Understanding Gods grace and Sin through Baptismal Theology and Eucharistic Theology for the Children at Risk

1.0. Introduction: Sacraments form an integral part of the Church. The ideas of Gods grace and sin are at the core of our sacraments, Baptism and Eucharist. With a prevalent tendency of alienating children from the sacraments, there is a need for relooking our sacramental theology in the context of children at risk. This paper attempts to give a gist of the traditional understanding of sin and grace in Baptism and Eucharist, then attempt an alternative look to be inclusive to children and finally look at what we must do from this emerging understanding. 1.1. Traditional Understanding of Sacraments: The Protestant Tradition has two sacraments Baptism and Eucharist. Augustine says that sacraments are visible forms of invisible grace.1 Luther emphasizes that Baptism and Eucharist are sacraments since we find in them the divinely instituted sign and the promise of forgiveness of sins.2 In Baptism, the water symbolizes life and cleansing, one is free from the power of darkness; dying and rising with Christ from sin to new life (Romans 6:4).3 Baptism is a means of grace in which the recipient receives in faith the benefits of the gospel.4 Eucharist is a dramatic symbolism, not only in words and elements, but in the acting out of what Jesus did for us.5 It proclaims that the promise of grace and forgiveness of sins are now in effect and that such a promise is confirmed by the death of Jesus.6 Each baptized member receives in the Eucharist the assurance of forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28) and the pledge of eternal life (John 6:51-58).7 1.2. Understanding Sacramental Theology alternatively: The children are kept away from the sacraments especially in Eucharist and also in Baptism in some traditions, since we claim that they are not mature. But childhood is also part of Gods plan for human life just as man and woman. If so, why should we expect the children to perceive sins, ask forgiveness and experience grace just as adults do? Jesus invites us to have the faith experience and reception of grace as children would and only that qualifies one to enter the Reign of God. It may be unwise for us to call them immature and stop them from participating in sacraments.8 The idea of forgiveness of sin and salvation in the New Testament has been related with powers of sinful structures, dominance and violence. Forgiveness of sins occur only 12 times in the NT and most of them to emphasize forgiveness to each other. Although salvation is referred to as liberation from powers of darkness or sinful structure. Revelation compares Rome to the evil/sinful one with its oppressive structure. The emphasis on the idea of forgiveness of personal sins came in the time of Constantine to suppress the emphasis on structural sin, dominance and violence practiced by the emperor. After reformation the Protestants retained only two sacraments and the sacrament of confession of sins was merged
Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology. An Introduction, 5th edition (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011), 401. Ibid., 404. 3 Baptism, The Collegeville Pastoral Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Bangalore: Theological Publications in India). 4 Donald M. Baillie, The Theology of the Sacraments & Other Papers (London: Faber and Faber Ltd, 1957), 88. 5 Ibid., 98. 6 Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, 411. 7 World Council of Churches, Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1982), 10. 8 Donald M. Baillie, The Theology of the Sacraments, 82.
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with Eucharist and therefore the focus became forgiveness of sins and salvation as grace of God received with faith. Nuechterlein argues that the focus of Lords Supper in the New Testament is servanthood. In the five passages of Lords Supper in the New Testament only Matthew mentions about forgiveness of sins. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). This is emphasized in John 13. Luke also places Institution of Lords Supper just after mentioning about the disciples struggle for greatness and Jesus teaching about being a servant. Even Paul condemns the Corinthian church since they did not serve and help each other at the Table.9 1.3. Implications of the alternative understanding for CAR: Then, if the focus of New Testament is not limited to salvation of personal sin but also signifies that one must die to a life of sinful structures in Baptism and raise up with new life. This act of dying with Christ is reminded and reenacted in the Eucharist. The Table Sacrament nourishes us for new life against the forces of violence and domination of sinful structures. Through means of grace, we are empowered to live with love.10 This new life would make us fight against the sinful structures that put our children at risk. If we are insensitive to the children we are still dead and not raised to new life. If we think that the children affected with HIV/AIDS, sexually abused, trafficked, etc. are impure and neglect them, we should first remember that it is we who ruined them and it is we who need grace to be saved, forgiven and not them. If the centrality of Eucharist is not only sin and forgiveness but also of grace to serve, then in our context we are called to serve those children who are made as the sacrificial scape -goats in our society. Being sacrificed to the greed of consumerism, patriarchy, racism, casteism, alcoholism, fundamentalism, etc. St. Paul writes with anger to the Corinthians for neglecting the vulnerable ones at the table. In our context the children are the vulnerable ones. We need to help them experience the presence of Christ in the sacraments. Whenever children eagerly come to the altar when Communion is served, we tell them to stand aside or ignore them. In those times Jesus may have scolded us and told Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. (Luke 18:16). 1.4. Conclusion: A brief relooking of the sacramental theology calls us to refocus our attention from just forgiveness sin to grace, which strengthens us to serve the vulnerable. Moreover, it may be unwise for us to judge that children are not fit to participate in the sacraments because Gods grace is same for everyone, regardless of gender, race, and even age. We are invited to reshape our traditional thinking to be inclusive not only to Dalits, women, etc but also to children at risk in light of the Scripture. Submitted by : Aseervadam Thotapalli and Paul Lawrence G. Submitted to: Madam Amenla Aier and Madam Arenla Imchen.

Paul J. Nuechterlein, Holy Communion as the Means of Grace to serve, Currents in Theology and Mission 21/5 (October, 1994): 357-359. 10 Ibid., 363.