and link up with others ideas that I continue to encounter (James K.A. Smith, Charles Taylor), and even in the Paul book from Gorman. I think that's a good thing for me! Lots of big words at times, but slowly learning more about things like philosophy and theology which are quite interesting to ponder on.
Have not had as much time yet to actively process what I read, but I think it has been going on a bit in the background, and I can foresee that many of these ideas have implications in various parts of life. May revisit this book as well.
This book is also about theological retrieval, though because the retrieval is with the largely French nouvelle theologians they use ressourcement. (yay french) Would be curious to see how the focus of this ressourcement differs from Gavin Ortlund's "Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals" book.
Overall, would definitely recommend! I realize this review says almost nothing about the content itself 😂 But a helpful read for myself and other people that come from more evangelical backgrounds; there is a greater sense of fullness, unity, tension, and understanding the development of our perceptions of Being from early church fathers to the medieval era to our current modern (post-modern?) age.
Haha have to return this book to the library so tried to finish up quickly over the last few days!
A solid read (both solid in the sense of I quite enjoyed it, and solid in the sense that it was dense at times), but still accessible and clear. This book continues to add and link up with others ideas that I continue to encounter (James K.A. Smith, Charles Taylor), and even in the Paul book from Gorman. I think that's a good thing for me! Lots of big words at times, but slowly learning more about things like philosophy and theology which are quite interesting to ponder on.
Have not had as much time yet to actively process what I read, but I think it has been going on a bit in the background, and I can foresee that many of these ideas have implications in various parts of life. May revisit this book as well.
This book is also about theological retrieval, though because the retrieval is with the largely French nouvelle theologians they use ressourcement. (yay french) Would be curious to see how the focus of this ressourcement differs from Gavin Ortlund's "Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals" book.
Overall, would definitely recommend! I realize this review says almost nothing about the content itself 😂 But a helpful read for myself and other people that come from more evangelical backgrounds; there is a greater sense of fullness, unity, tension, and understanding the development of our perceptions of Being from early church fathers to the medieval era to our current modern (post-modern?) age.
June 10, 2024
This book was a dense but wonderful orientation to sacramental theology and it’s relationship to Catholicism, Protestantism (which Boersma usually refers to as “evangelicalism”) and various streams of philosophy within the history of the Church. The first half adeptly outlines how the sacramental worldview was gradually lost within the western Church, and the second half offers the sacramental alternative as it would be manifest practically in the life of the Church. I occasionally found that Boersma got a bit caught in the weeds of too many theologian’s thought in too ambitious a level of intricacy and depth; this sometimes left me wondering (and occasionally confused) what Boersma himself thought about a particular idea, which is the only real critique that pushed an otherwise 5-star rating to 4-4.5ish stars. An academically rigorous and spiritually challenging read.
May 3, 2024
3.7 Stars
"Heavenly Participation" by Hans Boersma is a very thought provoking book. This book is a theological case for the rejoining of heaven and earth in Christian theology. Boersma aims to show that modernity has severed the links between creation and it's Creator and Christians would do better to link them back together. Boersma's book is an ambitious book and I learned quite a bit but I feel like he was trying to do too much in this book. I felt like the book was an introduction to the nouvelle theologians, a case for unity between evangelicals and Catholics, a ressourcement of medieval theology, a Christological cosmology and cultural critique. I benefited most from Boersma's descriptions on the sacramental link between Christ and creation but the rest was too much.
"Heavenly Participation" by Hans Boersma is a very thought provoking book. This book is a theological case for the rejoining of heaven and earth in Christian theology. Boersma aims to show that modernity has severed the links between creation and it's Creator and Christians would do better to link them back together. Boersma's book is an ambitious book and I learned quite a bit but I feel like he was trying to do too much in this book. I felt like the book was an introduction to the nouvelle theologians, a case for unity between evangelicals and Catholics, a ressourcement of medieval theology, a Christological cosmology and cultural critique. I benefited most from Boersma's descriptions on the sacramental link between Christ and creation but the rest was too much.
January 19, 2022
This was an excellent work. Though there were some elements with which to quibble, they weren't enough to deny his thesis and assessment of the issues that precipitated the Protestant Reformation.
As a Protestant, and as a Confessional Baptist in a mileu where Baptist suffer from an identity crisis, I believe Boersma helped to pinpoint some areas of division, even between evangelicals, that we should consider revisiting in terms of sacramentalogy and metaphysics.
If read in tandem with Louis Markos and Craig Carter, one begins to see the bigger picture and potential for greater catholicity.
