A Priest to the Table: Eucharistic Causality and Priestly Spirituality in George Herbert’s The Temple

Abstract

Scholars attempting to describe the Eucharistic theology represented in George Herbert’s poetry have reached a variety of conclusions, and the subject remains contested. The present essay argues that Herbert’s deliberate arrangement of poems in The Temple shapes his treatment of this key theological theme. Reading The Temple in sequence reveals a shift in attention and emphasis, from the experience of divine presence in the act of receiving Communion toward an increasing awareness of that same presence in the Eucharistic elements themselves. This transition is closely related to a parallel shift in the latter part of The Temple, from an external perspective on priestly ministry to a participation in priestly actions. The poetic portrayal of Holy Communion thus moves from tasting the sacred wine to breaking and bearing the consecrated bread. At the same time, however, the poet’s more reception-focused Eucharistic meditations in the early pages of the collection pave the way for his spirituality of the priesthood toward the end of the volume. Like Holy Communion itself, priestly ministry for Herbert ultimately proves to be an experience of the grace of divine presence and union with Christ. [J.K.]