Mystery and Sacrament of Love: A Theology of Marriage and the Family for the New Evangelization
Overview
Marriage and the family are at the forefront of the burning questions being debated by civil society and the church today. Cultural changes in our increasingly secularized society have dire consequences in the family sphere, requiring a Christian response that is faithful to the Church’s tradition, says Marc Cardinal Ouellet.
In Mystery and Sacrament of Love Ouellet clearly expounds a theology of marriage and the Catholic Church’s understanding of the sacrament celebrated between spouses and God. Developed with influences from Pope Francis, the theological intuitions of Vatican II, the contributions of Saint John Paul II (the “pope of the family”), and the innovative thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Ouellet’s study lays the foundations for a faithful resurgence of well-being for families in our contemporary day and age.
- Presents a theological, sacremental view of the Catholic theology of marriage
- Addresses current cultural challenges to traditional marriage
- Builds on the legacy of Pope John Paul II’s emphasis on family
Introduction: Sacramental Theology in Transition
Part One: The Mystery-Sacrament of Marriage
- Introduction: The Sacrament of Marriage Today
- The Revelation of the Marriage Sacrament
- The Sacramentality of Marriage in the Tradition
- The Theology of Sacramental Marriage
Part Two: The Theology of Marriage and the Sacramentality of the Church
- Presuppositions for a Nuptial Sacramental Theology
- Jesus Christ, the Sacrament of the Covenant and the Church-Sacrament
- The Sacrament of Marriage, Paradigm of the Sacramentality of the Church
- Marriage and the Other Sacraments
- The Sacramentality of the Domestic Church
Part Three: Trinity and Nuptiality: Toward a Eucharistic Theo-drama of the Nuptial Mystery
- The Eucharist as Trinitarian Event
- The Spousal Mystery of the Eucharist
- Toward a Nuptial Trinitarian Anthropology
Epilogue: The Drama of the Eucharist and the Nuptial Mystery
Rich in substance and comprehensive in scope, Cardinal Ouellet’s superb study of the theology and sacramentality of marriage is perfect for addressing today’s most urgent issues in Catholic life. . . . An invaluable resource in recovering a faithful understanding of marriage, family, and the new evangelization.
—Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia
This beautifully translated edition of Cardinal Ouellet’s book illuminates the contemporary crisis of married love by focusing on the profoundly nuptial dimension of the Christian sacraments. . . . If you are searching for a clear way to connect the theology of John Paul II with the new tasks for the Church put forth by Pope Francis, then this book is a must-read. You will most likely be surprised at how closely the two programs converge.
—Peter Casarella, University of Notre Dame
A magisterial panorama of Church teaching on marriage and the family. . . . In a culture that easily bypasses serious reflection on marriage, Cardinal Ouellet uses a new key—that of nuptial trinitarian anthropology—to open up for readers a fresh and penetrating perspective on his subject, thereby presenting the Church with new pastoral insights, deep academic perception, and great ecclesial wisdom.
—Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh
Product Details
- Title: Mystery and Sacrament of Love: A Theology of Marriage and the Family for the New Evangelization
- Author: Marc Cardinal Ouellet
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Publication Date: 2015
- Pages: 346
- Christian Group: Catholic
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Topic: Marriage Family
About Marc Cardinal Ouellet
Marc Cardinal Ouellet is Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Formerly, he was Archbishop of Québec and Primate of Canada. Cardinal Ouellet held the chair of dogmatic theology at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Rome from 1996 to 2002 and previously taught theology in both North and South America.