Baptism and the Lord's Supper are means of grace, representing spiritual realities by whose observance the Church and its members celebrate the life they are given in Christ.

Upon this belief Professor Arndt examines the meaning of "sacramental theology" particularly in its relation to the whole of the Gospel of Christ. He believes that the "Font" and "Table" are symbolic events representing God's renewing action, and through them this "Community of faith and people of God becomes concrete in historical actuality".

He does not claim that this essay provides a complete sacramental theology. He is primarily concerned with securing a perspective of sacramental practice in the hope of assisting in a "reconstruction of sacramental teaching, a more responsible ordering of practice and a more understanding participation in the sacraments of the gospel".

Preface

I. Promptings for a Reconstruction of Sacramental Theology
II. Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Preaching the Word
III. The Normative Authority of the Scriptures
IV. The Baptism of Jesus and Christian Baptism
     The Baptism of John
     The Baptism of Jesus
     The Baptism of Jesus and Christian Baptism
     The Sanction for Christian Baptism
V. Christian Baptism
     The Divine Action
     The Human Response
VI. The Lord's Supper in the New Testament Church
     Variety of Practice and Teaching
     The Underlying Unity in the Variety of Interpretations
     The Divine Action Inaugurating the New Age
     Vicarious Sacrifice and Fellowship
     Participation and Eternal Life
     The Forgiveness of Sins
VII. The Presence
     The Living Presence
     The Eucharistic Response

Index

• Preface (PDF, 153 KB)
• Chapter III: The Normative Authority of the Scriptures (PDF, 328 KB)