Sacraments in General

Question 1

What is sacramentality?

Answer 1

All of reality, regardless of place, historical period, religion, culture, etc., can be called sacramental (mediation) • i.e. Language, gestures, signs, symbols, rituals are all part of what it means to be human. To be human is to engage in and form relationship & to form societies

Question 2

What are sacraments?

Answer 2

They are believed to be bearers of the Divine • They communicate & bear supernatural & divine realities

Question 3

What does the OT say about sacraments?

Answer 3

a. Revelation itself is SACRAMENTAL. Mediation & Communication of God’s very presence to us.
i. Circumcision as a mark of the Covenant
ii. Ratification of Covenant at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24) –> Sprinkling of Blood
iii. Passover (permeated with symbolic meaning) –> Ritual dialogue is a RE-PRESENTATION

Question 4

What does the NT say about sacraments?

Answer 4

a. Many symbolic actions & rituals which come to be known as Sacraments of the Church.
i. The word we use is derived from the NT (esp. Paul) => MYSTERION (“Mystery”) • MYSTERION => MYSTERY.
ii. Christ (c.f., Romans 16:25ff, 2 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:9 & 3:9, Colossians 1:26) “Mysteries” are the ways we encounter the ONE MYSTERY.
iii. FROM THE BEGINNING the followers of Jesus participate in the Redemption (Mystery) of Christ by: 1) Baptism 2) Eucharist –> These were the Mysterion (pl.) • Translation of Mysterion into Latin => Sacramentum

Question 5

How does Augustine develop sacraments?

Answer 5

a. INDELIBLE MARK, SIGNUM vs. RES
i. Donatists => Sacraments celebrated by heretics are invalid (i.e., Heretical ordained minister invalidates sacrament)
ii. Augustine: Certain sacraments leave an indelible mark/ontological change (seal/character) on the soul

Question 6

Three Aspects Of Sacrament (and how they “work”)

Answer 6

i. Sacramentum Tantum - The Pure Sign (e.g. Bread and Wine, Font of Water) •
ii. Res et Sacramentum - Reality and Sign (e.g. The real presence)
iii. Res Tantum - The Pure Reality (i.e., GRACE)

Question 7

Hugh of St. Victor (+1141) and the sacraments

Answer 7

EFFICACY (Doctrine of Sacramental Efficaciousness)

Question 8

Peter Lombard and the sacraments (+1160)

Answer 8

7 sacraments, causality

Question 9

How does Aquinas (+1274), Florence, and Trent develop the understanding of the sacraments?

Answer 9

a. INSTRUMENTAL CAUSALITY, EX OPERE OPERATO, MATTER and FORM
i. Instrumental Causality
ii. The sacraments are instruments in the hands of God (not our hands)
iii. Sacraments are instrumentally instituted by God, he is the first cause - God is the true and proper subject
iv. Ex Opere Operato: Efficacy of the Sacraments does not depend on Minister or Subject
++ 3 elements required for a sacrament: matter, form, and minister with intention.
v. Council of Florence (1439) embraces these three requirements
vi. Council of Trent (1547) reaffirms Council of Florence in response to the Reformation

Question 10

Nine key elements in the Catholic doctrine on the Sacraments

Answer 10

1) There are seven liturgical sacraments all instituted by Christ
2) The sacraments are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in Christ’s body the Church (i.e., Epicletic)
3) The sacraments are of the Church in the sense that they are by her and for her
4) Three sacraments confer a sacramental character or seal and are not repeatable
5) Sacraments presuppose Faith and nourish, strengthen, and express Faith
6) The sacraments confer the grace they signify
7) The sacraments act ex opere operato.…The fruits of the sacrament depend on the disposition of the recipient
8) For the believer, the sacraments are necessary for salvation
9) The sacraments are sacraments of eternal life