Elderhood and the Sacrament of Communion: An Orthodox Theological Exploration of Gracefully Aging

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is a very interesting article. My only suggestion is that the article could have also addressed more fully the impact of being part of the faith community itself engaged together in the ritual, in addition to the impact of the ritual on the individual. The communal dimension has psychological, sociological, and theological implications.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer #1,

We sincerely appreciate your favorable evaluation of our article. We concur with your observation that the communal dimension of faith experience resonates not only in the areas you have outlined but also extends its influence into the medical sphere. Furthermore, we agree that your suggestion would yield valuable insights into the current perspective/situation of the faithful. However, we believe that an optimal approach to exploring the "impact of being part of the faith community itself" would be through research designed to collect, quantify, and interpret the responses provided by individuals actively engaged in faith communities and liturgical activities.

The aim of our current research was to capture the perspectives of the Holy Fathers, whose prayers constitute the Communion Canon, regarding the effects of Communion.

We extend our gratitude once again for your effort and the valuable feedback provided.

Sincerely,
The authors

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This article delves into the complexities of aging, offering an interdisciplinary analysis that weaves together medical, sociological, and psychological insights to unravel the physical and emotional dimensions of growing older. It foregrounds the existential quests for meaning, fulfillment, and joy amidst the vicissitudes of aging, framing it as a journey of adjustment and adaptation to life's evolving conditions. Significantly, the research is contextualized within the framework of the Orthodox Romanian Church, enriching the discourse with a nuanced theological perspective. The article elucidates how Biblical narratives, spanning both the Old and New Testament, provide a multifaceted view on aging, engaging with the inherent fears of death and the search for spiritual solace. A distinctive feature of the analysis is its focus on the liturgical practices of the Orthodox Church, particularly the Sacrament of Eucharist, which is portrayed as a pivotal experience for believers. These rituals are presented as opportunities for participants in the Holy Liturgy to experience forgiveness of sins and to embark on a new life in, with, and through Christ. This ongoing, life-long process is articulated as a form of pastoral care, aimed at preparing individuals for the inevitability of death by integrating experiences from liturgical rituals into daily life. The mysteries of the Sacrament of Eucharist, especially highlighted in the liturgical texts, are deemed vital in addressing the fears of aging, abandonment, and death, offering believers an affirmation of God's presence and the promise of renewed life in Christ. Through this comprehensive and supportive theological lens, the article contributes significantly to the broader discourse on aging, underscoring the importance of religious rituals in providing comfort and meaning in the face of life's ultimate transition.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer #2,

Thank you for the favorable evaluation of our article. It brings us great joy to know that you have not only understood but also resonated profoundly with the purpose of our study. We share the belief in the value it proposes, particularly in understanding and demonstrating how a rich religious life can provide “comfort and meaning in the face of life's ultimate transition”, as you eloquently concluded.

Once more, we are grateful for the effort you have invested and for the feedback you have provided.

With sincere appreciation,

The authors

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article should be commended for using new methodological approaches to liturgical texts. This is something that does not take place very often in Eastern Orthodox theology. There are however several points that need to be improved before publication. First, there should be at least an acknowledgement of the field of disability theology that talks quite a lot about the relationship between Christian theology and old age. Second, the authors should make clear that the effects of the Eucharist on the faithful are only the effects claimed by the authors of the liturgical texts and not necessarily the effects experienced by the faithful – to support this latter view they should conduct an ethnographic or sociological study different from this one. This brings us to the third point, namely the efficacy of the Eastern Orthodox theological and liturgical discourse when it comes to the care of elderly persons. Are there any data regarding this or is the article simply an analysis of the theological discourse and an attempt at positioning that discourse as perfectly compatible with the recommendations of medical, psychological, and sociological sciences? If this is the case, this should be made explicit in the introduction. Fourth, the authors should also acknowledge that in the Romanian Orthodox Church, not everyone receives the Eucharist all the time – they have first to confess and they can even be denied the Eucharist – so the social and communitarian aspects of the Eucharist are different than in the case of other Christian communities, including other Eastern Orthodox (e.g. Greek). Fifth, the theme of spiritual growth and old age seems to ignore dementia and its frequency among elderly persons. There should be at least a mention of why this is the case and how the Eucharist impacts persons with dementia. Do they get the same benefits? In what way can a person with dementia repent or prepare herself for death when she reaches a stage where she is not very aware of herself? Sixth, the language regarding the Eucharist should be consistent. The authors should pick one of the options Holy Eucharist, Sacrament of Communion, Communion and stick with it throughout the article. With these changes, I think the article will make a great addition to the growing literature on spiritual care and Eastern Orthodox theology.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We sincerely thank you for the time and effort you have dedicated to reviewing our article. Your insightful suggestions have been invaluable to us.

Please see the attachment.

Warm regards,
The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

On page 1, lines 33-34 it would be advisable to specify the global area(s) you are referring to as growing older. In the global south the amount of young people is still significant regarding the whole population.

On page 2 you might formulate the task perhaps more neutrally so that the hypothesis could be that religion and especially the Holy Communion can have positive influence on the healt of aging people. Now the impression is that supporting arguments are gathered in order to show the beneficial influences of religion and other dimensions are excluded. Accordingly, some balansing and neutralising is probably needed.

Also later in the text it is advisable to made explicit that the qualitative analysis is based on the analysis of prayers and their theological and pastoral content, and it is not supported by empirical research as such, although it can be assumed that there is a holistic perspective to liturgical life and its message in the background.

Important conclusion which point to this directions are made on page 19, lines 749-750: "Future research could investigate the physiological impacts of spiritual practices, potentially bridging faith and medical science" and lines 755-756: "Future research could examine the psychological effects across various demographics or compare these effects with other spiritual practices" or 773-775: "Future research might explore the connection between sacramental practices and cognitive-spiritual enlightenment, possibly uncovering the psychological and neurological bases of these experiences."

As such the analysis only describes the content of faith regarding the influence of the Eucharist. However, it is plausible that the texts reflect a tested communal faith experience and not only doctrinal description. Therefore, an empirical study on the basis of self-observation and measured influenced would be welcomed. From that point of view the study shows some interesting tasks for the future research and also for the dialogue between lived religion and science.

The paper has potential to be another research which gives light to the correlation between theology, lived religion and holistic well-being.

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We sincerely thank you for the time and effort you have dedicated to reviewing our article. Your insightful suggestions have been invaluable to us.

Please see the attachment.

Warm regards,
The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf