Philosophy:Sacramental character
According to Roman Catholic Church teaching, a sacramental character is an indelible spiritual mark (the meaning of the word character in Latin) imprinted by any of three of the seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, and holy orders.
Description
This teaching is expressed as follows in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), §1121:[1]
| “ | The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders confer, in addition to grace, a sacramental character or seal by which the Christian shares in Christ's priesthood and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. This configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible; it remains for ever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church. Therefore these sacraments can never be repeated. | ” |
If it is doubtful whether a person has received the sacrament, the sacrament may be administered conditionally (using words such as for conditional baptism: "If thou art not baptized, I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"). However, such an administration is only valid and effective to the extent that no valid administration of the same sacrament has already occurred, as it does not in any event constitute an effective repetition of a valid previous administration of that sacrament.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church §698, explains as follows the significance of the image of "seal", used as an alternative to that of "character":[2]
| “ | 'The Father has set his seal' on Christ (John 6:27) and also seals us in him (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:23, 4:30). Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, the image of the seal (σφραγίς) has been used in some theological traditions to express the indelible 'character' imprinted by these three unrepeatable sacraments. | ” |
History
The doctrine was expressed by Augustine of Hippo in his religious controversies. The doctrine of the sacramental character was dogmatically defined at the 16th century Council of Trent.[3]
See also
- Sacraments (Catholic Church)
- Anglican sacraments
References
- ↑ Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2019. Paragraphs 1121.
- ↑ Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2019. Paragraphs 698.
- ↑ Session VII, can. ix, and Session XXIII, cap. iv and can. iv: see Ryan, M. J. (1908), Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. Character (in Catholic Theology), accessed 23 June 2018
External links
category:Sacramental theology
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