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Studies in Dogmatics
The Sacraments
In this series rooted in the normative significance of Scripture, noted Dutch theologian G. C. Berkouwer examines great doctrines of the Reformed faith, developing and defending Reformed theology through interaction with a wide range of theologies and theologians
- GenresTheology
308 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1952
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61 people want to read
About the author
G.C. Berkouwer
35 books20 followersGerrit Cornelis Berkouwer was for years the leading theologian of the Gereformeerde Kerken in the Netherlands (GKN). He occupied the Chair in systematic theology of the Faculty of Theology, Free University (VU) in Amsterdam.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 1, 2021
2021 Reads: 03/52
Rating: 4/5
Book: The Sacraments
Author: Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer (1903-1996)
Berkouwer provides a comprehensive and carefully crafted treatment of the sacraments. In his introduction, Berkouwer explained, "we have chosen to begin with 'the sacraments,’ not for speculative reasons, but only for the sake of clarity… we shall discuss a number of questions that were raised long ago in the history of the Church, namely, questions regarding the number of sacraments, the relation between the Word and sacrament, and the working of the sacraments." He certainly achieved that goal. He exposed the errors of Rome and provided a solid biblical explanation of the sacraments.
Berjouwer discusses the meaning of the sacraments and the controversy surrounding the Lord's Table--ironic for the ordinance is a symbol of our unity, and yet it has been the cause for much disunity. But praise be to God for the perspicuity of the Scriptures. One need not grieve over the differing positions but follow what is clearly taught in Scripture and as applied by the elders of the local church. One's theology is to be subordinate to the authority of the Scriptures. Berkouwer explains, "It is clear then, that Word and sacrament cannot simplistically be juxtaposed as equals. That does not imply a devaluation of the sacraments"
Berkouwer explains how these sacraments are a means of grace for the church––they strengthen our faith. He writes: "the Reformation stressed the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments as signs and seals of that Word; in this way faith encounters the reality of salvation, not as man’s contribution to the process of redemption, but as a resting in the reality of an accomplished salvation and a communion with the living Lord… Hence the sacraments do not strengthen faith through an independent growing-process in human subjectivity, but through communion with Christ."
He also warns and explains the sanctifying effects of the Lord's Supper, he writes, "The worthiness demanded by the Lord’s Supper consists… in acknowledging one’s unworthiness and in knowing that the Supper has been instituted for the ‘unworthy’ we proclaim in the Lord’s Supper the death of Christ, not their righteousness. The ‘unworthiness’ can keep us from the Lord’s table only if it reveals itself in a disregard of guilt and forgiveness. There is, then, the crisis of unworthiness against which Christ’s church is warned in the light of his coming."
For those who enjoy theology and church history, this is a great book. It certainly increased my love for Berkouwer and has motivated me to read some of his other works.
Rating: 4/5
Book: The Sacraments
Author: Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer (1903-1996)
Berkouwer provides a comprehensive and carefully crafted treatment of the sacraments. In his introduction, Berkouwer explained, "we have chosen to begin with 'the sacraments,’ not for speculative reasons, but only for the sake of clarity… we shall discuss a number of questions that were raised long ago in the history of the Church, namely, questions regarding the number of sacraments, the relation between the Word and sacrament, and the working of the sacraments." He certainly achieved that goal. He exposed the errors of Rome and provided a solid biblical explanation of the sacraments.
Berjouwer discusses the meaning of the sacraments and the controversy surrounding the Lord's Table--ironic for the ordinance is a symbol of our unity, and yet it has been the cause for much disunity. But praise be to God for the perspicuity of the Scriptures. One need not grieve over the differing positions but follow what is clearly taught in Scripture and as applied by the elders of the local church. One's theology is to be subordinate to the authority of the Scriptures. Berkouwer explains, "It is clear then, that Word and sacrament cannot simplistically be juxtaposed as equals. That does not imply a devaluation of the sacraments"
Berkouwer explains how these sacraments are a means of grace for the church––they strengthen our faith. He writes: "the Reformation stressed the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments as signs and seals of that Word; in this way faith encounters the reality of salvation, not as man’s contribution to the process of redemption, but as a resting in the reality of an accomplished salvation and a communion with the living Lord… Hence the sacraments do not strengthen faith through an independent growing-process in human subjectivity, but through communion with Christ."