I don't think Boersma's desire to see an ecumenical bond between evangelicals and Roman Catholics is far-fetched, but I do think it's unlikely in our lifetime (due to such vast differences); and his book will be a work with which both will have to contend.
As a Protestant, and as a Confessional Baptist in a mileu where Baptist suffer from an identity crisis, I believe Boersma helped to pinpoint some areas of division, even between evangelicals, that we should consider revisiting in terms of sacramentalogy and metaphysics.
If read in tandem with Louis Markos and Craig Carter, one begins to see the bigger picture and potential for greater catholicity.
I don't think Boersma's desire to see an ecumenical bond between evangelicals and Roman Catholics is far-fetched, but I do think it's unlikely in our lifetime (due to such vast differences); and his book will be a work with which both will have to contend.
April 27, 2020
Most definitely a book I will be returning to. Boersma argues that the most urgent task for the church today is returning to a sacramental view of reality. I particularly enjoyed his discussion of ecumenical efforts between Catholics and Protestants around this issue. I found his argument compelling at times though I struggled and disagreed with many of his particular points.
November 27, 2015
I really like this book. The title caught my attention, and i heard Boersma interviewed about it by Ken Myers. Very fascinating! So I bought it and am finally getting around to reading it. A couple of things that make me wonder:
1. His sacramental theology is compelling, and I think he's right on. But he uses the phrase "Platonist-Christian synthesis" to describe his sacramentalism. He explains what he means by that, but I think he should have called it something else. Without the explanation it seems like he's suggesting Christians embrace the philosophy of Plato. That said, he does thoroughly explain where he's going in the book and why he uses certain terminology, which is a great strength of this book, IMO.
2. His main conversation partners in the book are a group of mid-20th century French Catholic theologians called "the nouvelle theologians". I never heard of these guys before, except the mention of Henri De Lubac on occasion in my reading. I don't know what to think of those guys yet, and it makes me a little nervous that I liked very much what Boersma summarized in them. I mean, they're CATHOLIC! Maybe that's shallow of me, but there it is. James Jordan and Biblical Horizons has done a lot of thinking on the same topics, but the men associated with Biblical Horizons barely get mentioned (Peter Leithart gets a shout-out for his Deep Exegesis, but that was it). I wonder if Boersma has read Jordan. I bet he'd love him.
My favorite chapter was the one on the Bible. He suggests that the Bible must be interpreted allegorically, and takes his time to show that the ancient church's allegorical interpretation was largely good (with some notable abuses). He also shows that any good modern reading of the Bible as well as our theology presupposes much allegory. For example, the Nicene Creed's formulation of Jesus as the "eternally begotten" Son of God is based on an allegorical reading of Proverbs 8. Athanasius was a dirty allegorist! But hold on, every orthodox believer affirms the Nicene Creed. That blew me away. It made me cheer.
Also, he quotes Alexander Schmemman.
1. His sacramental theology is compelling, and I think he's right on. But he uses the phrase "Platonist-Christian synthesis" to describe his sacramentalism. He explains what he means by that, but I think he should have called it something else. Without the explanation it seems like he's suggesting Christians embrace the philosophy of Plato. That said, he does thoroughly explain where he's going in the book and why he uses certain terminology, which is a great strength of this book, IMO.
2. His main conversation partners in the book are a group of mid-20th century French Catholic theologians called "the nouvelle theologians". I never heard of these guys before, except the mention of Henri De Lubac on occasion in my reading. I don't know what to think of those guys yet, and it makes me a little nervous that I liked very much what Boersma summarized in them. I mean, they're CATHOLIC! Maybe that's shallow of me, but there it is. James Jordan and Biblical Horizons has done a lot of thinking on the same topics, but the men associated with Biblical Horizons barely get mentioned (Peter Leithart gets a shout-out for his Deep Exegesis, but that was it). I wonder if Boersma has read Jordan. I bet he'd love him.
My favorite chapter was the one on the Bible. He suggests that the Bible must be interpreted allegorically, and takes his time to show that the ancient church's allegorical interpretation was largely good (with some notable abuses). He also shows that any good modern reading of the Bible as well as our theology presupposes much allegory. For example, the Nicene Creed's formulation of Jesus as the "eternally begotten" Son of God is based on an allegorical reading of Proverbs 8. Athanasius was a dirty allegorist! But hold on, every orthodox believer affirms the Nicene Creed. That blew me away. It made me cheer.
Also, he quotes Alexander Schmemman.
