Article
A Sacrament is both a physical symbol of and the activation of God's Grace, just as a computer icon both symbolises an activity and activates it. In this broad sense, the world is the Sacrament of God's creation and the Church is the Sacrament of God's presence with us on earth.
In their narrower sense, The Sacraments are a set of physical invocations of Grace which occur at key points in our lives. In the Mediæval Church there were seven Sacraments established by tradition: Baptism (admission of adults and children into the Church); Confirmation (invoking the Holy Spirit for Christian adulthood); Holy Eucharist (sharing in the body and blood of Jesus Christ as our sacred food); Confession (formal admission of sins, penitence and reconciliation with God); Marriage (the joining together of two people in the sight of God); Anointing (anointing in sickness or as preparation for death); and Holy Orders (the ordination of Deacons, Priests and Bishops).
Some Protestants only accept the "Dominical" Sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist which, they maintain, are those established in Scripture.
After a period of theological stability, we are being forced to question the fundamental nature of the Sacraments both collectively and individually:
- Initiation (Study Sheet 12) - There are questions about the role of Baptism and Confirmation, their relationship to the reception by young people of the Holy Eucharist and the extent to which Baptism can be administered to children; The Vatican's abolition of limbo has provided a sharp focus, questioning the necessity of infant Baptism for entry into Heaven, but a case may be made to retain baptism in Christian families. Confirmation has traditionally been administered by Bishops but in the Roman Church this is now delegated to priests.
- Holy Eucharist (Study Sheets 13-16) - The mechanics, as opposed to the reality, of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist has been controversial but is less so today. The Anglican Community, however, is beginning to discuss the nature of Eucharistic Presidency which repeats the discussion of mechanics in a new form.
- Reconciliation (Study Sheet 17) - Now that the caricaturing of the ancient Sacrament of Confession is declining, the theme of reconciliation is emerging; but how far does this require the mediation of an ordained Minister?
- Marriage (Study Sheet 18) - The relatively recent change in the Church of England's stance on divorce and, more recently, the secular legislation on civil partnerships, has raised the question: What is marriage?
- Holy Orders - The controversy over both women and gay people in the Priesthood (which may or may not be related issues) has forced us to question what it is about priesthood that requires a male, heterosexual monopoly.
We will be considering Initiation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation and Marriage up until Lent before considering Holy Orders extensively as our Lent Course.
KC i/06
Related Study Sheets…
The Eucharist in the Church of England (1538-2005 AD)
Added: 13th November 2006
The Eucharist of Christendom, 30-1520 AD
Added: 13th November 2006
Added: 13th November 2006
Added: 13th November 2006
Added: 13th November 2006
Added: 13th November 2006
Added: 13th November 2006