1. Lecture 5: The Signs of the Church and Sacraments
Dr. Ann T. Orlando

2. Outline Mysteries and Sacraments Stages of catechumenate
Ambrose on sacraments and mysteries
Augustine and sacraments

3. Mysterion in Early Christianity
In Paul
The Christ is the mysterion of God. See 1 Cor 1:23; Col 2:2
The kerygma announces and reveals that mysterion see Eph 3:7-13
In late 2nd C, Justin Martyr compares pagan mysterion activities with the true teaching
By 4th C Greek-speaking Church is referring to the Eucharist as the mysterion as well as the central statement of faith: passion, suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ
See for instance Gregory Nazianzus, On Flight

4. Latin: Sacramentum
Fundamental meaning is ‘initiation’ that has some sacred component (oath)
Beginning of a legal proceeding
Inducted into the army
The (only) sacrament for Tertullian was Baptism
Early (Old) Latin translations used sacramentum for mysterion
It seems that 2nd C Latin speaking Christians did not want to confuse Christian rites with pagan mystery cults.
See Tertullian Prescription Against Heretics
Sacramentum in 4th C Latin is understood as Baptism (following Tertullian) while mysterion becomes associated with the liturgy and the Eucharist (following Greek usage)

5. Ambrose
Both On Mysteries and On Sacraments were catechetical instructions from Ambrose
Genre of Catechetical instruction
Given by a bishop
Not necessarily a sermon, but at a gathering of adults preparing for Baptism, or immediately afterwards
Given during Lent and Easter seasons
Often bound together and repeated each year
On Sacraments given during Lent
On Mysteries given in Easter season

6. (Latin) Stages of Christian Initiation
Our knowledge of this comes especially from catechetical instructions and sermons
Varied from place to place
Even time to time depending on bishop
Typical stages of initiation
Rude
Catechumens
Competentes
Infantes
Faithful

7. Rude Those who have expressed an initial interest in Christianity
Usually presented to the bishop by a sponsor
An initial instruction. The first catechetical instruction given by the bishop or other minister to the Rude
Rude is marked with a sign of the cross on his forehead, and slat placed in his mouth
Sometimes referred to a Christians in the womb
Augustine wrote a First Catechetical Instruction (De catechizandis rudibus) at the request of a deacon in Carthage

8. Catechumen (audiens)
Immediately after receiving the first instruction, the Rude becomes a Catechumen
Catechumens attend liturgy through the homily
Seated apart from faithful
Spend several years as a catechumen
Primary source of learning about faith was through homilies each week
Catechumens are referred to as Christians

9. Competentes
The catechumens who understand (competentes) and are ready for Baptism, submit their names at first Sunday of Lent
Lent is a time of special instruction, prayer, fasting
Two weeks before Easter, the bishop ‘hands over’ the Creed and Lord’s Prayer (traditio symboli)
On Holy Thursday, the competentes break fast and bathe
On Holy Saturday, before Baptism, they recite the Creed from memory (redditio symboli)

10. Infantes At Baptism, newly baptized are given a white robe
Receive Eucharist for the first time
During week after Easter
Infantes sit apart from congregation in their robes
Receive instruction on the Eucharist during this week
On Octave of Easter, the infantes remove their robes and join the regular congregation

11. Augustine’s Sermons to Those in Stages of Initiation
Sermon #210, at the beginning of Lent
#212, At the Handing Over of the Creed
#215, At the Giving Back of the Creed
#216, To the Competentes

12. Augustine and The Sacrament of the Altar
Sermons # A are concentrated teachings from Augustine on the Eucharist
Preached on Easter Sunday, especially directed to the recently baptized (infantes).
Note especially the fluid use of signs with respect to the sacrament of the altar

