Faith and the Sacraments: A Commentary on the International Theological Commission's The Reciprocity between Faith and the Sacraments in the Sacramental Economy ed. by Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M.

Abstract

Reviewed by: Faith and the Sacraments: A Commentary on the International Theological Commission's The Reciprocity between Faith and the Sacraments in the Sacramental Economy ed. by Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M. Michael Brummond Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap., ed. Faith and the Sacraments: A Commentary on the International Theological Commission's The Reciprocity between Faith and the Sacraments in the Sacramental Economy Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2022 187 pages. Paperback. $34.95. Anyone engaged in pastoral ministry is aware of the frequent disconnect experienced between faith and the sacraments. In some cases, people participate in the sacraments with little evidence of faith; a kind of ritualism or sacramental automatism. Alternatively, the sacraments are viewed as superfluous to a meaningfully lived faith. This pastoral crisis is at the heart of the volume edited by Fr. Thomas Weinandy. Weinandy was appointed by Pope Francis to the International Theological Commission (ITC) in 2014 and was part of the group that worked on the topic of faith and sacraments, ultimately leading to the document which is the subject of this book. The ITC document (hereafter Reciprocity) articulates the theological relationship between faith and the sacraments and addresses related pastoral concerns. The present volume is a collection of essays summarizing and offering commentary on each section of Reciprocity, as well as a translation of the document itself. While robustly theological, the telos of the work is ultimately pastoral, "aimed at aiding priests and seminarians as they address or prepare to address the pastoral and theological concerns they encounter or will encounter on a daily basis" (ix). The opening chapter by John P. Yocum summarizes the contemporary relevance of the problem, tracing the philosophical roots of the crisis, the cultural phenomena antagonistic to Catholic faith, common attitudes among faithful and clergy, and pastoral failures that undermine the reciprocity between faith and sacraments. To demonstrate that the situation may rightly be called a crisis, the chapter marshals several recent surveys indicating lack of practice or doctrinal adherence among Catholics. The author also emphasizes the link between philosophical-theological errors and pastoral practice: "The questions addressed in a systematic way by professional [End Page 137] philosophers are, or are derived from, the basic questions that every human being asks," (4) questions related to the human desire to know objective reality, and the possibility of divinization. In the second chapter, Christopher Ruddy offers a summary of the main themes from Reciprocity on the dialogical nature of the sacramental economy. He briefly notes the strengths and weaknesses of this section of the document, points that are valid though somewhat anemic given the robust quality of Reciprocity at this stage. The real strength of this chapter lies in drawing attention to "more original, primary crises of faith and sacramentality" (24). The author notes that various scandals—sexual, financial, etc.—make belief difficult. Faith is also complicated by sociocultural conditions, including the growth of phenomena such as secularism and "moralistic therapeutic deism" (25). Sacramentality itself is absurd to a materialistic, scientistic worldview. He also notes that the response to Covid has unmasked this crisis, making explicit in many Catholics the attitude that sacraments are truly superfluous. In response, the author appeals to a more transcendent, eschatologically oriented liturgy as an avenue into the sacramental worldview. In the next essay, Jennifer Newsome Martin turns to the reciprocity of faith and the sacraments of Christian initiation. The author advocates for a theologically charged pastoral vision which should "prioritize rigor and beauty over accessibility in order to communicate the sophistication, complexity, mystery, and metaphysical seriousness of the Catholic intellectual tradition" (30). The sections on the individual sacraments of initiation highlight the need for mystagogical catechesis and offer concrete, challenging, and realistic suggestions for sacramental formation for these sacraments, oriented to genuine personal discipleship. The author suggests, for instance, formation in contemplative prayer, lectio, Bible reading, service, close friendships within the community, as well as the establishment of a framework of flexible curriculum so that "sacramental preparation would be more uniform, consistent, and theologically responsible" (41). In chapter four, John S. Grabowski discusses Reciprocity's treatment of faith and marriage. Of particular interest in this chapter are...