SUGGESTION: An improvement to the Lexham Survey of Theology
Yesterday, I was exploring the Theology Guide in the context of how to create tradition specific theological workflows. Thus I found myself reading the article on "The Number of Sacraments" in the Lexham Survey of Theology. As a logician, I had my normal reaction to the use of weasel words "generally", "many" ... and the lack of references so that verification of the information is difficult. However, the primary difficulty is that as a survey, it doesn't make getting a survey view easy. I would like to suggest that between the text and the passage list, you actually insert a survey. For the article "The Number of Sacraments" this survey would like something like:
Note: The selected groups are shown in the order of schism with no other implication. Church of the East/Oriental Orthodox are combined as it is difficult to find the necessary data for them individually. I will not vouch for the accuracy of my data on Calvinism. I know that in some cases I am using outdated vocabulary e.g. penance rather than reconciliation.
What I see in the chart:
- The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox use the term "Major" implying that there are also minor sacraments; their definition of "sacrament" is probably broader than that in the Western tradition.
- The Lutherans and the Anglicans make a distinction between "sacraments" and "sacramentals" at a different point than Catholics; their definition of "sacrament" it probably tighter than that of the Orthodox and Catholics.
- The Anabaptists and Calvinists are inclined to use terms other than "sacrament" i.e. "ceremonies" or "Ordinances"; this likely means a radical shift away from the sacramental theology.
I can now read the text of the LST with some context in which to translate the weasel words into assertions that can be evaluated as true or false. And I can get a relatively objective view of the state of the topic today across the most significant historical schisms.
I would like to see the LST enhanced by the inclusion of such summary data at the end of each topic. It also provides a context for the major theological debates of today by indicating what threads of theology are actually involved.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
Comments
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MJ. Smith said:
I would like to see the LST enhanced by the inclusion of such summary data at the end of each topic. It also provides a context for the major theological debates of today by indicating what threads of theology are actually involved.
This would be wondrously useful for all kinds of readers.
It would require only that FL engage scholars truly familiar with theology outside their own traditions.
“The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara
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MJ. Smith said:
The Lutherans and the Anglicans make a distinction between "sacraments" and "sacramentals" at a different point than Catholics; their definition of "sacrament" it probably tighter than that of the Orthodox and Catholics.
From this Lutheran's perspective,while I can understand how Lutherans can be understood the way you have in the chart, I also think it misses the point of what we are trying to say. Please forgive me as I drift a bit off topic...
I have not really heard of many of our theologians really using the term "sacramentals" except when we are interacting with Rome or Canterbury and find the distinction to be somewhat useful, since there are clearly more important and less important rites/Christian practices out there. The official Lutheran Confessions themselves have a bit of variety as to what exactly is the definition of "Sacrament". The clearest statement is probably Apology 14.3, but this is a definition that is rather tentatively offered ("If we define the sacraments as rites, which have the command of God and to which the promise of grace has been added") - hardly a clear, ringing dogmatic definition. Heck, he even undercuts this definition by pointing out that in some ways Prayer, giving Alms, and receiving afflictions can also fit this definition (AP 14.16-17) and then uses this to undercut the Papal party's demand that we clearly include the seven sacraments with the conclusion "No intelligent person will argue much about the number or the terminology, as long as those things are retained that have the mandate and promises of God."
In short, I think he is saying the important thing is that you value these great gifts of God - and not the exact numbering and terminology you use to do this. So it is no problem when Luther's Large Catechism points out that how Confession is included within how we get to live out our Baptism instead of being really a separate rite in some ways.
One of the more important 20th century Lutherans on the Sacraments, Hermann Sasse, wrote that one of the great strengths of Confessional Lutheranism is that instead of taking a definition of "sacrament" and then trying to force our treatment of however many sacraments there are into some general definition of sacrament, the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Catechisms put the focus on these great gifts from our gracious God before sometimes having a conclusion about sacraments in general.
On the other hand, some Anglicans with whom I have discussed things point out that this is simply us Lutherans being trapped in nominalist assumptions, even as we are reacting against the Medieval nominalism of Biel and Ockham. [;)]
The Gospel is not ... a "new law," on the contrary, ... a "new life." - William Julius Mann
L8 Anglican, Lutheran and Orthodox Silver, Reformed Starter, Academic Essentials
L7 Lutheran Gold, Anglican Bronze
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Thanks Ken, I am not surprised that the Lutherans are farther from the terminology than my chart indicated and likely closer to the Orthodox in terminology as it fits with my general sense of Lutheranism. Your criticism emphasizes the need for individuals with a broad knowledge of the theology of each branch to review each entry. I am not a theologian - I am a liturgist - but even so, I can identify a number of errors in the LST; were I to edit it, I am certain others would get some chuckles on my misunderstandings - places where I don't know enough to know that I don't know.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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