The Sacramental Mystery

by Paul Haffner

THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS lie at the centre of Christian life and experience, for here God the Holy Trinity touches human lives and hearts. This book is one of the few at the present time to offer a global synthesis of the main themes in the sacramental mystery in which the human and divine, the material and the spiritual realms are intimately intertwined. Paul Haffner outlines how the sacraments are the chief means in the Church through which God's people are reconciled to the Father, through His Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The treatise illustrates classical issues like the conditions for the validity and the efficacy of the sacraments, as well as the minister, recipient and effects of these sacred mysteries; it deals with particular topics like the necessity of Baptism, the sacrificial character of the Eucharist, and the nature of Marriage. As he examines each sacrament in turn, the author also explores how new ecumenical questions affect Christian sacramental understanding.

Genres: Theology

276 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2016

Reviews

[Richard Grebenc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this book too highly. A really fine comprehensive overview of the sacraments that is scholarly but accessible to the interested and engaged reader (although I would have preferred that some of the Canon Law citations were simplified and unpacked).

After a general introductory chapter, each sacrament has a chapter devoted to it. Although the format varies just a bit from chapter to chapter, the sections of the Baptism chapter give a good sense of how the chapters are structured: institution (OT, NT, historical development), sign (matter and form), minister, recipient, effects, and response. Of course, certain nuances of each sacrament are also explained as needed.

I teach at the university level and would use this book as a primary text in a general sacraments class.

[Damien Rappuhn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very intellectually engaging book. The approach to sacramental theology is dogmatic (which isn't a problem in itself), but the questions it inevitably raises, Haffner dismisses. Often, he doesn't raise obvious questions. This isn't going to be a full review of the book, so let me give just one example: "[Pope] Innocent spoke of anointing [of the sick] carried out by lay people, but this must be considered as a sacramental rather than a sacrament, even though the distinction was not clear at the time." (pg 197). He doesn't address this issue in the sentences previous or following, and these are the only words on the subject. This is indicative of his approach, utterly lacking in depth and quickly dismissive of possible counterpoints, whitewashing them with a dogma blind to history (as if history and dogma were enemies!).