Faith and the Sacraments: A Commentary on the International

Theological Commission's The Reciprocity between Faith and

the Sacraments in the Sacramental Economy ed. by Thomas G.
Weinandy, O.F.M. (review)

Michael Brummond

Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, Volume 27, Number 1,

2023, pp. 137-140 (Article)

Published by The Catholic University of America Press

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/atp.2023.0009

For additional information about this article

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/892304

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BOOK REVIEWS 137

Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap., ed.

Faith and the Sacraments: A Commentary on the International
Theological Commission’s The Reciprocity between Faith and the
Sacraments in the Sacramental Economy
Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2022
187 pages. Paperback. $34.95.

Anyone engaged in pastoral ministry is aware of the frequent

disconnect experienced between faith and the sacraments. In some
cases, people participate in the sacraments with little evidence of
faith; a kind of ritualism or sacramental automatism. Alternatively,
the sacraments are viewed as superfluous to a meaningfully lived
faith. This pastoral crisis is at the heart of the volume edited by Fr.
Thomas Weinandy.
Weinandy was appointed by Pope Francis to the International
Theological Commission (ITC) in 2014 and was part of the group
that worked on the topic of faith and sacraments, ultimately leading
to the document which is the subject of this book. The ITC docu-
ment (hereafter Reciprocity) articulates the theological relationship
between faith and the sacraments and addresses related pastoral con-
cerns. The present volume is a collection of essays summarizing and
offering commentary on each section of Reciprocity, as well as a trans-
lation of the document itself. While robustly theological, the telos of
the work is ultimately pastoral, “aimed at aiding priests and seminar-
ians as they address or prepare to address the pastoral and theological
concerns they encounter or will encounter on a daily basis” (ix).
The opening chapter by John P. Yocum summarizes the contem-
porary relevance of the problem, tracing the philosophical roots of
the crisis, the cultural phenomena antagonistic to Catholic faith,
common attitudes among faithful and clergy, and pastoral failures
that undermine the reciprocity between faith and sacraments. To
demonstrate that the situation may rightly be called a crisis, the chap-
ter marshals several recent surveys indicating lack of practice or doc-
trinal adherence among Catholics. The author also emphasizes the
link between philosophical-theological errors and pastoral practice:
“The questions addressed in a systematic way by professional
138 BOOK REVIEWS

philosophers are, or are derived from, the basic questions that every
human being asks,” (4) questions related to the human desire to
know objective reality, and the possibility of divinization.
In the second chapter, Christopher Ruddy offers a summary of
the main themes from Reciprocity on the dialogical nature of the
sacramental economy. He briefly notes the strengths and weaknesses
of this section of the document, points that are valid though some-
what anemic given the robust quality of Reciprocity at this stage. The
real strength of this chapter lies in drawing attention to “more orig-
inal, primary crises of faith and sacramentality” (24). The author
notes that various scandals—sexual, financial, etc.—make belief dif-
ficult. Faith is also complicated by sociocultural conditions, including
the growth of phenomena such as secularism and “moralistic thera-
peutic deism” (25). Sacramentality itself is absurd to a materialistic,
scientistic worldview. He also notes that the response to Covid has
unmasked this crisis, making explicit in many Catholics the attitude
that sacraments are truly superfluous. In response, the author appeals
to a more transcendent, eschatologically oriented liturgy as an avenue
into the sacramental worldview.
In the next essay, Jennifer Newsome Martin turns to the reci-
procity of faith and the sacraments of Christian initiation. The author
advocates for a theologically charged pastoral vision which should
“prioritize rigor and beauty over accessibility in order to communicate
the sophistication, complexity, mystery, and metaphysical seriousness
of the Catholic intellectual tradition” (30). The sections on the indi-
vidual sacraments of initiation highlight the need for mystagogical
catechesis and offer concrete, challenging, and realistic suggestions
for sacramental formation for these sacraments, oriented to genuine
personal discipleship. The author suggests, for instance, formation in
contemplative prayer, lectio, Bible reading, service, close friendships
within the community, as well as the establishment of a framework of
flexible curriculum so that “sacramental preparation would be more
uniform, consistent, and theologically responsible” (41).
In chapter four, John S. Grabowski discusses Reciprocity’s treat-
ment of faith and marriage. Of particular interest in this chapter are
the further questions Grabowski raises in light of the document. For
BOOK REVIEWS 139

instance, concerned that the ITC document’s proposal “kicks the

can down the road,” he questions how, if we do not measure faith,
we might measure sufficient understanding and assent to the prop-
erties and goods of marriage. He also suggests that the document
too quickly dismisses the baptismal character as the ground of sacra-
mentality of marriage between baptized persons without active faith,
and that it does not fully consider how the distinction between valid-
ity and fruitfulness helps answer an automatic view of sacramental
grace. He then notes the centrality of pastoral implementation along
with theological reflection, insisting on a pastoral and missionary
approach to the problem.
Timothy Cavanaugh’s chapter summarizes the reciprocity
between faith and marriage from the standpoint of canon law, provid-
ing background not explicated in Reciprocity. He discusses how lack
of faith may play a role in vitiating consent through simulation or error
determining the will, either on the natural and supernatural levels. The
chapter makes helpful distinctions and shows where lack of faith has
played a role in jurisprudence surrounding marriage nullity.
Finally, Daniel A. Keating discusses how the Church fulfills her
mission to make the plan of salvation visible in the world. Keating
highlights the renewal needed to achieve this mission: “if we are
seeking a renewal of faith and the sacraments—and the integral link
between them—then that renewal will come about principally
through an encounter people have with Christ through the word
and Spirit, leading to genuine conversion, just as we see in Acts”
(81). He then points to the positive role ecclesial movements play
in this dynamic, as well as the place of ecumenism, which works
toward increasing the visibility of God’s grace in the world.
One of the assets of this volume, a work on the reciprocity
between faith and sacraments, is its insistence on the reciprocity
between theology and pastoral practice, a point made with varying
emphases across the pages of the book. For instance, “The ITC doc-
ument serves as a salutary reminder that there is no pastoral care wor-
thy of the name that is not grounded on apostolic teaching, both
moral and confessional” (11, and see also 30, 40, 58). This approach
leads to robust and theologically grounded pastoral recommendations.
140 BOOK REVIEWS

Readers should be aware that a significant portion of the text,

particularly in the earlier chapters, is a summary of the Reciprocity,
and later chapters frequently summarize again material from previous
chapters. This may be beneficial for those who have not read the ITC
document, have not done so recently, or if single chapters of this vol-
ume are being read in isolation. However, if the whole text is read
together along with Reciprocity, the summaries feel superfluous and
redundant.
As an edited volume, it is somewhat uneven. The real gems of
the book come when the authors move beyond mere summary of
Reciprocity and provide additional background or points of develop-
ment. The pieces by Grabowski and Cavanaugh on marriage, and
Keating on the renewal of faith and sacramental practice, do this
especially effectively. That being said, the book accomplishes what it
set out to do, providing an aid for those engaged in pastoral ministry
to more deeply consider pastoral problems through a theological
lens. Indeed, the book will likely be most useful to clergy, seminari-
ans, and lay ecclesial ministers, and its chapters could be used as sup-
plementary texts in classes such as fundamental theology, sacramental
theology, pastoral theology, or canon law. As a text for lay persons,
it provides an entry point into a rich document on a critical topic
that may initially be intimidating.
MICHAEL BRUMMOND
SACRED HEART SEMINARY AND SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
HALES CORNERS, WISCONSIN