He also warns and explains the sanctifying effects of the Lord's Supper, he writes, "The worthiness demanded by the Lord’s Supper consists… in acknowledging one’s unworthiness and in knowing that the Supper has been instituted for the ‘unworthy’ we proclaim in the Lord’s Supper the death of Christ, not their righteousness. The ‘unworthiness’ can keep us from the Lord’s table only if it reveals itself in a disregard of guilt and forgiveness. There is, then, the crisis of unworthiness against which Christ’s church is warned in the light of his coming."
For those who enjoy theology and church history, this is a great book. It certainly increased my love for Berkouwer and has motivated me to read some of his other works.
October 28, 2021
I have read only 2/3 of the book - on the sacraments itself, and then on baptism.
My rating has nothing to do with the position he is arguing for (Reformed view on baptism). It reflects the quality of his scholarship, attention to the details, and fairness in representing views of others.
Helpful with clarifying many issues, goes much deeper than average book on the subject. Engages historical theology, biblical theology, and systematic theology.
Very little attention was given to credobaptist case, just a few times he mentioned Anabaptists and his main opponent here is Barth.
He is mainly interested in a debate with Rome.
He is arguing against presumptive regeneration as the basis for baptism, and sharpens Bavinck's arguments when it's needed.
Highly recommended. Theological heavy weight, but worth investing your time in it.
My rating has nothing to do with the position he is arguing for (Reformed view on baptism). It reflects the quality of his scholarship, attention to the details, and fairness in representing views of others.
Helpful with clarifying many issues, goes much deeper than average book on the subject. Engages historical theology, biblical theology, and systematic theology.
Very little attention was given to credobaptist case, just a few times he mentioned Anabaptists and his main opponent here is Barth.
He is mainly interested in a debate with Rome.
He is arguing against presumptive regeneration as the basis for baptism, and sharpens Bavinck's arguments when it's needed.
Highly recommended. Theological heavy weight, but worth investing your time in it.
June 12, 2023
I genuinely enjoyed this work on the sacraments. Berkouwer is fairly thorough, clearly conversant with the literature of his time, fair to all his opponents, and deeply thoughtful upon most the relevant issues. I only have a small handful of gripes:
- His citations of early Reformation sources are almost completely limited to Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and the Reformed confessions. Granted, these are theological giants whose contributions are seriously important. Though he does cite Francis Junius (once) and Heinrich Bullinger (twice), it seems as though Berkouwer did not interact very much with other early Reformed or post-Reformation theologians. No mention of Polanus, Turretin, Vermigli, Vitringa, etc.
- The chapters on baptism were decidedly less clear to me than the chapters on general sacramentology and on the Lord's Supper. That could be due to my greater unfamiliarity with the sources he interacted with on baptism, but I genuinely felt lost at times. Perhaps these chapters could have been expanded with more detail on opposing views.
- In general, clearer conclusions would have been quite welcome. There were several chapters where I wished for brief summaries of his arguments.
- This is honestly a smaller quibble, but apart from Barth, he didn't interact much with exclusive-credobaptistic arguments. Perhaps Baptists simply weren't on his radar in the same way they are on the American scene. Still, given the persistence of Anabaptist sects in the Netherlands from the Reformation onward, it seems to me like it should have come up at least once.
All in all, this volume was truly helpful and edifying. I was especially pleased to find a robust definition and defense of Calvin's particular (and idiosyncratic) doctrine of the Lord's Supper. Reading this has made me want to look into the other Studies In Dogmatics.
