How Marriage Became One Of The Sacraments?

Philip L. Reynolds’ “How Marriage Became One of the Sacraments: The Sacramental Theology of Marriage from Its Medieval Origins to the Council of Trent” explores the sacramental theology of marriage from its medieval origins to the Council of Trent. The book, published by Cambridge University Press in 2016, explores the role of marriage as a natural institution in the Catholic Church and how it was elevated by Christ Himself. Reynolds argues that marriage, among the seven sacraments defined by Trent, exists as both a natural (non-sacramental) and a sacramental reality.

The medieval church contributed to western culture by defining marriage as one of the seven sacraments, which defined the role of married folk in the church. This new way of considering marriage raised many problems, which scholastic theologians applied their ingenuity to. By the late Middle Ages, sacramental doctrine began to form in the early 12th century and attained mature articulation around the time of Thomas Aquinas, who died in 1274.

Reynold’s book explores the interplay among law, theology, and marriage in the West, focusing primarily on Christian theological norms and Western legal principles. The book analyzes in detail how medieval marriage became one of the sacraments and how it evolved into a sacrament. The book is an indispensable guide to understanding how marriage acquired the status of a sacrament in the Western Church.