The Sacraments in History

The Sacraments in HistoryChanging Church

Changing Sacraments

Idea of SacramentHas evolved over the course of the history of

the churchChange in…

History Custom People

Concern and need Sacraments connect to peoples’ daily lives

Phase I- Pre-400 CEChurch History and the Sacraments

Before 313 CEChristianity illegalPeople persecuted for practicing

Many Christian communities formedPracticing “Baptism”Participating in “Agape’s”Christianity illegalPeople persecuted for practicing

Worship had become routineSinging, readings, homiliesBread and wine

Sacrament: definedTerm “sacramentum” from Latin word:

“an oath” That is an act calling on one or all of the gods to

witness the truth of statement or the seriousness of one’s commitment.

This began to be used to describe a whole variety of religious rituals practiced by Christians.

Many pagan customsChristmas treesEaster eggs

Wedding rituals began to be incorporated into the Christian celebrations of rituals and the concept of sacramentum...

Christianity-the legal religionConstantine

made Christianity a legal religion, and lifted the ban in the year 313 CE

The Official Religion of the Roman Empire

326 CE Emperor Constantine angered some Roman citizens

330 CE moved capital to ConstantinopleSometimes called

Byzantium

Chi-Rho was a sign used by Constantine.

Constantine was a pagan who worshipped the sun, and he was worried about the coming battle. He says he started to pray to the “Supreme God” for help. There was a sign in the sky “above the sun” and with it the words “conquer by this.” That night in a dream he said he saw Jesus telling him to use the sign (the first letters of Jesus name) “as a safeguard in all battles.” Constantine ordered the sign to be put on his soldier’s shields-and won the battle.

Silver pendant or amulet with punched monogram cross

(chi rho) found in a grave a Shepton Mallet. It is a rare example of a late Roman Christian artifact.

Constantine taught about being a Christian

remained ruthless Baptized in old age coins kept pictures of the old Roman GodsConstantine’s new church in Rome (San

Giovani) was built on the edge of the city to avoid upsetting the pagans

Constantine, and his mother Helena, built great churches in the Holy Land to mark the places where Jesus was born, taught and was buried.

The baptistry at St. Giovani, built by

Constantine

396 CE the official empire split in two after another emperor died

Middle Ages now beganConstant attacksBurning

476 CE the last Roman emperor in the west was killed

political and cultural chaos followedMiddle Ages lasted unto about 1000 CE

Role of St Augustine

-Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo in North Africa in 395 CE

Augustine introduced many “Words” or ideas that became very much a part of the sacraments

That Baptism imprinted a new “Character” upon a personIdeas of administering and receiving the

sacraments as part of Augustine legacyHe thought of sacraments as “signs of a sacred

thing.”Believed that almost anything could be a

sacrament, because all the creation was a sign from God.

Some more important- i.e. sermons, prayers, scripture, Sacraments of Action (symbols and rituals)

Note on the Eastern Churches451 CE -- Council of Chalcedon

Bishop of Rome declared highest authorityBishop of Constantinople was second in

authorityRelations between the two remained strained-

and a formal split happenedThe Eastern Orthodox Church remains with

some differences to the west today, and relations are better today than ever before.

Phase II-Sacramental Practice in the Middle Ages (formerly known as “dark ages”)

Some things that evolved, changed between 300-1000 CE were:Confirmation became separate from BaptismPublic penance replaced privateLay involvement in Eucharist declined

significantlyMarriage made sacramentalAnointing of sick became anointing of dyingPresbyter (ministers) were ordained

Phase III- The Church and Sacraments in the High Middle AgesDuring the High Middle Ages, everyone knew

his/her placeStory on page 114 is a good example

Life as a Christian infused every other part of life

And the Crusades…

The Sacraments in the Middle Ages

In the 13th century -- Second Council of LyonsAffirmed that there were only 7 sacramentsRituals became more standardized with

theological explanations

St. Thomas Aquinas had a key role

His theology state that sacraments were “causes of God’s grace,” not just signs

They were instruments that brought about God’s grace. This made the sacraments extra special

Unhealthy backlash- some people became more concerned about the “FORM” of sacraments, rather than the results

“Magic”A sense of the “Magic”

of sacrament, ritual and Church life develop

People believed that all sort of magical results could happen (see page 117)

Sacraments became infected with this popular belief, priests often considered “magicians”

Sense of “magic” caused corruption in the Church

Martin Luther lit the fuse in 1517 by protesting these abuses

The Church had already gathered 9 times between 1123-1517 to deal with these abuses unsucessfully

Phase IV- Council of Trent1545-1563Most significant change came in a statement:

God’s love and grace cannot be a bargaining tool.

God’s love is unconditional, and we cannot merit the love, or earn the love through good works or anything else.

Major focus was place on the sacraments at the Council.

There are 7 and only sacramentsOther things could be sacramentals

Religious objects Practices that can be spiritually enriching but not

centralChurch approves understanding of

sacramentsTheology taken from Aquinas and

ScholasticismStressed that sacraments were causes of graceNecessary for salvation

Individuals need to experience God’s love for salvation.

Could have been a postcard!

Actual diary pages from the Council of Trent.

Impact of Council of Trent on the Church and Sacraments

Major themes defined Catholic Church practice for the next 400 years

Next major council did not occur until Vatican II (1962-1965)

The effects of the Council of Trent included:No new ways of talking about sacraments

could occurMust come from theological point of view

directed by the VaticanOfficial Roman missal for the Mass and

official book on the rites of the other sacraments was publishedUniversalized sacramental practice and

language (Latin)No real changes until after Vatican II

Everything the same from place to place

Phase V- Church and Sacraments in the 20th Century

20th century brought many changes including war

Gradually it was understood that it was necessary to look at ChurchTheologypractices

Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council in 1962

Chief hope was to help the Church get back in touch with tradition from the early Church and respond in a modern world

Re-affirm that which was closest to a real appreciation of the sacraments, and discard things that had “crept into” thinking

Effect was to focus mostly on the message that Jesus was the ultimate sacrament

That all sacraments need to bring about a better or clearer understanding of Jesus’ central theme of love and forgiveness

The Sacraments TodayLooked at as ways to experience God’s love in

the peaks and valley, the everyday ordinary and extraordinary events of our daily lives

Over and over again from birth to death to new life:

a real Paschal meaning.