In further reflection on the poems the Holy Spirit creates, I would proffer that the Sacraments themselves are further support of the valid application of the Transactional Theory, for they are a transaction in and of themselves, mirroring Rosenblatt's relationship between reader and text.
The Sacrament of Baptism lies not solely in the water, for otherwise then every encounter with water would be a Baptism. Nor does it lie solely in the Living Word, for otherwise then all the Living Word would be a Sacrament. Likewise, the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper does not lie solely in the bread and wine, for otherwise then every encounter with bread and or wine would be an encounter with the Lord’s true body and true blood. Nor does it lie solely with the verba, for otherwise then each and every time these Words are spoken the Lord’s Supper would be instituted. Instead, each Sacrament is a transaction, an interaction, between the element and the Living Word.
Our Confessions teach us: “Understand the difference, then. Baptism is quite a different thing from all other water. This is not because of its natural quality but because something more noble is added. Here. God Himself stakes His honor, His power, and His might on it. Therefore, Baptism is not only natural water, but a divine, heavenly, holy, and blessed water, and whatever other terms we can find to praise it. This is all because of the Word, which is a heavenly, holy Word, which no one can praise enough. For it has, and is able to do, all that God is and can do. In this way it also gets its essence as a Sacrament, as St. Augustine also taught, ‘When the Word is joined to the element or natural substance, it becomes a Sacrament,’ that is, a holy and divine matter and sign” (LC, IV, 17-18).
This joining of Living Word to element is also key in the Lord's Supper. “Consider this true, almighty Lord, our Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, after the Last Supper. He is just beginning His bitter suffering and death for our sins. In those sad last moments, with great consideration and solemnity, He institutes this most venerable Sacrament. It was to be used until the end of the world with great reverence and obedience. It was to be an abiding memorial of His bitter suffering and death and all His benefits. It was a sealing of the new Testament, a consolation of all distressed hearts, and a firm bond of unity for Christians with Christ, their Head, and with one another. In ordaining and instituting the Holy Supper, He spoke these words about the bread, which He blessed and gave: ‘Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you,’ and about the cup or wine: ‘This is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’
“We, too, are simply to believe with all humility and obedience our Creator and Redeemer's plain, firm, clear, solemn words and command, without any doubt and dispute about how it agrees with our reason or it is possible. For these words were spoken by that Lord who is infinite Wisdom and Truth itself. He can do and accomplish everything He promises” (FSD, VII, 43, 47, emphasis mine).
In the transaction of Living Word and element, in the poem, the Sacrament is born and the meaning is made. Neither one is the Sacrament, but both together are.
Likewise, the Sacraments themselves are a transaction, and interaction, specifically designed to bear fruit when gifted, when bestowed, upon the children of God. God did not establish Sacraments for Himself; they are not merely symbolic in nature, some ceremony or tradition of worship. Instead, the Sacraments are the signs and testimonies of God's will, instituted to awaken and confirm faith and serve as seals of God's promise toward us.
"...the Sacraments are not just marks of profession among people, as some imagine. Rather, they are signs and testimonies of God's will toward us. Through them God moves hearts to believe" [AP, XIII (VII), 1].
"They [the Sacraments] were instituted to awaken and confirm faith in those who use them. Therefore, we must use the Sacraments in such a way that faith, which believes the promises offered and set forth through the Sacraments, is increased" (AC, XIII, 2).
"For this reason, Christ causes the promise of the Gospel not only to be offered in general, but He also seals it through the Sacraments. He attaches them like seals of the promise, and by them He confirms the Gospel to every believer in particular" (FSD, XI, 37).
Thus, the Sacraments are transactional in nature, in the poem of the interaction of element and the Living Word. And they are also transactional purpose, in the poem of the interaction of Sacrament and believer. The meaning of them, therefore, lies in the poems the Holy Spirit creates by and with and through them, as we receive by faith in Christ forgiveness, healing, sustenance, and refreshment.
Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!
2 comments:
Neat stuff here, MBA! This is a different way of looking at the Sacraments, but I see the connection you are making. The Sacraments are of course the union of God's Word with an earthly element. Both proper Word and the proper element are essential to the Sacraments' essence, validity, and power. We can have the correct formula/Word, but if we try to baptize with rose petals or celebrate the Eucharist with Dr Pepper and a bean burrito from Taco Bell there is no Sacrament. Likewise, we can use the proper elements, but if we baptize in the name of the Creator, Redeemer,and Sanctifier, or use words of institution that say the bread and wine merely represent Christ's Body and Blood, there is no Sacrament. Proper Word of God, proper element -- these make the Sacraments. They are, of course, to be received with faith, but that's a whole 'nother matter from what you're writing about here. But the Word of God is the main thing, along with the faith that believes that Word. And since we believe that Word we don't monkey around with the elements.
See, you helped me understand the interaction between Word and Element with your post. It is GOOD to have you open the windows of my understanding with the perspective you arrived at from your doctoral studies!
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