The Ritual Dimension of Union With Christ in Paul's Thought

The study of "in Christ" language in New Testament scholarship has received widespread attention in recent years. Nevertheless, despite all the perspectives from which scholars have treated this topic, one aspect of "in Christ" language has received only scant attention: its ritual or sacramental aspect. While theological, epistemological, and linguistic factors have contributed to the downplaying of rituals like baptism and the Lord's Supper in the New Testament, Yu Chen develops the framework of a ritual transformation model from ritual theories to place the study of ritual in its rightful place. Accordingly, the author focuses on the historical and social implications of the ritual performance of baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are used to explain the mechanisms of union with Christ. Finally, he argues that rituals provide participants with access to the transformative experience of encountering the risen Messiah.