- His citations of early Reformation sources are almost completely limited to Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and the Reformed confessions. Granted, these are theological giants whose contributions are seriously important. Though he does cite Francis Junius (once) and Heinrich Bullinger (twice), it seems as though Berkouwer did not interact very much with other early Reformed or post-Reformation theologians. No mention of Polanus, Turretin, Vermigli, Vitringa, etc.
- The chapters on baptism were decidedly less clear to me than the chapters on general sacramentology and on the Lord's Supper. That could be due to my greater unfamiliarity with the sources he interacted with on baptism, but I genuinely felt lost at times. Perhaps these chapters could have been expanded with more detail on opposing views.
- In general, clearer conclusions would have been quite welcome. There were several chapters where I wished for brief summaries of his arguments.
- This is honestly a smaller quibble, but apart from Barth, he didn't interact much with exclusive-credobaptistic arguments. Perhaps Baptists simply weren't on his radar in the same way they are on the American scene. Still, given the persistence of Anabaptist sects in the Netherlands from the Reformation onward, it seems to me like it should have come up at least once.
All in all, this volume was truly helpful and edifying. I was especially pleased to find a robust definition and defense of Calvin's particular (and idiosyncratic) doctrine of the Lord's Supper. Reading this has made me want to look into the other Studies In Dogmatics.
March 10, 2021
Like eating dry weatbix between two cruskits. Dry, but probably nutritious.
June 29, 2024
THE TENTH VOLUME IN BERKOUWER’S 14-VOLUME “STUDIES IN DOGMATICS"
Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer (1903-1996) taught systematic theology at the Free University in Amsterdam. The other volumes in this series are: The Providence of God,Faith and Sanctification,Faith and Justification,The Person of Christ,General Revelation,Faith and Perseverance,Divine Election,Man: The Image of God,The Work of Christ,Sin,The Return of Christ,Holy Scriptures,The Church. He also wrote books such as The Second Vatican Council and the New Catholicism,Modern Uncertainty and Christian Faith,Recent Developments in Roman Catholic Thought,A Half Century of Theology: Movements and Motives, etc.
He wrote in the Introduction of this 1954 book, “We do not seek to analyze the essence of ‘the sacraments’ prior to a consideration of the individual sacraments, for the nature of the sacraments turns precisely upon the concrete givenness of baptism and the Lord’s Supper in the historical revelation in Jesus Christ. And the sacraments can only be understood in the light of that historical revelation. According, we have chosen to begin with ‘the sacraments,’ not for speculative reasons, but only for the sake of clarity… we shall discuss a number of questions that were raised long ago in the history of the Church, namely, questions regarding the number of sacraments, the relation between the Word and sacrament, and the working of the sacraments.”
He observes, “Were the Reformers… in their opposition to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacraments, guilty of a one-sided reaction?... The point at issue is whether Word and sacraments stand side by side in the one reality of salvation. The Reformation was thought to have… contributed to the depreciation of the sacraments… We must abandon the dubious distinction between primary and secondary, and instead find an independent structure of the sacraments that, with the Word, indicates God’s salvation and immediately confronts us with that salvation.” (Pg. 15)
He notes, “It is clear then, that Word and sacrament cannot simplistically be juxtaposed as equals. That does not imply a devaluation of the sacraments, but simply means that we fully maintain their truth and power. We are interested in their institution because this determines their essence. It is the crisis of sacramentalism in our time that it introduces a vagueness that ultimately must lead to serious devaluation of the sacraments. Insofar as sacramentalism reacts against an actual devaluation of the sacraments in Protestant churches, we may not simply reject it. To lack interest in the sacraments and regard them as external and empty signs is to render poor service to the Reformation.” (Pg. 25)
He states, “the Reformation stressed the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments as signs and seals of that Word; in this way faith encounters the reality of salvation, not as man’s contribution to the process of redemption, but as a resting in the reality of an accomplished salvation and a communion with the living Lord… Hence the sacraments do not strengthen faith through an independent growing-process in human subjectivity, but through communion with Christ.” (Pg. 61)