13. Augustine’s Sermons
There are nearly 400 sermons of Augustine which are extant
Found in PL 38-39
And 30 sermons discovered since 1989
11 volumes in WSA (III.1-11)
These 400 sermons do NOT include, for example,
Homilies (Tractates) on John’s Gospel and Letter; PL 35; WSA III.12-14
Enarrationes on Psalms; PL 36-37; WSA III.15-20

14. Augustine on Mystery and Sacraments
Augustine tends to use mysterion as Paul did for doctrinal statements
Sacraments are a movement from visible to invisible, from ordinary experience to spiritual reality
Sacraments as visible divine word
Sacrament as a sign, see DDC III.9.13
Sacrament both sign and reality of the mystery (spiritual reality) of Christ
Scripture as a sacrament
Interpretation of Scripture as a Sacrament
Creed and Lord’s Prayer as Sacraments
Triduum
Church is the authority that mediates sacraments (including Scripture)

15. Augustine’s Letters to Januarius
These letters were written in response to questions by Januarius; Augustine refers to them as a response in two books.
As with so many of Augustine’s letters, he is responding to someone (typically a lay man or woman) who has written to him with questions
Among Januarius’ concerns are the variations in liturgical customs and practice in different areas
In his answer, Augustine gives one of his longest, most focused, reply concerning sacraments
For Augustine, sacramentum refers to any ritual (graceful) action
In Letter 54 he talks about the uncountable number of sacraments in the Old Testament;
By contrast he suggests that the number in the New Testament is very few
Much of Letter 55 focuses specifically on the sacramentum of the Triduum celebration

16. Augustine’s Christology
Recall that even as a Manichee, Augustine had a notion of the importance of Jesus Christ (albeit within the Manichee system) Conf. Book IV
Recall that his attraction to the Platonists was incomplete because they did not have Jesus Christ, Conf. Book VII
Augustine's understanding of Christ is deeply intertwined with his understanding of the Church as a community of believers who make up the Body of Christ

17. The Church as Administrator and Guardian of Sacraments
Against the Donatists, Augustine argued that it is the Church as Church and not individual ministers who are the guardians and keepers of the sacraments
Just as the Church is the guardian and keeper of Scripture and the rules of faith
It is at times difficult to know if Augustine is referring to Christ, the Church, believers or sacraments of the Church
Or perhaps all at the same time, since in a deep way, they are all interconnected
See especially Sermon 272

18. Against the Fundamental Epistle of Mani (OPTIONAL)
This epistle probably was written by Mani (d. 250) as a summary of Manichean beliefs to be used by Manichean missionaries
Augustine follows the structure of the letter to refute Manichaeism; probably written early in his career as bishop
Note how Augustine addresses his readers (assumed to be Manicheans)
Relation between apostolicity of Church and truth of Gospels (Ch. 5)
Note development of Trinitarian doctrine of “not one person, but one existence” (Ch. 6)
Read Chapters 1-6 (emphasis on 5)

19. Aquinas
ST follows Augustine very closely on relation between sign and reality of sacraments
IIIa Q60
Doctrinal developments beyond Augusitne:
ST supports Seven Sacraments (first clearly listed by Lombard)
IIIa Q65 a1
Transubstantiation in Eucharist
IIIa 76

20. Calvin ‘Back to Augustine’: a visible sign of a sacred thing
Institutes 4.14
Only two sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist
Institutes 4.19
Opposed to transubstantiation; not found in Augustine or Scripture
Institutes 4.17

21. Assignments Letter 54, 55 “To Januarius”
Sermons 210, 212, 215, 216, 227, 228, 228A, 228B, 229, 229A, 272
Against the Fundamental Epistle of Mani (OPTIONAL)
Prepare Paper #5

22. Brief Bibliography
Cameron, Michael. “Totus Christus and the Psychagogy of Augustine’s Sermons,” Augustinian Studies 36:1 (2005)
Cary, Phillip. Outward Signs: The Powerlessness of External Things in Augustine's Thought. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Augustine Through the Ages, article on “Catechumens”