8/14/2019 Understanding Gods grace and Sin through Baptismal Theology and Eucharistic Theology for the Children at Risk.

1/2

Understanding Gods grace and Sin through Baptismal Theology and Eucharistic

Theology for the Children at Risk1.0. Introduction:Sacraments form an integral part of the Church. The ideas of Gods grace and sin are at the

core of our sacraments, Baptism and Eucharist. With a prevalent tendency of alienatingchildren from the sacraments, there is a need for relooking our sacramental theology in the

context of children at risk. This paper attempts to give a gist of the traditional understanding

of sin and grace in Baptism and Eucharist, then attempt an alternative look to be inclusive to

children and finally look at what we must do from this emerging understanding.

1.1. Traditional Understanding of Sacraments:The Protestant Tradition has two sacraments Baptism and Eucharist. Augustine says that

sacraments are visible forms of invisible grace.1 Luther emphasizes that Baptism and

Eucharist are sacraments since we find in them the divinely instituted sign and the promise

of forgiveness of sins.2In Baptism, the water symbolizes life and cleansing, one is free from

the power of darkness; dying and rising with Christ from sin to new life (Romans 6:4).3Baptism is a means of grace in which the recipient receives in faith the benefits of the

gospel.4Eucharist is a dramatic symbolism, not only in words and elements, but in the acting

out of what Jesus did for us.5It proclaims that the promise of grace and forgiveness of sins

are now in effect and that such a promise is confirmed by the death of Jesus.6Each baptized

member receives in the Eucharist the assurance of forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28) and the

pledge of eternal life (John 6:51-58).7

1.2. Understanding Sacramental Theology alternatively:The children are kept away from the sacraments especially in Eucharist and also in Baptism

in some traditions, since we claim that they are not mature. But childhood is also part of

Gods plan for human life just as man and woman. If so, why should we expect the children

to perceive sins, ask forgiveness and experience grace just as adults do? Jesus invites us to

have the faith experience and reception of grace as children would and only that qualifies one

to enter the Reign of God. It may be unwise for us to call them immature and stop them from

participating in sacraments.8

The idea of forgiveness of sin and salvation in the New Testament has been related with

powers of sinful structures, dominance and violence. Forgiveness of sins occur only 12

times in the NT and most of them to emphasize forgiveness to each other. Although salvation

is referred to as liberation from powers of darkness or sinful structure. Revelation compares

Rome to the evil/sinful one with its oppressive structure. The emphasis on the idea offorgiveness of personal sins came in the time of Constantine to suppress the emphasis on

structural sin, dominance and violence practiced by the emperor. After reformation the

Protestants retained only two sacraments and the sacrament of confession of sins was merged

1Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology. An Introduction, 5

thedition(Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011), 401.

2Ibid., 404.

3Baptism, The Collegeville Pastoral Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Bangalore: Theological Publications in

India).4Donald M. Baillie, The Theology of the Sacraments & Other Papers (London: Faber and Faber Ltd, 1957), 88.

5Ibid., 98.

6

Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, 411.7World Council of Churches,Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1982), 10.

8Donald M. Baillie, The Theology of the Sacraments, 82.

8/14/2019 Understanding Gods grace and Sin through Baptismal Theology and Eucharistic Theology for the Children at Risk.

2/2

with Eucharist and therefore the focus became forgiveness of sins and salvation as grace of

God received with faith.

Nuechterlein argues that the focus of Lords Supper in the New Testament is servanthood. In

the five passages of Lords Supper in the New Testament only Matthew mentions about

forgiveness of sins. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom formany (Mark 10:45). This is emphasized in John 13. Luke also places Institution of Lords

Supper just after mentioning about the disciples struggle for greatness and Jesus teaching

about being a servant. Even Paul condemns the Corinthian church since they did not serve

and help each other at the Table.9

1.3. Implications of the alternative understanding for CAR:Then, if the focus of New Testament is not limited to salvation of personal sin but also

signifies that one must die to a life of sinful structures in Baptism and raise up with new life.

This act of dying with Christ is reminded and reenacted in the Eucharist. The Table

Sacrament nourishes us for new life against the forces of violence and domination of sinful

structures. Through means of grace, we are empowered to live with love. 10 This new lifewould make us fight against the sinful structures that put our children at risk. If we are

insensitive to the children we are still dead and not raised to new life. If we think that the

children affected with HIV/AIDS, sexually abused, trafficked, etc. are impure and neglect

them, we should first remember that it is we who ruined them and it is we who need grace to

be saved, forgiven and not them.

If the centrality of Eucharist is not only sin and forgiveness but also of grace to serve, then in

our context we are called to serve those children who are made as the sacrificial scape -goats

in our society. Being sacrificed to the greed of consumerism, patriarchy, racism, casteism,

alcoholism, fundamentalism, etc. St. Paul writes with anger to the Corinthians for neglecting

the vulnerable ones at the table. In our context the children are the vulnerable ones. We need

to help them experience the presence of Christ in the sacraments. Whenever children eagerly

come to the altar when Communion is served, we tell them to stand aside or ignore them. In

those times Jesus may have scolded us and told Let the little children come to me, and do

not stop them. (Luke 18:16).

1.4. Conclusion:A brief relooking of the sacramental theology calls us to refocus our attention from just

forgiveness sin to grace, which strengthens us to serve the vulnerable. Moreover, it may be

unwise for us to judge that children are not fit to participate in the sacraments because Gods

grace is same for everyone, regardless of gender, race, and even age. We are invited toreshape our traditional thinking to be inclusive not only to Dalits, women, etc but also to

children at risk in light of the Scripture.

Submitted by : Aseervadam Thotapalli and Paul Lawrence G. Submitted to: Madam Amenla Aier and Madam Arenla Imchen.

9

Paul J. Nuechterlein, Holy Communion as the Means of Grace to serve, Currents in Theology and Mission21/5 (October, 1994): 357-359.10

Ibid., 363.