Joseph Martos (1943-2020),  is author of Doors to the Sacred: A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church, which for more than a quarter of a century has been the most widely read book on the subject. Retired from full-time teaching, he had been a visiting professor in universities and theology schools in Canada and Australia as well as around the United States.

As a textbook for an undergraduate course in the sacraments or an introduction to religious studies, this book provides clearly written and well organized themes for discussion or debate. It is a pedagogical gem, in that its interactive style allows for the experience and questions of students/readers to count.Catholic Studies

• ContentsPreface   vIntroduction   1Invitation   51. Psychology and the Sacraments   71. Psychological Dimensions of the Sacraments   72. The Sacred Dimension   93. The Symbolic Dimension   164. The Ritual Dimension   232. Sociology and the Sacraments   341. Social Dimensions of the Sacraments   342. The Functional Dimension  363. The Effective Dimension   424. The Historical Dimension   51a. Early Forms of Religion and Consciousness   52b. Religion and Consciousness in the Classical World   53c. Modern Consciousness and Religion   563. Ritual Studies and the Sacraments   631. The Emergence of Ritual Studies   632. Types of Rituals   66a. Calendrical or Commemorative Rites   66b. Transition Rituals or Rites of Passage   68c. Rites of Exchange and Communion   71d. Rites of Purification, Healing, and Affliction   76e. Rites of Feasting and Fasting   79f. Political or Governmental Rites   803. Characteristics of Ritual   82a. Formalism or Formality   83b. Traditionalism   84c. Invariance   84d. Rule Governance   85e. Sacred Symbolism   87f. Performance   894. Ritual Sensibility   91a. Ritualization   92b. Decorum   92c. Ceremony   93d. Magic   94e. Liturgy   97f. Celebration   994. The Sacraments in History   1051. Historical Investigation into the Sacraments   1052. The Apostolic Period   1083. The Patristic Period   1114. The Medieval Period   1135. The Tridentine Period   1166. The Contemporary Period   1185. The Sacraments in Theology   1241. Theological Developments Affecting the Sacraments   1252. The Scholastic Approach   1303. The Approach of Vatican II   1344. Existential and Phenomenological Approaches   1375. A Liberation Approach   1426. Foundational/Transformational Approaches   1497. A Postmodern Approach   1548. Liturgical Approaches   1619. Approaches as Models   1696. The Sacraments and Morality   1781. Examining Worship and Ethics   1792. The Paschal Mystery and Personal Morality   1843. The Kingdom of God and Social Justice   192a. Baptism   196b. Confirmation   199c. Reconciliation   201d. Anointing of the Sick   203e. Marriage   205f. Ordination   207g. Eucharist   2107. The Sacraments and Spirituality   2171. Personal Spirituality   2182. Communal Spirituality   2253. Ecclesial Spirituality   2374. Global Spirituality   244Conclusion   262Afterword   265Index   267

Joseph Martos (1943-2020),  is author of Doors to the Sacred: A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church, which for more than a quarter of a century has been the most widely read book on the subject. Retired from full-time teaching, he had been a visiting professor in universities and theology schools in Canada and Australia as well as around the United States.

As a textbook for an undergraduate course in the sacraments or an introduction to religious studies, this book provides clearly written and well organized themes for discussion or debate. It is a pedagogical gem, in that its interactive style allows for the experience and questions of students/readers to count.Catholic Studies

