Abstract
This volume presents two treatises on the sacraments, namely baptism and confirmation, as included in the Third part of Summa Theologica written by Thomas Aquinas. A translation of Thomas' text itself is preceded by an extensive original introductory study.
In the first part, the introductory study deals with the sacrament of baptism. To begin with, the structure of the treatise is outlined as well as its position within the entire Summa.
Recognition of the structure is the first key to comprehending Thomas' theology of the sacrament of baptism. The following subchapter, being the most original part of the entire introduction, explores Thomas' understanding of the institution of the sacrament within the context of salvation history.
The author summarizes various stages of salvation history as well as the role of faith in the Saviour who is to come within these stages. He continues with a subchapter about figures of baptism, including circumcision whose function Thomas emphasises.
Afterwards, the baptism of John is analysed and the question as to why Jesus himself received this kind of baptism is extensively answered. Thomas approaches the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River as the event where Christ himself instituted the New Testament sacrament of baptism.
Besides this, the author demonstrates how Thomas identifies this event as the foundation of all theological statements on the nature and effects of baptism conferred by the Church regarding Christ's commission. On the basis of Thomas' teaching, the author concludes the chapter by reviewing in his own way the distinct stages of the institution of baptism.
The subsequent chapter examines the efficacy of baptism and presents a synthesis of elements scattered throughout the whole of Thomas' treatise concerning various agents involved in baptismal practice. The author reminds the reader of the doctrine included in the treatise on the sacraments in general, so building the foundation for this sequence.
Thomas certainly develops some specific features of baptism. He proceeds from the trinitarian baptismal form which enables him to distinguish the work of the entire Trinity from the action of particular persons in the baptism.
Sanctification of man is always caused by the entire Trinity. It doesn't eliminate the important yet subordinate role of Christ's suffering as a source of sanctifying power flowing into all sacraments.
The author particularly notices that Thomas is interested in the role of the Holy Spirit, not only in the case of the regular sacramental form of baptism but also in the case of substitutional forms, such as baptism of blood and baptism of desire. The connection between the work of divine persons - that is the incarnated Word and the Holy Spirit - and Christ's baptism in the Jordan River as the event of institution, can be seen in Thomas' theology of the divine missions formulated in the First part of Summa.
Another agent is the minister conferring the sacrament, who is in case of baptism practically anybody. The final part of the chapter deals with representation as a distinctive term of Thomas' sacramental theology.
Not only the Eucharist but baptism as well represents Christ's suffering, and while this representation is performed by every sacrament in different manner, the effects of both sacraments differ. The study continues with a chapter about the threefold structure of the sacrament, that is sacramentum, res et sacramentum and res.
Thomas simply integrates the concept without explanation. Regarding the fact that the modern reader is not necessarily familiar with this approach to the sacraments, the author briefly summarises the historical development of the concept and analyses how Thomas applies it in the treatise on baptism and confirmation, adding its usage in the case of the Eucharist for the sake of completion.
Another relatively extensive chapter deals with the effects of baptism. Sacramental character and sacramental grace, as two fundamental effects recognised by Thomas, are recalled in the introduction and situated within the threefold sacramental structure.
It should be noted that Thomas gives broad attention to sacramental grace, but he dedicates not a single question - not even an article - to sacramental character. Therefore, the author begins with a comprehensive explanation of Thomas' theology of baptismal grace which is in fact scattered throughout the entire treatise.
The basic division of the content is postulated by recognition of the negative and positive aspects of sacramental grace as a baptismal effect. Thomas' Christocentric perspective becomes evident in a description of parallels between the treatise on baptism and the treatise on Christ.
A man is conformed to Christ in baptism regarding his death and resurrection which respond to the two aforementioned aspects of grace. Individual effects of baptismal grace are systematically analysed starting with the negative aspects.
The author mentions some interesting details of Thomas' teaching, such as the distinction between punishability in natural and supernatural orders, or the significance of the fact that debts of punishment remain after baptism in present life. In the case of sacramental grace and even more in the case of sacramental character, it is important to keep in mind the teaching formulated in the treatise on sacraments in general, which Thomas apparently presumes.
Specific characteristics of baptismal character, which Thomas only occasionally mentions in the treatise on baptism, are systematically ordered in the study. The author finally presents both fundamental effects of baptism in the overviewing schemes.
The second part of the study, dealing with the sacrament of confirmation, begins again with an outline of the treatise's structure as well as its position within the entire Summa. Concerning the institution of the sacrament, the author appreciates, on the one hand, Thomas' sober approach to Old Testament figures as well as to Christ's "precise" words of the institution, and on the other hand, his coherent theological concept situating the institution of all sacraments within salvation history.
Besides Thomas' analogy between natural and supernatural human life, the author recognises an analogy with the institution of baptism performed in two stages. This fact makes Thomas' proposition that Christ established the sacrament of confirmation in the promise followed by "promulgation" more suitable than any isolated gesture.
The most significant attention is naturally given to the effects of confirmation, again distinguishing two fundamentals; that is, sacramental grace and sacramental character. Thomas explicitly focuses on both of them in certain articles, however a synthesis of the whole treatise is necessary to grasp his approach in its integrity.
The author arranges the explanation of sacramental grace around Thomas' central theological term, that is, perfection or fullness with its anthropological as well as biblical background. Concerning sacramental character, the author emphasises Thomas' work with sources, which enables him to freely build upon this ground his own theological concept, not hesitating to overcome the positions of included authorities.
This part also finishes with clearly arranged schemes of the sacramental effects. The last part contains brief descriptions of the liturgical rites of baptism and confirmation performed in time of Thomas.
He occasionally refers to contemporary liturgical usage, which is not identical with the present-day form of liturgical practice. The author makes use of existing critical editions of medieval liturgical sources.
The conclusion of the introductory study suggests several impulses for the actualisation of Thomas' theology as an attempt to help a present-day reader to benefit spiritually and theologically from the medieval text.