He asserts, “The difference between Rome and the Reformation does not lie in a slight mutation of the question about subjectivity and objectivity, but in an altogether different outlook on objectivity. For the Reformation, the objectivity of the sacraments could no longer depend on the efficacy of infused supernatural grace. For this kind of objectivity had led Rome to posit the strange phenomenon of an obstacle that could still prevent the sacraments from being valid.” (Pg. 74)
He says, “The rite of baptism is the sign of this eschatological seriousness, in which God’s mercy goes beyond his judgment for him who in repentance approaches the Kingdom, This baptism is not merely an external rite; as sign, and connected with the preaching of baptism to repentance, it stands in direct relation to the remission of sins by the grace of God.” (Pg. 98)
He acknowledges, “The danger of devaluation is not imaginary… On the one hand, we must maintain the polemic against Rome; but on the other hand we must speak emphatically of the necessity of the sacraments in the light of the institution by God. That institution was, after all, not a work of divine arbitrariness, but an occurrence significant for God’s guidance of his Church… The thesis of the non-necessity of the sacraments can correctly posed only in an antithetical context, and only if it is followed immediately by a no less positive posing of the necessity of the sacrament. Only then shall we have honored the institution of the sacraments.” (Pg. 107)
He explains, “the question arises how it is possible that baptism can be administered to those who later reveal themselves as unbelievers. One should not lightly conclude that the sacrament has no meaning for such people. The sacrament is administered here on earth, where it is impossible to know fully the human heart. Because of this fact, it is possible to distinguish between that which belongs to the essence and the purpose of the sacrament and that which actually occurs in the administration of the sacrament… And so, lacking the power of logical synthesis, we must rather approach the problem from the pastoral point of view, remembering always that one may never minimize the objectivity of the sacraments, which is based on the relation between word and sacrament.” (Pg. 152-153)
He notes, “it is understandable that the Reformation should state emphatically that baptism had come in place of circumcision, not in a sense that makes infant baptism unlawful, but as one of the strongest arguments for the lawfulness of infant baptism. This is because the contrast between the natural and the spiritual had no place in the Reformed redemptive-historical concept of ‘replacement.’ It was emphasized, rather, that Christ was the end of the law, that he had done away with circumcision, and that he had given in its place the sacrament of baptism.” (Pg. 170)
He comments, “The important thing in the Lord’s Supper is that blessing, and in the symbolism of the Supper we are directed toward this blessing by Christ himself when he speaks of his body and of the blood of the Covenant which is poured for many unto a remission of sins. That is why he has those who belong to him share in his surrender of body and blood in his reconciling work, and that is why he gives us in the bread and in the wine the nourishment for life eternal and the joy of his redeeming work.” (Pg. 213-214) Later, he adds, “The confession of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper is therefore not a matter of spiritualization… At the same time, this doctrine does full justice to the limit imposed on the manner of Christ’s presence by the reality of his ascension…. By pointing at this faith… the Reformers did not intend to minimize the reality of Christ’s presence, but to indicate its nature.” (Pg. 235-236)
He cautions, “The worthiness demanded by the Lord’s Supper consists… in acknowledging one’s unworthiness and in knowing that the Supper has been instituted for the ‘unworthy’ wo proclaim in the Lord’s Supper the death of Christ, not their righteousness. The ‘unworthiness’ can keep us from the Lord’s table only if it reveals itself in a disregard of guilt and forgiveness. There is, then, the crisis of unworthiness against which Christ’s church is warned in the light of his coming.” (Pg. 257-258)
He laments, “It remains one of the most pathetic features of the history of the Lord’s Supper that there has been so much controversy about a sacrament that is so eminently the sacrament of communion… It is impossible to understand the Lord’s Supper apart from this communion, which is related to the communion of saints, of which we confess ‘that believers, all and every one, as members of Christ, are partakers of Him and of all His treasures and gifts…’ [Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 55]… As there is only one baptism, one faith, and one Lord, so there is also one Supper.” (Pg. 279)
For anyone interested in conservative Reformed theology, this entire series will be of great interest. The diversity of the theologians and sources with whom Berkouwer interacts make this series a very stimulating reading project.
Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer (1903-1996) taught systematic theology at the Free University in Amsterdam. The other volumes in this series are: The Providence of God,Faith and Sanctification,Faith and Justification,The Person of Christ,General Revelation,Faith and Perseverance,Divine Election,Man: The Image of God,The Work of Christ,Sin,The Return of Christ,Holy Scriptures,The Church. He also wrote books such as The Second Vatican Council and the New Catholicism,Modern Uncertainty and Christian Faith,Recent Developments in Roman Catholic Thought,A Half Century of Theology: Movements and Motives, etc.
He wrote in the Introduction of this 1954 book, “We do not seek to analyze the essence of ‘the sacraments’ prior to a consideration of the individual sacraments, for the nature of the sacraments turns precisely upon the concrete givenness of baptism and the Lord’s Supper in the historical revelation in Jesus Christ. And the sacraments can only be understood in the light of that historical revelation. According, we have chosen to begin with ‘the sacraments,’ not for speculative reasons, but only for the sake of clarity… we shall discuss a number of questions that were raised long ago in the history of the Church, namely, questions regarding the number of sacraments, the relation between the Word and sacrament, and the working of the sacraments.”
He observes, “Were the Reformers… in their opposition to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacraments, guilty of a one-sided reaction?... The point at issue is whether Word and sacraments stand side by side in the one reality of salvation. The Reformation was thought to have… contributed to the depreciation of the sacraments… We must abandon the dubious distinction between primary and secondary, and instead find an independent structure of the sacraments that, with the Word, indicates God’s salvation and immediately confronts us with that salvation.” (Pg. 15)
He notes, “It is clear then, that Word and sacrament cannot simplistically be juxtaposed as equals. That does not imply a devaluation of the sacraments, but simply means that we fully maintain their truth and power. We are interested in their institution because this determines their essence. It is the crisis of sacramentalism in our time that it introduces a vagueness that ultimately must lead to serious devaluation of the sacraments. Insofar as sacramentalism reacts against an actual devaluation of the sacraments in Protestant churches, we may not simply reject it. To lack interest in the sacraments and regard them as external and empty signs is to render poor service to the Reformation.” (Pg. 25)
He states, “the Reformation stressed the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments as signs and seals of that Word; in this way faith encounters the reality of salvation, not as man’s contribution to the process of redemption, but as a resting in the reality of an accomplished salvation and a communion with the living Lord… Hence the sacraments do not strengthen faith through an independent growing-process in human subjectivity, but through communion with Christ.” (Pg. 61)
He asserts, “The difference between Rome and the Reformation does not lie in a slight mutation of the question about subjectivity and objectivity, but in an altogether different outlook on objectivity. For the Reformation, the objectivity of the sacraments could no longer depend on the efficacy of infused supernatural grace. For this kind of objectivity had led Rome to posit the strange phenomenon of an obstacle that could still prevent the sacraments from being valid.” (Pg. 74)
He says, “The rite of baptism is the sign of this eschatological seriousness, in which God’s mercy goes beyond his judgment for him who in repentance approaches the Kingdom, This baptism is not merely an external rite; as sign, and connected with the preaching of baptism to repentance, it stands in direct relation to the remission of sins by the grace of God.” (Pg. 98)
He acknowledges, “The danger of devaluation is not imaginary… On the one hand, we must maintain the polemic against Rome; but on the other hand we must speak emphatically of the necessity of the sacraments in the light of the institution by God. That institution was, after all, not a work of divine arbitrariness, but an occurrence significant for God’s guidance of his Church… The thesis of the non-necessity of the sacraments can correctly posed only in an antithetical context, and only if it is followed immediately by a no less positive posing of the necessity of the sacrament. Only then shall we have honored the institution of the sacraments.” (Pg. 107)
