Sacraments Studyguide

Published by SCM in 2006 as part of their Studyguide series, priced £15. 

Click here for the contents, and here for the updates.

Extra material especially of interest to readers include:

• Section from Objectivity and Religious Symbol on The Language of Sacrament.
   
• Discussion from Transfiguring God on Transfiguration: stories that open up new levels.

Part 1: Meanings and Origins

Chapter 1: Symbol and Rite in three Dimensions
Chapter 2: Pagan and Jewish Antecedents
Chapter 3: The New Testament: Christ the Mystery and the Mysteries

Part 2: Developing Theologies of the Sacraments

Chapter 4: A Very Short History
Chapter 5: The Modern Search for the Primordial Sacrament

Part 3: Becoming Church: Sacraments and Christian Initiation

Chapter 6. Evolution of Baptism and Christian Initiation
Chapter 7: Sacraments, Stages and Society: how should we make Christians?

Part 4: Celebrating Church: Holy Communion

Chapter 8: Evolution of the Eucharist
Chapter 9: Theologies of the Eucharist: Presence and Sacrifice
Chapter 10: Eucharistic Theology: Space-time, Society and Spirituality

Part 5: Making and Remaking Church: other Sacraments and Symbols

Chapter 11: Symbols of Restoration: Reconciliation, Healing and Deliverance
Chapter 12: Symbols of Vocation: Ordination and Marriage

Conclusion: the Sacramental Prism

Updates to Sacraments Studyguide

Chapter 7   Page 107    Staged Catechumenate now provided in Church of England.

The Revised Book on 'Christian Initiation' in the Church of England' Common Worship now contains the planned staged Catechumenate including services for the welcoming and for the election of catechumens.

Chapter 11 Page 187      Personal Confession and Reconciliation now provided in CofE Common Worship

The above mentioned book also now contains two rites for individual penitence, one based on the traditional Western pattern, designed for regular confession, and the other close to the provision mentioned in the American Book of Common Prayer, designed for those who have become estranged from the sacramental life of the church and wish to be restored - the original Patristic context of Reconciliation.  There are also corporate services of penitence.

Amendments

Page 77:    Figure 3.5:            There are too many 'educations' here.  I must have had Tony Blair in mind 'Education, education, education!'

Page 136:   Second paragraph:    'Prayers' not 'payers' !

Page 154    First bullet point:     Jesus on earth was also of course present in sense 3: he caused things to happen.