March 8, 2013
"Heavenly Participation" is the lay version of Boersma's earlier work "Nouvelle Theologie and Sacramental Ontology: A Return to Mystery," and as such it allows the casual reader to become familiar with unique concepts such as "ressourcement" and "Neo-Thomist desacramentalization." At the same time this means that occasionally one feels that certain chapters - the treatment of the Eucharist in particular - have reached their conclusion without appropriately accumulated argument, which probably stems from the excision of source material that results when making a thesis more accessible. Boersma believes that the history of the church, as organized along pre-modern, modern, and post-modern eras, shows a gradual destruction of what he calls the "sacramental tapestry," a total epistemic and spiritual approach to reality that recognized a mysterious and infinite "res" behind the created "sacramentum." It was this tapestry that informed the patristic writers' understanding of the Church, Scripture, tradition, and the Eucharist, and it was only due to the unraveling of this tapestry that ideas such as the natural/supernatural division and Ockham's nominalism were able to gain sway and, eventually, lead to modern secularization. Furthermore, the Platonist-Christian synthesis that assembled this tapestry in the first centuries of the Church can, posits Boersma, lead that Church today out of the fragmentation precipitated by late-medieval scholasticism and the Reformation and toward a new ecumenical era. If one accepts his high evaluation of the sacramental tapestry, then, for contemporary evangelicals in particular, this book provides an account of the Reformation that does not elevate either side as the "Winner" but rather mourns both sides' surrender to latent and still-dominant secularizing forces.
May 16, 2012
First thing to know: Part 1 will pay off big time in Part 2. Don't give up.
Part 1 seems at first to cover too many topics; some of the evidence feels thin. But the chapters summarizing the nouvelle théologie are valuable, and I'm glad to now be able to begin "placing" Radical Orthodoxy.
Part 2 provides much more substantive argumentation and attention to texts and history. He returns to the claims of Part 1, revealing their significance. I devoured chapters 6 (on de Lubac and the Eucharist/Church) and 7 (on Congar and sacramental time and the development of doctrine), and immediately bought a few of the books he cites, wishlisting half a dozen more.
On the whole a profitable read: always readable and usually enjoyable. Boersma has an exciting thesis for evangelicals interested in the Church's pre-Reformation heritage and the enchantment of the world. A clarion call for Christian unity.
Part 1 seems at first to cover too many topics; some of the evidence feels thin. But the chapters summarizing the nouvelle théologie are valuable, and I'm glad to now be able to begin "placing" Radical Orthodoxy.
Part 2 provides much more substantive argumentation and attention to texts and history. He returns to the claims of Part 1, revealing their significance. I devoured chapters 6 (on de Lubac and the Eucharist/Church) and 7 (on Congar and sacramental time and the development of doctrine), and immediately bought a few of the books he cites, wishlisting half a dozen more.
On the whole a profitable read: always readable and usually enjoyable. Boersma has an exciting thesis for evangelicals interested in the Church's pre-Reformation heritage and the enchantment of the world. A clarion call for Christian unity.
May 11, 2024
This was a very thought provoking book and challenged me to adopt a more sacramental ontology. Boersma argues for a return to the Christian-Platonist approach that existed before the adoption of Nominalism. Essentially, he is arguing that we should see earthly reality as being a sacramental participation in heavenly reality - in other words that all is based in the reality of Christ. He addresses how this affects our view of the Eucharist, interpretation of Scripture, and more. I found this book to be very enriching to my faith and I think that Boersma is spot on here. This is a book that all Christians should read and meditate on. It’s not always an easy read, but it’s a very important one.
July 1, 2019
A fascinating appropriation of nouvelle théologie for Protestants, arguing that the best way to answer both the overconfidence of modernism and underconfidence of postmodernism is by a retrieval of the 'participatory ontology' of the Great Tradition: all things come from, exist in, and return to God.
Well written, thorough scholarship. A great read for an undergrad student of theology (although I think this is supposed to be the 'popular' level version of his longer work), even if you can't go with some of his more radical suggestions.
Well written, thorough scholarship. A great read for an undergrad student of theology (although I think this is supposed to be the 'popular' level version of his longer work), even if you can't go with some of his more radical suggestions.
July 29, 2017
I give Boersma a 4.5 for writing a devastatingly hopeful book for evangelical-catholic unity. I'm still processing much of what was written about Sacramental theology. But the meat of the book is extremely well-stated. As a short book (coming in at 190 pages) it contained no fluff. It must have been very hard to write. This is going on my "preparing for the coming apocalypse" shelf. And I'm serious.
