Christ, Baptism and the Lord's Supper: Recovering the Sacraments for Evangelical Worship

by Leonard J. Vander Zee

Winner of a Christianity Today Book Award Baptism. The Lord's Supper. We recognize these church practices. But do we really grasp their meaning and place in Christian worship? Is our neglect of them hindering our communion with Christ? Are we missing the real drama of our salvation? Often the object of debate, the sacraments are likewise neglected and superficially understood. Leonard Vander Zee makes a compelling case that these problems can be overcome when we see the connection between Baptism and the Lord's Supper and the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God. Founding his discussion in biblical teaching reaching back to the creation narrative and forward to the teaching of Jesus and the apostle Paul, Vander Zee sees the Christ-centered celebration of these sacraments as essential to the renewal of the church. A reappropriation of Baptism and the Eucharist, especially in the evangelical church, holds great promise for healing the rift between the natural and the spiritual, the personal and social, the head and the heart, and between the body of believers and our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us and now lives to make intercessions for us. In Christ, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, Vander Zee not only opens up a Christ-centered approach to the sacraments but also provides guidance on the practical matters that face pastors and parishioners in the pursuit of a renewed and authentic Christian worship.

Genres: Theology, Church, Christianity, Christian, Faith, Church History, Nonfiction

249 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

Reviews

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by an Anglican deacon (now priest) and I am very impressed by it. In fact, I believe it to present the best theology of the sacraments I have read thus far.

Leonard Vander Zee admittedly comes from a Reformed perspective and so he favours infant baptism and relies heavily upon the use of John Calvin in his understanding of the sacraments, particularly the Lord's Supper. However, he also draws upon other thinkers, such as the Church fathers (noting Calvin's own debt to the Eastern fathers in his understanding of communion as heavenly participation, where believers are "lifted up" by the Spirit in divine worship of Christ), Catholic theologians, the Reformers and particularly among modern theologians, T.F. Torrance. Despite his own theological loyalties, Vander Zee is diligently respectful of other traditions, clearly explaining the reasons why Roman Catholics believe in transubstantiation (his contrast of Platonic vs. Aristotelian thinking is extremely helpful) and why many evangelicals hold to believer's baptism as well as laying out a understanding of the sacraments he believes is biblically and theologically faithful (e.g. for instance, he cites Calvin's concern regarding the "real presence" of the Eucharist that it did not properly honour Jesus' humanity if his physical presence is scattered all over time and space while his physical body ascended only once - as we await his return). While Vander Zee disagrees with certain traditions and thinkers, he notes that in many cases they altered course with the best of intentions (e.g. the use of grape juice to replace wine in the Lord's Supper for fears of intoxication). He convincingly demonstrates that the passage in 1 Corinthians referring to "discerning the body" is NOT referring to the physical properties of the bread but the community (the church in Corinth was divided between rich and poor and this communal aspect of the sacrament is stressed by the author).

Vander Zee structures the book by lamenting how the practice of the sacraments among evangelicals have languished (chiding churches for serving communion only once in a blue moon) and by setting up Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrament. He spends the rest of the book discussing baptism and the Lord's Supper, starting with their Biblical background and then explaining practice and any changes to the practice that have since occurred. He concludes by stating that the Lord's Supper is the meal of the church and should thus be reserved for believers (I think I'm more radically open than he).

This book certainly provides food for thought!

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty good teaching on the sacraments, though a couple of sections were not as strong. The section on baptism was good. However, the introductory sections on the 'sacraments in general' and the closing chapters on the Lord's Supper left a bit to be desired.

Chapters 1 and 2 broaden out the language of sacraments too much, invoking it to describe all of material reality. This is an unfortunate mistake, as it is the function of sacraments quite narrowly to signify and bestow Christ to his people, according to his promise. It's just not true that all of material reality fills that function (ex: general revelation vs special revelation). Additionally, it's not right to speak of Christ himself as a sacrament. He is what sacraments signify, but he himself is not a sacrament. What's lost in chapters 1-2 is that material reality does not need to be sacramental to have value or even serve a revelatory function.

And the chapters 9-12 on the Lord's Supper had good content, but also spent an awful lot of time blurring distinctions between traditions. As an example Vander Zee seems to suggest we need to talk less about the question of how Christ is present in the Supper, and just accept that he is. Also there is an attempt to recover the language of Christ somehow being offered to God as a sacrifice in the Supper, while avoiding the propitious language of the Mass (with cherry-picked quotes from all traditions to get to this understanding of the Supper). I appreciate learning from many sources, but by the end I really didn't have any idea what he was teaching about the Supper anymore.

I suppose to that extent, I walked away more convinced that confessional distinctions are an aid to these sacramental discussions and not a hindrance. They at least ensure we are still in the same theological area code at the end of the discussion as when we started. I wasn't sure of that by the end of chapters 9-12.

So, I don't know. There is good here. I learned plenty, but the book requires some discernment, due to the obscuring of confessional distinctions in pursuit of alleged biblical fidelity.