He explains, “the question arises how it is possible that baptism can be administered to those who later reveal themselves as unbelievers. One should not lightly conclude that the sacrament has no meaning for such people. The sacrament is administered here on earth, where it is impossible to know fully the human heart. Because of this fact, it is possible to distinguish between that which belongs to the essence and the purpose of the sacrament and that which actually occurs in the administration of the sacrament… And so, lacking the power of logical synthesis, we must rather approach the problem from the pastoral point of view, remembering always that one may never minimize the objectivity of the sacraments, which is based on the relation between word and sacrament.” (Pg. 152-153)
He notes, “it is understandable that the Reformation should state emphatically that baptism had come in place of circumcision, not in a sense that makes infant baptism unlawful, but as one of the strongest arguments for the lawfulness of infant baptism. This is because the contrast between the natural and the spiritual had no place in the Reformed redemptive-historical concept of ‘replacement.’ It was emphasized, rather, that Christ was the end of the law, that he had done away with circumcision, and that he had given in its place the sacrament of baptism.” (Pg. 170)
He comments, “The important thing in the Lord’s Supper is that blessing, and in the symbolism of the Supper we are directed toward this blessing by Christ himself when he speaks of his body and of the blood of the Covenant which is poured for many unto a remission of sins. That is why he has those who belong to him share in his surrender of body and blood in his reconciling work, and that is why he gives us in the bread and in the wine the nourishment for life eternal and the joy of his redeeming work.” (Pg. 213-214) Later, he adds, “The confession of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper is therefore not a matter of spiritualization… At the same time, this doctrine does full justice to the limit imposed on the manner of Christ’s presence by the reality of his ascension…. By pointing at this faith… the Reformers did not intend to minimize the reality of Christ’s presence, but to indicate its nature.” (Pg. 235-236)
He cautions, “The worthiness demanded by the Lord’s Supper consists… in acknowledging one’s unworthiness and in knowing that the Supper has been instituted for the ‘unworthy’ wo proclaim in the Lord’s Supper the death of Christ, not their righteousness. The ‘unworthiness’ can keep us from the Lord’s table only if it reveals itself in a disregard of guilt and forgiveness. There is, then, the crisis of unworthiness against which Christ’s church is warned in the light of his coming.” (Pg. 257-258)
He laments, “It remains one of the most pathetic features of the history of the Lord’s Supper that there has been so much controversy about a sacrament that is so eminently the sacrament of communion… It is impossible to understand the Lord’s Supper apart from this communion, which is related to the communion of saints, of which we confess ‘that believers, all and every one, as members of Christ, are partakers of Him and of all His treasures and gifts…’ [Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 55]… As there is only one baptism, one faith, and one Lord, so there is also one Supper.” (Pg. 279)
For anyone interested in conservative Reformed theology, this entire series will be of great interest. The diversity of the theologians and sources with whom Berkouwer interacts make this series a very stimulating reading project.
April 14, 2020
Berkouwer, G. C. The Sacraments. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1969.
As in all of G.C. Berkouwer’s works, we are met with clarity and precision. Some difficulties do arrive concerning the arcane nature of 20th Century Dutch theological controversies. Berkouwer champions the Reformed insistence on sacrament as sign, seal, and promise.
Are Sacraments Objective or Subjective?
It is important to remember that God himself gives the meaning to the sign. You see this a lot in resistance to the Lord’s Supper. It is objected “But it just won’t be special no more” if we have it often. That’s absurd. It’s “special” because God himself said so.
Berkouwer wisely points out that if “everything is a sacrament,” then we necessarily introduce vagueness into the sacraments, which then lose their character of divine promise (Berkouwer 25). If “mystery” is to retain its NT context of “that which is revealed,” then we can’t have the proliferation of sacraments without losing this “mystery.”
