The Linacre Quarterly Volume 42 | Number 3 Article 7 August 1975 The Anointing of the Sick in Historical Perspective Louis P. Rogge Follow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq Recommended Citation Rogge, Louis P. (1975) "The Anointing of the Sick in Historical Perspective," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 42: No. 3, Article 7. Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol42/iss3/7 Father Rogge holds graduate degrees in theology and in Reli­ gious Studies. He is currently en­ rolled in a doctoral program at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He hopes to write his dissertation on the relation be­ tween the sacrament of anointing and the charism of healing. The Anointing of the Sick in Historical Perspective Louis P. Rogge, O. Carm. The publication of the Apo­ understood to be closely allied stolic Constitution Sacram Unc­ with the proper goals of the medi­ tionem I nfirmorum and the re­ cal profession, and that profes­ vised Rite of Anointing and Pas­ sion itself is said to have "a par­ toral Care of the Sick l on Janu­ ticipation in Christ's healing min­ ary 18, 1973, was a signal that istry."2 the Church of Rome had arrived The purpose of the sacrament at yet another plateau in her un­ of the sick is to restore the sick derstanding of her ministry to the person to wholeness. Negatively Body of Christ, and more specif­ this is brought out in the docu­ ically to those suffering from sick­ ments by the deliberate omission ness or old age. Among the of all reference to "danger of doctrinal developments found in death" as a condition for receiv­ these documents, there is one of ing the sacrament, and positively particular interest to the medical by the statement that "those who profession- one who s e impact are dangerously ill due to sickness may become the most far-reach­ or old age"3 are to be anointed. ing of all-but which has as yet The following paragraphs,4 as received but scant attention: the though to emphasize the broad­ sacramental care of the sick is ened spectrum of those who may August, 1975 205 r now be anointed, mention several deemed a necessary condition for specific instances: within one and the reception of the sacrament. the same illness anointing may be Even Vatican II retained this ex­ repeated should the danger be­ pression, although modified by come more serious, even when "certainly" so as to limit the doc­ there has been no partial recovery trinal implication of the phrase as previously required; before sur­ itself.6 The problem, therefore, is: gery if it is due to a dangerous how to explain the new direction illness (this would apparently in­ taken by the church as regards clude any m 0 raIl y justifiable the sacrament of anointing. major surgery apart from inter­ Given the desire of the church ventions of a purely cosmetic na­ for the medical profession-in­ ture); in cases of weakness due cluding nurses, technicians, and to old age even when there is no "all who are dedicated to helping dangerous illness; for children so the sick" as well as doctors-to long as they are capable of receiv­ participate in her ministry to the ing some comfort from the sacra­ sick, and in view of her directive ment; for those deprived of the to submit doubts to the judgment use of reason, whether due to of doctors, it may be useful to re­ mental disorder or to uncon­ view, albeit summarily, the his­ sciousness, when it can be pre­ tory of this sacrament. sumed that they would request Biblical scholars have provided the sacrament if able to do so. us with a growing recognition of An even more positive indica­ the New Testament concept of tion of the Church's desire for man. The contrast between body collaboration between clergy and and soul so common in Christian medical profession is found in the thought at least since the era of expression that "all who are dedi­ the early scholastics is not scrip­ cated to helping the sick should tural in origin but flows from consider it their duty to do what­ Greek dualism. In New Testa­ ever they judge will help the sick ment understanding man is not both physically and spiritually," constituted of opposing elements. and in the directive to sacrament­ In the Pauline trichotomy (1 al ministers to submit any doubt Thes 5:23) for example, spirit, as to the seriousness of a particu­ soul and body do not represent lar case to the judgment of the three distinct constitutive prin­ doctor.; ciples but each of them represents Roman Catholics whose reli­ man as understood from distinct gious education dates to the years points of view: "body" is man in before Vatican II may be inclined his relatedness to all material cre­ to think of the sacrament of the ation; "soul" is man in his sick in terms of "extreme unc­ particular living-ness or self­ tion" or "last sacrament." In line consciousness, in that which is with Can 0 n 940 "danger of the source of his superiority to death," howe v e r remote, was mere animals; "spirit" is man in 206 Linacre Quarterly his relatedness to the beyond self, interpretation contrary not only to GodJ to the context but also "to the For modern man, steeped as he purpose of the apostolic ministry is in the thought patterns of an of healing ... , a ministry which extreme rationalistic for m of in some way prepares for our Aristotelianism, such New Testa­ sacrament"9-he must recognize ment conceptualizations are for­ it as a reference to physical heal­ eign. But for New Testament ing. Finally, in an environment authors they were normal. Thus that understood sickness as a J ames, writing of the situation of visible, palpable manifestation of sick brethren and encouraging the power of evil in man's life, it them to call upon the presbyters is not surprising to find "forgive­ to pray over them, certainly had ness" among the results expected more in mind than either bodily from the ritual anointing and healing or forgiveness of sin: prayer of the presbyters. It is thus the whole man-body, soul and spirit-who is the object of Is there anyone sick among you? He should ask for the presbyters of the community's concern. the church. They in turn are to Indeed, any explanation of pray over him, anointing him with James 5:14-16 that would ignore oil in the Name [of the Lordl . This any of these aspects of man's res­ prayer uttered in faith will reclaim the one who is ill, and the Lord toration to wholeness is doomed will restore him to health. If he has to frustration; any explanation committed any sins, forgiveness will that would exaggerate one or oth­ be his. Hence, declare yOUr sins er of them at the expense of the to one another, and pray for one others can result only in a dis­ another, that you may find healing. (James 5:14-16, New American tortion of its meaning. Bible) . the Epistle of James refers to an action to be performed by the "Reclaim," a contextually supe­ ministers of the church (presby­ rior translation to the "save" ters) for the benefit of sick Chris­ found in most English versions, tians . The aim of the ministra­ tion is not simply eschatological or brings out the effect on the in­ spiritual, for this does not corre­ dividual as a member of the en­ spond to the context-namely. a tire community to be expected sick, not a dying Christian. Neither from the rite.8 "Restore" is used does James envision merely a in the New Testament at times in bodily-medicinal result. Rather the effects of anointing touch the reli­ reference to raising the dead (e.g., gious situation of the sick person: Mk 5:41-42; Jn 2:19-22; 1 Cor the threat to his salvation posed 15:15-17), and at other times in by religious powerlessness and reference to healing and whole­ weakness of soul, as well as the ness (e.g., Mt 9:5-7; Mk 1:31; temptation and burden to his faith and trust. The sick person shall be Acts 3:7); however, unless one is raised up from this weakness and prepared to restrict the meaning saved from the threat that sickness in this text to the parousia-an constitutes to his salvation. to August, 1975 207 r There is but a sin g 1 e healing spiritual as well as physical heal­ causality, one that embraces the ing; moreover, the differences be­ whole man and whose purpose is tween thelamina and the text of man's restoration to wholeness. 11 James demonstrate that neither Yet there is no hint in James of depends on the other. Historical­ some "magical" power, whether ly, therefore, they are two inde­ in the presbyters who. are to be pendent witnesses attesting to the called in or in the oil itself. The existence of a first century Chris­ accent is on "the Name of the tian rite of anointing the sick. 16 Lord," the "prayer uttered in Few Early Writings Deal faith," and the power of the risen With Anointing Lord given to the Twelve and now understood to be at the disposi­ The discovery of this artifact tion of the presbyters. There is is all the more important due to no indication that death is to dis­ the fact that the extant writings appear; although the promise of of the early patristic era contain healing is unconditional, it is a relatively mea g e r information promise whose primary object is about the anointing of the sick.