Baptismal \u22Spirituality\u22 in the Early Church and Its Implications for the Church Today

摘要

(Excerpt)Let me begin with two quotes from a recent collection of essays by British Methodist liturgical theologian Geoffrey Wainwright, both of which, I believe, speak to the overall theme of this year\u27s liturgical institute. First, in an essay originally published in 1988, Wainwright says: \u22Without the heartbeat of the sacraments at its center, a church will lack confidence about the gospel message and about its own ability to proclaim that message in evangelism, to live it out in its own internal fellowship, and to embody it in service to the needy.\u221 And, second, in an essay appearing originally in 1993, he writes that \u22a deeper replunging into its own tradition will, in my judgment, be necessary if the church is to survive in recognizable form, particularly in our western culture.\u222