Because of its insistence on an infusion of supernatural grace in order to forgive post-baptismal sins, Rome has to have a sacrament like penance (32). This is the difference between Rome and the Reformation is the difference between grace as a substance and the divine promise.
Word and Sacrament
Sacraments always point to something other than themselves (44). If sacraments refer back to God’s speaking, then sacraments have an oath-like character--but it is God’s oath.
The Efficacy of the Sacraments
If we say that the sacraments “strengthen faith,” we must not understand this in a vague subjective way. The sacraments and faith are always to Christ.
Berkouwer then goes into an extended analysis of how Rome can claim the sacraments are objective while having to deal with the disposition of the recipient (68-71). We believe the sacraments are objective but not because of an infusion of supernatural grace. The relation of faith and sacrament rests on the relation between Word and Sacrament (74). Our understanding of the sacrament stands with God’s promise.
The Sacraments as Signs and Seals
The sign must always be connected with the sealing of God’s promises (136). The “sign” and “seal” do not exist of themselves. The idea of sealing always points to God’s trustworthiness. Rome, however, turns the sealing, which we see as the downpayment of the Spirit, into an indelible “stamp” on the soul. Again, it comes back to Rome’s view of grace as a quasi-substance.
This leads to a very bizarre conclusion. For Rome, salvation can be lost. Yet, this “stamp” of the seal is a habit which never goes away (143). Therefore, the Holy Spirit dwells within but provides no guarantee.
Faith does not make the promise concrete, nor does it create the reality; rather, it acknowledges what “comes to us in the divine promise….it rests in the promise, and the sealing is connected” (147).
The book ends with various discussions concerning the Lord’s Supper.
As in all of G.C. Berkouwer’s works, we are met with clarity and precision. Some difficulties do arrive concerning the arcane nature of 20th Century Dutch theological controversies. Berkouwer champions the Reformed insistence on sacrament as sign, seal, and promise.
Are Sacraments Objective or Subjective?
It is important to remember that God himself gives the meaning to the sign. You see this a lot in resistance to the Lord’s Supper. It is objected “But it just won’t be special no more” if we have it often. That’s absurd. It’s “special” because God himself said so.
Berkouwer wisely points out that if “everything is a sacrament,” then we necessarily introduce vagueness into the sacraments, which then lose their character of divine promise (Berkouwer 25). If “mystery” is to retain its NT context of “that which is revealed,” then we can’t have the proliferation of sacraments without losing this “mystery.”
Because of its insistence on an infusion of supernatural grace in order to forgive post-baptismal sins, Rome has to have a sacrament like penance (32). This is the difference between Rome and the Reformation is the difference between grace as a substance and the divine promise.
Word and Sacrament
Sacraments always point to something other than themselves (44). If sacraments refer back to God’s speaking, then sacraments have an oath-like character--but it is God’s oath.
The Efficacy of the Sacraments
If we say that the sacraments “strengthen faith,” we must not understand this in a vague subjective way. The sacraments and faith are always to Christ.
Berkouwer then goes into an extended analysis of how Rome can claim the sacraments are objective while having to deal with the disposition of the recipient (68-71). We believe the sacraments are objective but not because of an infusion of supernatural grace. The relation of faith and sacrament rests on the relation between Word and Sacrament (74). Our understanding of the sacrament stands with God’s promise.
The Sacraments as Signs and Seals
The sign must always be connected with the sealing of God’s promises (136). The “sign” and “seal” do not exist of themselves. The idea of sealing always points to God’s trustworthiness. Rome, however, turns the sealing, which we see as the downpayment of the Spirit, into an indelible “stamp” on the soul. Again, it comes back to Rome’s view of grace as a quasi-substance.
This leads to a very bizarre conclusion. For Rome, salvation can be lost. Yet, this “stamp” of the seal is a habit which never goes away (143). Therefore, the Holy Spirit dwells within but provides no guarantee.
