Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi: The Theological Significance of Eucharistic Prayer IV

Taking up the classical axiom lex orandi, lex credendi, this paper develops a systematic theology of the liturgy grounded in Edward Kilmartin's Trinitarian approach and applies it to the fourth Eucharistic Prayer. Examining in turn the preface, anamnesis, and epiclesis of Eucharistic Prayer IV, the author draws out their anthropological, soteriological, and ecclesiological implications, showing how the prayer expresses the Church's communion in and through the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The study argues that liturgical language, far from being merely devotional, is itself a genuine theological locus capable of bridging the gap between academic theology and the lived faith of ordinary believers, proposing the Eucharistic Prayer as a resource for evangelization within the Church's missionary and pastoral life.