Sacraments and Sacramentality

Noted theologian Bernard Cooke identifies sacramentality as the essence of life, that is, how life itself reveals and makes present the saving love of God. More specifically, he shows how Jesus' life, death, and resurrection transformed life's meaning, and how this Christ-meaning should transform a Christian's experience of life. Cooke proposes that mutual concern and support for one another are the substance of Christian sacraments. He situates friendship as the most basic sacrament of God's saving presence in human life, and shows that sacrament liturgies celebrate initiation into the deepest and most fundamental of all human experiences. This revised and updated edition contains new material on the Eucharist, as well as historical and theological updates on core material. Discussion questions and extensive bibliographic resources make this book ideal for group study and adult education.