Introductory notes for readers of this thesis - Theses - Flinders ...

The church is sacramental in the sense that its communal (cf institutional 113 ) life creates asocial context in which mystical participation in the life of the Spirit is brought intoconscious proximity with its true source: Christ 114 . In this sense everything that thechurch and its members does and is, as Spirit-filled action, is sacramental. The life of thewhole church, both gathered and scattered, proclaims, creates and facilitates anenvironment and spiritual atmosphere in which individuals can access and actualise thepresent reality of their connection to the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith 115 .The Church knows that it is the sacrament and testimony, not for its ownsalvation, but for that of the world…so that the grace of which the Church is theenduring sign is victoriously offered by God even to those who have not yet foundthe visible Church and who nevertheless already, without realising it, live by its116Spirit, the Holy Spirit of the love and mercy of God .Rahner’s perspective on the individual sacraments of the church contributes to his viewof Jesus as sacrament of God and the church as sacrament of Christ for all people, in alltimes and in all places.The nature and place of the official sacramentsFor Rahner, the validity of the official sacraments of the church 117 is not based primarilyon particular New Testament ‘words of institution’. As a result of the ongoing, gracedreflection of the church on its life and mission as foundational sacrament, some symbolicliturgical actions are recognised by the church, over time, as sacraments. Through itsSpirit-led, action-reflection, the church is able to identify and direct people to participatein the symbolism of these sacraments as way of enabling them to more fully experiencethe grace of Christ 118 . It is in this sense that the sacraments facilitate the saving power of113 Rahner never advocates for the abolition of the institutional structures of the hierarchical Church thoughhe did perpetually and passionately advocate for their ongoing reform. Apart from the institutionalstructures, he speaks in many places about the essential witness of a true charismatic community of faith(not to be confused with a mere superficial ‘Pentecostal’ enthusiasm). His views on the future ofChristianity and the Church foresee the increased significance and prevalence of small, dynamiccommunities of the Spirit reflecting an authentic sense of the shared life.114 Dych, Karl Rahner, 82-87; O’Meara, God in the world, 85.115 Ibid.116 K. Rahner, Prayers and meditations, 72.117 As a Roman Catholic Rahner recognised seven sacraments: Eucharist, baptism, confirmation, penance,marriage, ordination, the anointing of the sick.118 See K. Rahner, Prayers and meditations, 28-29, for a clear statement of his view of the necessity of thedefinite historical person of Jesus and the visible signs of Church and sacrament as the ‘detour’ throughwhich each person must pass to fully experience the ‘pervasive Spirit’ whose infinity is everywhere.164