I am drawn to how the Christian churches choose to celebrate the practices of the “sacraments “ . It actually began several years ago in a graduate course at George Fox University. Dr Dan Brunner taught several classes that in my thinking were couched in healing and spiritual formation. Once class in particular was the stewardship of earth keeping according to Scripture. “ …We are called as followers of Jesus to embrace and act responsibly to care for God’s earth while we reaffirm the important truth that we worship only the creator and not the creation.”
Genesis 1:28 says, “ … Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over …. (bring it under control ). The point here is one of linguistics. Being able to understand what is meant by Scriptural language that does not use our day to day verbal use.
Sacraments are general specific to a Christian doctrine. For those in my denomination focus upon Baptism and Communion. In his book, The Sacraments, Brent Peterson clears up practice over what could include others. He writes , “ It is important to begin by remembering God’s ongoing story and work in creation. Without care, sacraments and communal worship can become disembodied practices the are disconnected from God’s continual work of creation, healing and redemption in the world.” Today’s Reflecting God narrative by Ryan Quanstrom he notes in Examen, … through participation with Christ , is a devotional exercise involving reflection on moral evaluation of one’s thoughts and conduct, usually performed on a daily basis”. Some churches include practices of foot washing or quoting of creeds. Yet without a change in our personal spiritual formation we fall in to a practice not an inclusion of the Sacrament.
My Life In Christ 