The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher

The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher purports to take the reader on a historical journey to delve into the mystery of Communion. The reader searching for a true Biblical and historical viewpoint on this topic will be sorely disappointed. The anecdotal writing style was great for another type of book, just not one in "The Ancient Practices Series." The style of Ms. Gallagher's writing was not the problem for me; however, the content and substance were. I do not discount Ms. Gallagher's talent as a writer, just her questionable handling of this topic. I enjoy reading about people's experiences, especially within the faith community. This said, the focus was more on the author's personal experience than anything else. My expectation for a book of this nature is scholarly research backing up a well presented and Biblically accurate work on a fascinating topic. That the slant was Episcopalian, and not a general Christian one or at least an overview of the major Christian groups, was frustrating. The procedures and practice of modern Episcopalian Communion tell me nothing about "the ancient practices" of Communion. In light of the title and intention of the series, it seems to me that this work missed the mark entirely. If you are interested in a well-written personal opinion story about how an ancient practice makes the writer feel more connected to her fellow man, this is the book for you. If you are interested in a Biblically sound examination of the practice of Communion both in historical and modern contexts, this work is not recommended. I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program. Find details at: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

I am a blogger

I am doing this. I am blogging. As soon as blogging crossed my radar, I found the practice fascinating. I cannot explain why reading about someone else's life is so interesting. I sometimes find myself following link after link to read blog after blog...mostly from people I do not even know!

Maybe this curiosity comes from the innate need to reconnect with other humans in this hectic and often disconnected(from real people, that is) world. The more "connected" I become(in terms of technology), the less time I spend with actual people. Maybe just knowing that there is a real person behind the words and pictures on the computer screen makes up for all the voice-automated systems and pre-recorded sales calls with which we are daily barraged.

Whatever the reason, I have heeded the call of technology. I am a blogger.