Angus,
Lateran IV "fixed," as you say, the number of Sacraments, but the number was
also reaffirmed at the Councils of Lyon (1274) and Trent (1545-1563). The
Orthodox Church usually recognizes seven Sacraments as well, but I do not
believe there is a dogmatic or canonical teaching as is the case for Rome.
I don't know, though, if people are blasé about the matter. Speaking for
myself as a Lutheran, the nature of the Sacraments has always mattered more
than the number. The Lutheran Symbols, e.g., don't even bother with
"fixing" the number!
Regards,
The Rev. Travis D. Stolz
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----- Original Message -----
From: Angus Graham <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2000 7:47 AM
Subject: Re: sacramental oddity
> My thanks to all who have responded on this topic -- I have passed all
> comments to my Italian colleague, who will, as have I in the past,
> benefit from the knowledge and insight of esteemed list-members. To
> summarise:
>
> 1. Our current 7 sacraments were 'fixed' by Lateran 4 (1215) after quite
> some years of variation.
> 2. Gregory IX's Decretals (1230-ish) make mention of the sacraments at
> various points, and there is no conflict with Lateran 4's canon.
> 3. Writing over a small number of decades from 1261, the N. Italian
> judge Bono Giamboni has, in an early work, his second sacrament as
> 'incarnation' (Battesimo, Incarnazione, Confermazione, Corpus Domini,
> Penitenzia, Olio Santo, Matrimonio). In a later work he abandons
> 'incarnation' and replaces it with the canonical 'ordination'.
>
> This may be an 'oddity', but perhaps we should assume either:
>
> a. Some people remained blasé about these things
>
> or
>
> b. Bono was initially referring to a pre-1215 work and later used
> something more contemporary.
>
> I had not expected 'The Answer', but we thank those who have commented
> and fixed parameters. This still strikes me as an oddity, but then, I am
> writing from a modern viewpoint where the seven sacraments have been
> unquestioned for centuries (though with notable exceptions!).
>
> Angus Graham, Oman
>
>
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