Abstract
This article ties together reflections on the Eucharist and reflections on the pandemic by appealing to the author’s experiences with celiac disease. Both celiac and the pandemic force Christians to ask the question “What does it mean to approach Christ’s body when it threatens our life?” Acknowledging the complexity of this question is key to understanding and communicating with Christians across the world, especially in high- stakes situations like a pandemic, where misrepresentation runs rampant. The pandemic witnessed the toll of undue simplifications of this question—both in those who denied that liturgy could be a source of danger, and in moralized responses to religious services during the pandemic. Reflecting on celiac can defend against these dangerous misunderstandings, opening Eucharistic theology to the vulnerability of flesh.
Recommended Citation
Jowers, Nathan
(2023)
"Wheat, Rye, and Barley: On Celiac and the Eucharist during the Pandemic,"
New Horizons: Vol. 7:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/newhorizons/vol7/iss1/8