Generic Work

“Is This Not the Son of Joseph?”: The Thomistic Theory of the Instrumental Efficient Causality of the Sacraments As a Means of Restoring Man’s Supernatural Sense

Public Deposited
Analytics
Title
  • “Is This Not the Son of Joseph?”: The Thomistic Theory of the Instrumental Efficient Causality of the Sacraments As a Means of Restoring Man’s Supernatural Sense
Last modified
  • 06/11/2024
Creator
Abstract
  • A survey of contemporary society’s relationship with the sacramental economy reveals an immense challenge for the Church’s mission, which must help the faithful receive the fullness of grace God wishes to dispense through the sacramental mysteries. Although the Church officially teaches no system of causality, the Thomistic theory of the Sacraments as instrumental, efficient causes of grace serves the New Evangelization by emphasizing how God works through ordinary, created realities to accomplish supernatural effects. In this way, St. Thomas offers something fundamental to the development of a sacramental spirituality, especially if it will be equipped to combat the obstacles of the modern age and its difficulty in interpreting the symbolic language of the liturgy. While non-Thomistic theories rightly emphasize important elements of the sacramental economy, the Thomistic theory of sacramental causality and efficacy, by understanding the Sacraments as instrumental, efficient causes of grace, provides an accurate theological framework for the restoration of man’s supernatural sense and the construction of a properly-informed sacramental spirituality, indispensable elements of the New Evangelization.
Date Created
Keyword
Resource Type
Rights Statement

Relations

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
Quarnstrom__2022-23.pdf Quarnstrom__2022-23.pdf 2024-05-29 Public Download
Quarnstrom__2022-23.pdf Quarnstrom__2022-23.pdf 2024-06-11 Public Download