[Ryne Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful survey of a Reformed view of the sacraments.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful book on the sacraments from the perspective of the Reformed tradition. Anyone looking to better understand their biblical and theological importance should read this book.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be one of the best books on the sacraments I’ve read in a long while. Protestant churches, particularly within the magisterial persuasion, would do well to read this book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't finished this book yet. I am reviewing it because I am not sure if I will end up finishing the book from front to back. It was a book I picked up for a paper I was writing and so I read it in bits and parts and since I am not sure if I will read it from front to back fully fleshed out, I am going to just review based upon as much as I did read.

What I loved about it is that so often in the book I felt that when speaking about the Sacraments Vander Zee was speaking about them not just within the biblical understanding or the theological implication but in the relation aspect of the Sacraments. It was really impactful and I felt he hit the nail on the head for so many things.

[Lynnette · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really good to read a different perspective than what I grew up with and what my church practices. It definitely helped me understand better why communion is an ordinance and not just a routine. It gave it more depth and meaning. Same with baptism. I will definitely think some more about gnosticism slipping into evangelicalism. I still don't agree with everything he said, but that's not why the three stars. The three stars is because the author often repeated his point a bit too much.

[Winnie Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous work. Does a great job of recovering a sacramental view of the world.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways this book is a philosophy of the sacraments, focusing on things we don't think about often enough.

[Annie Pliego · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome.

[Dan Waugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vander Zee does a rare thing. This book is a thorough and profound exploration of the theology of the sacraments. And wonderfully accessible. I don't mean everyone will find it easy. No one who truly wrestles with the nature of the sacraments will find the topic easy, but this book is not overly technical, and where it gets into technicalities, Vander Zee offers a clear explanation. It's so much more than a history lesson in the various views, though he demonstrates knowledge of them and shows how the contemporary church can learn from the divergent views. Vander Zee offers thoughtful commentary on a 'way forward' that may bridge the chasm between different traditions. I highly recommend it to pastors, lay leaders, or anyone who wants to understand what God does in and through the sacraments.

[Brad Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 // This is a really accessible and pastoral exploration of the sacraments as practices rooted in the Person and work of Christ. I anticipated something more academic (and, honestly, dry) when I started reading, but each chapter brought refreshment and a renewed appreciation for the sacraments. Vander Zee writes with generosity and humility, and I deeply appreciated his emphasis on common ground and unity within the different practices of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Overall, I found myself drawn deeper into love with Jesus by the end of the book, and that is probably the greatest mark of any theological work.

[Anna Hohmeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book for a class assignment. Pros: really helpful book advocating for a more sacramental practice in churches, particularly for evangelicals. Wove in aspects of other atonement theories and advocated for an embodied faith practice. Also strongly advocated for unity among churches in differences in infant and believer’s baptism, viewing it as a theological difference instead of a dividing factor.

Cons: heavily quoted from a reformed perspective. The author admits this in the beginning of the book, but I wish additional perspectives were included.

[Kathleen Krynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, very accessible explanation of the Reformed view of the sacraments. Anyone can read it and come away with a pretty decent understanding. My one issue with it is I don't think the book does a very good job in its stated mission of directing this explanation specifically at run of the mill American evangelicals. More extensive exegesis of Scripture and more direct answers to evangelical objections (besides "stop being Gnostic") would have improved it. But overall very good.

[Ian Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I've read on the sacraments to date. It is convictionally reformed and deeply catholic. I appreciate that the author is charitable to other Christian traditions on this topic, especially Roman Catholic theology. This book is subtly subversive of the anti Roman Catholicism that has unfortunately become characteristic of modern reformed discourse.

[George Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots to think on, lots to be shared with my community of faith. The presentation is generous, even where I have read and experienced controversy. Well worth the purchase and the time spent in reading.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - Such a wonderful book on the sacraments and the importance of them in the church! If you are a protestant evangelical, read this book, and you'll be surprised at all that our tradition says concerning the sacraments, and why we should practice and understand them far more than we do.

[Peter Bringe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, helpful, but not great. It had good insights, but was lacking in some parts.

[Dylan Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for understanding the Reformed perspective on the sacraments.

[Hope Grinnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a slow read, very informative but not super engaging. The author also seems to speak very aggressively about other viewpoints that are not his own

[Joseph Bouchoc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed the three Baptism chapters. Good book overall but too individualistic in my opinion.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading
Coming from a free-evangelical church background, I have experienced communion (the Lord's Supper) to be a powerful means of strengthening my Christian faith; I also delight in watching others engage in taking the bread and the wine within a church context, finding it to be a source of wonder as to what is actually occurring in front of my eyes. Similarly, my personal experience and engaged observation of baptism stirs faith within me.

Main reason for reading
Curious to find out more about the ins and outs of communion. For example, why so many evangelical churches only have communion once a month. This in contrast to a local catholic church that holds a daily Lord's Supper service.

Also, how much of a divide is there between the 'real presence of Christ' in contrast to 'an act of remembrance'? My experience suggests that there is more to communion than it just being an act of remembrance, but how does this issue get argued, and by whom?

