Baptism and the Lord’s Supper have been practised by Christians since the earliest days of the Church. But what actually happens when we participate in them?
Roman Catholicism teaches that the sacraments are means through which grace is communicated, with baptism bringing regeneration and the Eucharist becoming the true body and blood of Christ. Eastern Orthodoxy likewise understands the sacraments, or Mysteries, as real participation in divine grace and life.
But is this how the New Testament presents baptism and the Lord’s Supper? Are the bread and cup means by which grace is imparted, or do they point us back to the once for all, finished work of Christ? Does baptism itself bring new life, or is it the testimony of someone who has already received that life through faith in Christ?
In Episode 3, Alasdair MacPherson and Ian Jackson examine the sacraments, baptism, the Eucharist and the Mass, and ask a fundamental question, how does God communicate His grace to His people, and what place should physical elements have in Christian worship?