October 28, 2019
One of the best christian books I’ve read. His work of the Platonist-christian synthesis is eye opening. Combine that with his use of the nouvelle theologia of the ressourcement movement in France to reclaim a sacramental ontology is impressive. The breath and depth of this short book is hard to imagine. If you want heaven and earth to be reunited in your church, family, and life by reclaiming the participation of creation in the eternal logos of Christ, then read this book.
May 12, 2016
Read in preparation for a sacramental theology class. I admire Boersma's bravery in defending a Christian-Platonist synthesis in our postmodern world but I just don't think he was actually very effective or persuasive at doing that. The front cover and title also called for a more robust call/vision of heavenly participation and the writing inside was a bit too dry to pull me in.
December 28, 2020
One of my favorites of the year. Pairs well with C.S. Lewis' "The Discarded Image." This is something I'm teasing out further, but Heavenly Participation, which is essentially a sacramental ontology, also gives a foundational undergirding for sacramental apologetics, which is essentially an argument from beauty and aesthetics.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 18, 2023Very accessible introduction to platonic-christian thought and sacramental ontology written with evangelicals in mind. If you’re interested in sacramental ontology, it will certainly introduce great new thoughts and work as an introduction to big ideas and great resources.
If you already have your mind made up that you don’t like platonic-christian thought, you won’t like this book.
If you already have your mind made up that you don’t like platonic-christian thought, you won’t like this book.
January 3, 2013
Challenging to read. Not because it was poorly written but because I did not agree with most of what he wrote. He had a few good points, but they were very few. Note: I did not make it past the first part (first half)
June 15, 2021
Excellent book - very philosophical / requires deep thinking. This was a hard book to read and I definitely didn't get all the points but I have much to reflect on in regards to sacramental living from this book.
June 10, 2025
Great!
November 21, 2014
Important insights on sacramental/participatory/analogical ontology
August 25, 2024
10/10
Boersma does a fantastic job recovering the sacramental world-view that was foundational to the early church's theology. He explains in detail the various movements the led to this world-view being abandoned. And he is able to clearly show what we have to gain in its recovery. This sacramental ontology hinges on the participation of this world in the eternal Word of God, Jesus Christ. He looks in detail at how this could transform our view of the Eucharist, the church, tradition, Scripture, Truth, and Theology. He argues persuasively that a participatory, or sacramental understanding of these fundamental subjects is 1) in alignment with the early and medieval church 2) accurate to the Biblical world-view 3) and could be the common ground to unite the fractured church. Surprisingly, he shows throughout that this recovery could be a genuine middle ground between evangelicals and Catholics. Returning to our shared heritage is our best hope for ecumenical progress.
There is a lot more I could say about this book, but it should suffice to say that it is both profound and moving. Its effective and affective. It is well researched and well written. It is the type of foundational paradigmatic work that will shape my thinking and my theology deeply.
The second half of the book, the "ressourcement", or recovery of a sacramental view of the Eucharist, Tradition, Biblical interpretation, Truth, and Theology is where this book really shines. Understanding them as means participation in Christ transforms and unites these seemingly disparate ideas in their source, the Word of God, Jesus Christ.
I really only have one critique of this work and it's not even that big, it is more of a difference in approach I would have preferred.
Boersma uses the phrase "Platonist-Christian synthesis" to describe the sacramental, participatory ontology which he is recovering. This is because, as he shows, the early church borrowed Platonist categories and philosophy, and christianized it. Importantly, he shows that this was not a wholesale adopting but rather a selective adapting. (as an aside, this is commonly pointed to to show the corruption church or the "hellenization thesis", put forward by Harnack, as a way to wholesale write off any theologian before the enlightenment) Needless to say, that was not exactly the case, as Boersma shows. There are many excellent examples of theologians consciously countering the Platonist system in order to remain biblical.
Now, with all that to say, I do understand why he emphasizes this platonic heritage. It is because he is following the pattern of the early theologians he is recovering and they had no problem adapting this philosophical system to their purposes. As a historical theologian Boersma is remaining true to his work. My personal bent would be more toward showing the sacramental worldview underlying the whole Scriptures, which happens to coincide with some parts of Platonism. That is to say I would rather not use the Platonist system if in fact we can find all we need in the sacramental world-view of the scriptures. But I guess that that is more of a personal preference than a true critique of this book.
Good for you if you made it through that whole thing! As you might have guessed, this is essentially my way of working through my thoughts on this book.
