Content

Christian initiation through baptism and confirmation is an insertion into Christ’s death and resurrection as well as an entry into the Church. With the help of Christian anthropological insights, this unit will look at the scriptural, patristic foundations of these sacraments and their historical development. The contemporary theological reflection and the significance of baptism and confirmation in daily faith living will be discussed as a translation of rituals into daily life of the believers. Besides examining Baptism and Confirmation, the unit investigates the way how the Church deals with sins committed by those who have already imitated Christ’s death in baptism through the Sacrament of Penance. The historical and pastoral approach will be employed in order to arrive at a comprehensive knowledge how the Church administers the forgiveness won by Christ. The unit concludes by addressing the pastoral questions posed by the revised rites and contemporary situations of the three sacraments.

Unit code: DL9131C

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Liturgy

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Demonstrate an advanced capacity to understand and explain the terminologies and concepts of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Penance in contemporary reflection.

2.

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the scriptural foundations of Baptism, Confirmation and Penance and an appreciation of their significance within the theological framework of these sacraments.

3.

Identify and express a nuanced understanding of the various aspects of the rituals, practices and theological frameworks of Baptism, Confirmation, and Penance within an historical and cultural context.

4.

Demonstrate a critical understanding of how the theology of Baptism, Confirmation, and Penance can be enriched by "reading the sign of the time".

5.

Articulate a theologically informed and critical understanding of the relationship of Baptism, Confirmation, and Penance to the mystery of Christ, the Church, and Christian life.

6.

Undertake a specific topic of research in the theology and practice of the sacrament of Baptism or Confirmation or Penance in a critically rigorous, sustained and self-directed manner.

Unit sequence

Prerequisite: CT8010C.

Pedagogy

Learning consists of lectures/instructions with visual PowerPoint presentations, video clips, movies, occasional group discussions and seminars.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Chauvet, Louis-Marie. Symbol and Sacrament: A Sacramental Reinterpretation of Christian Existence. Translated by Patrick Madigan and Madeleine Beaumont. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1995.
  • Dallen, James. The Reconciling Community: The Rite of Penance. New York: Pueblo, 1986.
  • Irwin, Kevin. The Sacraments: Historical Foundations and Liturgical Theology. New York: Paulist Press, 2016.
  • International Theological Commission. The Reciprocity Between Faith And Sacraments In the Sacramental Economy (2020).
  • International Theological Commission. Penance and Reconciliation (1982).
  • Johnson, Maxwell E. The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2007.
  • O'Loughlin, Frank. The Future of the Sacrament of Penance. Homebush: St Paul's Publication, 2007.
  • Turner, Paul. Confirmation: The Baby in Solomon’s Court. New York: Paulist Press, 1993.
  • Walsh, Liam. Sacraments of Initiation: A Theology of Life, Words and Rite. Chicago: Hillenbrand Books, 2011.
  • Wood, Susan K. One Baptism: Ecumenical Dimensions of the Doctrine of Baptism. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2009.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

7,000 word Essay

7000 100.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 13 Jun, 2023

Unit record last updated: 2023-06-13 17:12:51 +1000