Faith does not make the promise concrete, nor does it create the reality; rather, it acknowledges what “comes to us in the divine promise….it rests in the promise, and the sealing is connected” (147).
The book ends with various discussions concerning the Lord’s Supper.
March 5, 2024
During high school, I struggled to engage in sports as my peers were playing at a level far beyond my novice abilities. I needed the basics while my friends were playing on varsity level teams. When I did join my friends for intramural sports, my friends would try to talk complex strategies with me but it was lost as I had not yet understood the basic rules of the game. And when I would ask for basic rules, my questions would often go neglected as too basic to begin to explain when everyone else was playing at such an advanced level. Similarly, despite the emphasis placed by Reformed and Presbyterian communities on sacraments, delving into their significance often feels neglected, leaving newcomers yearning for clarity. There is nothing more distinct in the R&P community than our view of the sacraments, and yet, there is probably nothing explained less. This book should be essential reading for anyone transitioning into the PCA from broader evangelical traditions.
Berkouwer, a frequently referenced but seldom read figure in Reformed theology, deserves more attention. After exploring his insights here, I am compelled to incorporate more of Berkouwer's work into my theological diet.
"The Sacraments" by Berkouwer delves into the number of sacraments, the relationship between Word and Sacrament, their efficacy, and modern controversies in sacramentology. Berkouwer's approach is comprehensive and Reformed, blending historical analysis with biblical exploration.
While Berkouwer's theology bears a Dutch flavor, echoing the influences of Kuyper and Bavink, he emphasizes the sacraments as crucial to maintaining catholicity.
My favorite chapter delves into modern controversies surrounding the sacraments, offering a prophetic insight into the modern prevalence of the memorialist view of the Lord's Supper.
This book is likely to become a regular reference for me, and I'm eager to explore more of Berkouwer's writings.
Berkouwer, a frequently referenced but seldom read figure in Reformed theology, deserves more attention. After exploring his insights here, I am compelled to incorporate more of Berkouwer's work into my theological diet.
"The Sacraments" by Berkouwer delves into the number of sacraments, the relationship between Word and Sacrament, their efficacy, and modern controversies in sacramentology. Berkouwer's approach is comprehensive and Reformed, blending historical analysis with biblical exploration.
While Berkouwer's theology bears a Dutch flavor, echoing the influences of Kuyper and Bavink, he emphasizes the sacraments as crucial to maintaining catholicity.
My favorite chapter delves into modern controversies surrounding the sacraments, offering a prophetic insight into the modern prevalence of the memorialist view of the Lord's Supper.
This book is likely to become a regular reference for me, and I'm eager to explore more of Berkouwer's writings.
January 1, 2024
“ it remains one of the most pathetic features of the history of the Lord supper, but there has been so much controversy about a sacrament that is so eminently the sacrament of communion”
GKB discusses everything from the definition of the sacraments to what the signs and seals point to. How they reinforce belief. How they differ in the Reformed church from the Lutherans and RCC, and to a lesser degree the Orthodox Church. There is a bit of attention pointed to who should be given and who should abstain. Admittedly this is more on Communion than Baptism.
GKB discusses everything from the definition of the sacraments to what the signs and seals point to. How they reinforce belief. How they differ in the Reformed church from the Lutherans and RCC, and to a lesser degree the Orthodox Church. There is a bit of attention pointed to who should be given and who should abstain. Admittedly this is more on Communion than Baptism.
December 21, 2018
Some of Berkouwer's interactions require quite a bit of historical context to be understood, but overall this volume is still very profitable.
July 5, 2012
Very thoughtful, full-length treatment of various aspects of the sacraments, such as how many, the meaning of each, the subjects of baptism, and various controversies on the Lord's Table. I was especially taken by his observation that the Lord's Table, meant to be a symbol of unity, is rather a symbol of division, even among those with a good profession of faith, and that the division cannot be ignored "in love" or by ignoring our theology.
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