• ContentsPreface   vIntroduction   1Invitation   51. Psychology and the Sacraments   71. Psychological Dimensions of the Sacraments   72. The Sacred Dimension   93. The Symbolic Dimension   164. The Ritual Dimension   232. Sociology and the Sacraments   341. Social Dimensions of the Sacraments   342. The Functional Dimension  363. The Effective Dimension   424. The Historical Dimension   51a. Early Forms of Religion and Consciousness   52b. Religion and Consciousness in the Classical World   53c. Modern Consciousness and Religion   563. Ritual Studies and the Sacraments   631. The Emergence of Ritual Studies   632. Types of Rituals   66a. Calendrical or Commemorative Rites   66b. Transition Rituals or Rites of Passage   68c. Rites of Exchange and Communion   71d. Rites of Purification, Healing, and Affliction   76e. Rites of Feasting and Fasting   79f. Political or Governmental Rites   803. Characteristics of Ritual   82a. Formalism or Formality   83b. Traditionalism   84c. Invariance   84d. Rule Governance   85e. Sacred Symbolism   87f. Performance   894. Ritual Sensibility   91a. Ritualization   92b. Decorum   92c. Ceremony   93d. Magic   94e. Liturgy   97f. Celebration   994. The Sacraments in History   1051. Historical Investigation into the Sacraments   1052. The Apostolic Period   1083. The Patristic Period   1114. The Medieval Period   1135. The Tridentine Period   1166. The Contemporary Period   1185. The Sacraments in Theology   1241. Theological Developments Affecting the Sacraments   1252. The Scholastic Approach   1303. The Approach of Vatican II   1344. Existential and Phenomenological Approaches   1375. A Liberation Approach   1426. Foundational/Transformational Approaches   1497. A Postmodern Approach   1548. Liturgical Approaches   1619. Approaches as Models   1696. The Sacraments and Morality   1781. Examining Worship and Ethics   1792. The Paschal Mystery and Personal Morality   1843. The Kingdom of God and Social Justice   192a. Baptism   196b. Confirmation   199c. Reconciliation   201d. Anointing of the Sick   203e. Marriage   205f. Ordination   207g. Eucharist   2107. The Sacraments and Spirituality   2171. Personal Spirituality   2182. Communal Spirituality   2253. Ecclesial Spirituality   2374. Global Spirituality   244Conclusion   262Afterword   265Index   267

Joseph Martos (1943-2020),  is author of Doors to the Sacred: A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church, which for more than a quarter of a century has been the most widely read book on the subject. Retired from full-time teaching, he had been a visiting professor in universities and theology schools in Canada and Australia as well as around the United States.

As a textbook for an undergraduate course in the sacraments or an introduction to religious studies, this book provides clearly written and well organized themes for discussion or debate. It is a pedagogical gem, in that its interactive style allows for the experience and questions of students/readers to count.Catholic Studies

• ContentsPreface   vIntroduction   1Invitation   51. Psychology and the Sacraments   71. Psychological Dimensions of the Sacraments   72. The Sacred Dimension   93. The Symbolic Dimension   164. The Ritual Dimension   232. Sociology and the Sacraments   341. Social Dimensions of the Sacraments   342. The Functional Dimension  363. The Effective Dimension   424. The Historical Dimension   51a. Early Forms of Religion and Consciousness   52b. Religion and Consciousness in the Classical World   53c. Modern Consciousness and Religion   563. Ritual Studies and the Sacraments   631. The Emergence of Ritual Studies   632. Types of Rituals   66a. Calendrical or Commemorative Rites   66b. Transition Rituals or Rites of Passage   68c. Rites of Exchange and Communion   71d. Rites of Purification, Healing, and Affliction   76e. Rites of Feasting and Fasting   79f. Political or Governmental Rites   803. Characteristics of Ritual   82a. Formalism or Formality   83b. Traditionalism   84c. Invariance   84d. Rule Governance   85e. Sacred Symbolism   87f. Performance   894. Ritual Sensibility   91a. Ritualization   92b. Decorum   92c. Ceremony   93d. Magic   94e. Liturgy   97f. Celebration   994. The Sacraments in History   1051. Historical Investigation into the Sacraments   1052. The Apostolic Period   1083. The Patristic Period   1114. The Medieval Period   1135. The Tridentine Period   1166. The Contemporary Period   1185. The Sacraments in Theology   1241. Theological Developments Affecting the Sacraments   1252. The Scholastic Approach   1303. The Approach of Vatican II   1344. Existential and Phenomenological Approaches   1375. A Liberation Approach   1426. Foundational/Transformational Approaches   1497. A Postmodern Approach   1548. Liturgical Approaches   1619. Approaches as Models   1696. The Sacraments and Morality   1781. Examining Worship and Ethics   1792. The Paschal Mystery and Personal Morality   1843. The Kingdom of God and Social Justice   192a. Baptism   196b. Confirmation   199c. Reconciliation   201d. Anointing of the Sick   203e. Marriage   205f. Ordination   207g. Eucharist   2107. The Sacraments and Spirituality   2171. Personal Spirituality   2182. Communal Spirituality   2253. Ecclesial Spirituality   2374. Global Spirituality   244Conclusion   262Afterword   265Index   267