A Local Christology in a Postmodern Culture
and its Representation in Forming a New Eucharistic Prayer
for the Anglican Church of Canada

Abstract

Abstract
This thesis is generated in response to the significant decline in membership of the Anglican Church of Canada in the latter half of the twentieth century. Based on a reflexive understanding of the interaction of theology and culture, it proposes a local Christology in response to the local (post-modern) culture of the Anglican Church of Canada and Canadian society, as a way to strengthen the proclamation of Christ in contemporary cultures.
The development of the notion of culture is explored, particularly utilizing the work of Kathryn Tanner. Building on the work of Clifford Geertz in describing cultures, a semiotic approach based on Robert Schreiter’s work on local cultures is used to establish the premise that all theology is contextual and that culture and theology dynamically interact in a reflexive relationship. In the context of theology being expressed through liturgical texts, the notion of inculturation is introduced and some contemporary examples offered.
The typology of H. Richard Niebuhr is used as a contemporary starting point to examine the interaction of Christ and culture, and the description of Christ as the transformer of culture is utilized. This understanding is then examined in light of the culture of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Eucharistic Prayer texts are explored for evidence of being in a reflexive relationship with that culture.
Using the work of Hans Frei, a Christology is developed which is congruent with the need to express the person and work of Christ within a cultural frame. The Christologies of the existing contemporary Eucharistic Prayers of the Anglican Church of Canada are examined in light of Roger Haight’s criteria for building local Christologies. The ‘Frei-inspired’ narrative Christology is employed and new Eucharistic Prayer texts are proposed for the Anglican Church of Canada in response to its local culture.