By Living Waters

I have friends who are members of the Roman Catholic Church. I have friends who have become Roman Catholic. I even have some friends who recently have reverted to Catholicism.* I dearly love and respect each of these Christian siblings, though I’ve not been able to follow them in their treks to Rome. I appreciate some of their reasons for moving in that direction (or for staying put), though I’ve not felt the draw they have. What I’d like to discuss in this post is the practice of praying to saints. What motivates my thoughts is a recent article by the president of Fuller Theological Seminary, Richard J. Mouw. The article, “Communion with the Saints” (The Christian Century, 15 May 2007), brought to the surface many questions I’ve long had about this practice. Perhaps these are not the most insightful of questions, but they are my questions about this practice. (more…)

I’ve begun to read Peter Leithart’s recently published book, The Baptized Body (Canon Press, 2007). Here I’d like to begin by providing a few excerpts that I deem worthy of consideration. Frankly, if the remainder of the volume is this insightful, then I cannot but highly recommend it!

Seas of ink have been poured out in debating whether there is any efficacy in the sacraments “in themselves.” The whole debate is worthless, because both sides begin from the false assumptions that 1) there is such a thing as a “sacrament in itself” and that 2) some things (though not sacraments) do have “efficacy in themselves.” Consider: Baptismal water is a sign authorized by Christ for His church. Validly administered, it is never simply water, but the authorized entry rite into the community of disciples (Mt. 28:18-20). We cannot, we dare not, think that this water is “mere water,” any more than we can think of the American flag as “just a piece of cloth.” Water is not a “thing in itself.” (3)

Nothing at all, other than the Triune God Himself, has efficacy “in itself.” (4)

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