Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!iuvax!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lakart!dg@xait.xerox.com (David Goodenough) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Sacraments (was Re: transubstantiation again - some real concerns) Message-ID: Date: 17 Nov 89 08:49:06 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 27 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Ralph A. Foy says: > We understand a sacrament to be an act which we recognize Christ's > presence in a real, but special way. In the Catechism in the 1979 prayer book a sacrament is defined as "An outward and visible sign of something spiritual", so taking an example, Marriage: the outward signs are the exchanging of vows and rings, and the joining of hands. What these signs are representing, is (to quote Matthew) "Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh" - the joining of body, mind, and spirit of husband and wife. > In a sense every moment should > be sacramental, insofar as Christ is always with us; however we > recognize seven sacramental rituals which are "formal" celebrations in > which the community celebrates as a Church Sacrament. They are: > > 1. Baptism 2. Confirmation 3. Matrimony > 4. Holy Orders 5. Reconciliation 6. Annointing of the Sick > 7. Christian Burial Small point. The seventh sacrament is not burial (that is one of the mercies?). It is Eucharist. -- dg@lakart.UUCP - David Goodenough +---+ IHS | +-+-+ ....... !harvard!xait!lakart!dg +-+-+ | AKA: dg%lakart.uucp@xait.xerox.com +---+