Sacrifice and Redemption: Durham Essays in Theology

by Stephen Sykes (Editor)

These essays explore the role sacrificial metaphor has to play in theological interpretation of the death of Christ, and ask whether such a metaphor makes sense today. They make clear that the political and psychological connotations of sacrificial language have in modern times given rise to great unease, and examine, in particular, the Catholic tradition of the eucharistic sacrifice, a tradition that was vigorously challenged at the Reformation. Looking at the various controversies from a variety of perspectives, the contributions to the book have a pronounced ecumenical slant, and illuminate sacrifice at the major, formative moments in history, from Old Testament times to contemporary theology.

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 1991

About the author

Stephen Whitefield Sykes was a distinguished theologian, academic, and bishop within the Church of England. Educated at Monkton Combe School and St John's College, Cambridge, he graduated with first-class honours in theology and trained for ministry at Ripon Hall, Oxford. He began his career as dean of chapel at St John's College, later holding key academic positions including Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at Durham University and Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge. From 1990 to 1999, he served as Bishop of Ely, also sitting as a Lord Spiritual in the House of Lords. He later became Principal of St John's College, Durham, where he continued to shape theological education until his retirement in 2006. Deeply engaged in the doctrinal life of the Church, he chaired the Doctrine Commission of the Church of England from 1996 to 2002. Known for his intellectual rigor and commitment to ecclesial unity, Sykes also served as an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Durham. He faced his later years with resilience despite a debilitating illness, passing away in 2014. He was married to Marianne “Joy” Hinton, with whom he had three children. Sykes left a lasting legacy as both scholar and church leader.

Reviews

[Brian Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great collection of essays on issues central to Christianity. What did the first Christians say about sacrifice and ritual, and how did later teachings evolve over time?

One of the key topics is St. Augustine's struggle with leaders of a rebel sect of Christians, known as Donatists, who claimed the newly official church's leadership was corrupt. And to this argument, Augustine presented the real issue as one of respect for the sacraments. The Donatists, he explained, taught that God cannot deliver his saving grace through sacraments administered by a sinful cleric. But actually the sacraments were sacred in themselves, regardless of which cleric handled them. The sacraments were beyond corruption, and to think otherwise would cast doubt on their divinity. Therefore the parishioners should realize that it made no difference whether they felt their priest was a spiritual person or not. If the church appointed him, God would work through him by virtue of the office.

Most Christians today would probably agree that the power of church rituals does not depend on the holiness of the person conducting them. We tend to feel that the effect of a ritual depends mainly on our own quality of participation. Most of us moderns would also dismiss the Donatist notion that sin is contagious, and we will catch it if we go to a priest who sins. So we might agree that Augustine was right. But what happened to the simple question of people's right to choose their leaders?

The far-ranging discussion in this book casts all of Christian history into review.