Boersma does a fantastic job recovering the sacramental world-view that was foundational to the early church's theology. He explains in detail the various movements the led to this world-view being abandoned. And he is able to clearly show what we have to gain in its recovery. This sacramental ontology hinges on the participation of this world in the eternal Word of God, Jesus Christ. He looks in detail at how this could transform our view of the Eucharist, the church, tradition, Scripture, Truth, and Theology. He argues persuasively that a participatory, or sacramental understanding of these fundamental subjects is 1) in alignment with the early and medieval church 2) accurate to the Biblical world-view 3) and could be the common ground to unite the fractured church. Surprisingly, he shows throughout that this recovery could be a genuine middle ground between evangelicals and Catholics. Returning to our shared heritage is our best hope for ecumenical progress.
There is a lot more I could say about this book, but it should suffice to say that it is both profound and moving. Its effective and affective. It is well researched and well written. It is the type of foundational paradigmatic work that will shape my thinking and my theology deeply.
The second half of the book, the "ressourcement", or recovery of a sacramental view of the Eucharist, Tradition, Biblical interpretation, Truth, and Theology is where this book really shines. Understanding them as means participation in Christ transforms and unites these seemingly disparate ideas in their source, the Word of God, Jesus Christ.
I really only have one critique of this work and it's not even that big, it is more of a difference in approach I would have preferred.
Boersma uses the phrase "Platonist-Christian synthesis" to describe the sacramental, participatory ontology which he is recovering. This is because, as he shows, the early church borrowed Platonist categories and philosophy, and christianized it. Importantly, he shows that this was not a wholesale adopting but rather a selective adapting. (as an aside, this is commonly pointed to to show the corruption church or the "hellenization thesis", put forward by Harnack, as a way to wholesale write off any theologian before the enlightenment) Needless to say, that was not exactly the case, as Boersma shows. There are many excellent examples of theologians consciously countering the Platonist system in order to remain biblical.
Now, with all that to say, I do understand why he emphasizes this platonic heritage. It is because he is following the pattern of the early theologians he is recovering and they had no problem adapting this philosophical system to their purposes. As a historical theologian Boersma is remaining true to his work. My personal bent would be more toward showing the sacramental worldview underlying the whole Scriptures, which happens to coincide with some parts of Platonism. That is to say I would rather not use the Platonist system if in fact we can find all we need in the sacramental world-view of the scriptures. But I guess that that is more of a personal preference than a true critique of this book.
Good for you if you made it through that whole thing! As you might have guessed, this is essentially my way of working through my thoughts on this book.
October 6, 2025
1. I appreciated the emphasis on Heaven and ontological participation. However, I need this developed more teleologically and eschatologically. Still unclear what role the new creation plays in this and if he thought the premodern church underemphasized it.
2. Not sure I’m as pessimistic about all forms of postmodernism as he is. I think he and I are probably just using the term differently. But I think the recognition that all human knowledge is perspectival is just unavoidable but also not devastating to the project Boersma is on. I think he’d agree if we sat down and chatted this out.
3. Why the term platonism? I’m still not totally sure what that word means for Boersma. I like when he says participatory ontology or sacramental ontology. Those seem to me to be freer from any kind of metaphysical baggage.
4. I need this all fleshed out for how this deals with empirical sciences and modern politics. Boersma had a few ominous comments that made me squirm, but maybe I’m reading too much into it. I for one am not ready to abandon modern science or liberal democracy, despite all the problems. I think the medieval discovery of “nature” was literally a godsend. I celebrate the rise of universities. Maybe I’m unraveling the metaphysical tapestry upon which the gospel stands, but I’m gonna need help seeing this.
5. But again, the central thrust is super provocative and helpful. I love the Nouvelle theologie and his call to focus on that. And his historical overview is really helpful.
2. Not sure I’m as pessimistic about all forms of postmodernism as he is. I think he and I are probably just using the term differently. But I think the recognition that all human knowledge is perspectival is just unavoidable but also not devastating to the project Boersma is on. I think he’d agree if we sat down and chatted this out.
3. Why the term platonism? I’m still not totally sure what that word means for Boersma. I like when he says participatory ontology or sacramental ontology. Those seem to me to be freer from any kind of metaphysical baggage.
4. I need this all fleshed out for how this deals with empirical sciences and modern politics. Boersma had a few ominous comments that made me squirm, but maybe I’m reading too much into it. I for one am not ready to abandon modern science or liberal democracy, despite all the problems. I think the medieval discovery of “nature” was literally a godsend. I celebrate the rise of universities. Maybe I’m unraveling the metaphysical tapestry upon which the gospel stands, but I’m gonna need help seeing this.
5. But again, the central thrust is super provocative and helpful. I love the Nouvelle theologie and his call to focus on that. And his historical overview is really helpful.
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