The experience of reading
I can't believe how fast I went through this book—a second, more measured read is in order. Some parts left me feeling vague, but others were gripping (!).

After reading
I'm more firmly convinced of the importance of the Lord's Supper for Christians, the Church and the local church to be built up in faith.

The physicality of the sacraments (baptism & communion) mean they act in a complementary manner with the preached word of God.

Vander Zee unpacks the absence / presence dynamic and the implications this can have on our understanding of Jesus Christ. John Calvin is presented as having the most keenly balanced view on this issue. (Christ's incarnation and ascension, and the role of the Holy Spirit with the sacraments.)

Gnostic protestantism. This was a surprise to me. Vander Zee argues that the sacraments play a key role in addressing the issue.

Further reading
Alisdair I.C. Heron, Table and Tradition: Toward an Ecumenical Understanding of the Eucharist
T.F. Torrance, Theology in Reconciliation
John Nevin, The Mystical Presence and Other Writings on the Eucharist
John Calvin, Institutes Book IV esp .14 & .17)
Heidelberg Catechism
An Eastern Orthodox Critique of Mercersburg Theology

[Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best single-volume that I have read on the two sacraments of the church. I really appreciated Vander Zee’s tone; he is very respectful of differing traditions… I feel that he wants the reader to come away from this book with a deeper desire for the unity of the church as a whole. The sacraments are so often that which divides us as believers, while they should be that which unites us. Therefore, his tone is very warm, caring, and understanding to all different types of traditions, both modern and historical. The one time he does get a bit harsh in his tone is when he is defending the importance of the unity of the church (which is a fitting moment to get a bit more harsh); specifically, in regards to denominations who re-baptize people, he says, “To insist on the re-baptism of those who were baptized as infants, even when they have clearly lived a life of faith and obedience to Christ, is disrespectful of the faith of others and makes a mockery of the ‘one baptism’.” I believe he makes a good point here, and he goes on to affirm Baptist churches in England who have moved away from re-baptizing people (while giving some historical and cultural context for why he believes those churches have done so); and, he holds out hope that more Baptist churches in America will do the same. His discussion on the Lord’s Supper is excellent. Once again, he presents differing views in a way that does justice to each of those views. His explanation of what really takes place in the Lord’s Supper is great and will be deeply helpful for any Christian to read. The Lord Jesus instituted two sacraments and having a greater understanding of what they really are will have deep, lasting, and consistent impact on the life of any believer. This book is not just for pastors, seminary students, and seminary professors; this is a very helpful book for any believer in Christ to read.

[Ken Mcafee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book to help think through the sacraments, what they mean, what they do, how they do it, and even how we should practice them, re-thinking our approach for our cultural context. Vander Zee's approach not only helps the reader understand the reformed approach to the sacraments, but he also expounds upon the historical development of the various traditions in relation to the sacraments The reader comes away form this book with a better understanding of all the major Christian traditions, which is helpful to support Vander Zee's call for unity. This book is time well spent for anyone wanting to better understand the sacraments, and should be required for anyone presiding over the sacraments in a reformed context.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A instructive overview of baptism and the Supper from a high Reformed view. The core idea is ththat these are the Church's possession which we participate in -- this is a useful counter to the more personal and often privatized framing among Evangelicals and many western Christians.

This is not a full sacramental theology; the ethical dimensions are relatively under developed. Likewise the relationship to the a Reformed elevation of the Word. While the sacramental approach rests in and builds community, that same communal stance can frustrate the role of proclamation.

That caveat aside, this is a rich text for Evangelicals, and one that is fairly accessible.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this book. I found it's primary use to be informative about the Church's debates on the sacraments. Vander Zee obviously has been paying attention. He also has a very clear writing style. I only wish he had been clearer with what baptism WAS and with what it was NOT. Clarity is important, and Vander Zee doesn't quite nail it. I still don't understand. But I now know a lot of helpful terms.

[Darren Duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very, very helpful. I found myself saying, "If only..." throughout my reading. Highly recommended for those who want a once-over-the-Church treatment of the sacraments.

My only critique is that Vander Zee seems to be in a hurry at the end. It was as if he really wanted to get the book done and to the printers. His closing with a quote from Leithart seems to prove the point.

In any event, I think anyone who really wants to come to grips with the sacraments will benefit from this work.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for Reformed/Evangelical churches who need to think more deeply on the sacraments as a means of grace so we can bring more depth and intentionality to our teaching and practice. Also, if you are Reformed in your theology and think we have more in common with the Baptists than the Roman Catholics (on the sacraments) this book will challenge you in a good way!

[Caleb Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. To search out a matter is the glory of kings." Vander Zee is no king. He does a good job of looking at the whole of Creation as a Sacrament, but unfortunately the very center of the book, in his dealing with Baptism, is lacking in its ability to explain what God has made mystery.

[Greg Baughman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. One of the best I've read in seminary. Brief but theologically deep. This well organized book both challenges the common evangelical practice of the Eucharist and provides a way forward. His chapters on Baptism and Eucharist "for Today" were outstanding. Every page of this book is worth reading, and it is a book to which I will often return. In a word, excellent.