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book reviews 611 juridic institute of incardination of any meaning. In other words, in as much as all rights and obligations on the part of the institute and of the individual cease with definitive dismissal, any bond between the two exists only on the abstract level, without any substantive content. But this issue remains disputed and does not detract from the value of the author’s work. Robert J. Kaslyn, S.J. School of Canon Law Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. THE SACRAMENT OF ANOINTING OF THE SICK by Lizette Larson-Miller. Lex Orandi Series. John D. Laurence, S.J., General Editor . Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2005. Lizette Larson-Miller’s carefully written book on the anointing of the sick takes the post-Vatican II rite as its source for elucidating the theological and pastoral significance of this sacrament. That is precisely the task assigned all the authors of the books in the Lex Orandi Series as stated in the preface to the series by its editor, John D. Laurence. When Prosper of Aquitane referred to the “lex orandi” in the solemn prayers of Good Friday to make his case against the semi-Pelagians, he was not concerned to produce a theology of the Good Friday liturgy, but rather to highlight the human need for divine grace identified in its orations. Prosper knew that the words and actions of liturgy produced insight about theological truths even beyond the meaning of the particular rite in which they may be found. Larson-Miller also knows that the Church’s liturgical tradition reaches beyond itself to establish theological truths that are not narrowly liturgical. This book shows how the reformed rite of anointing not only generates a lucid picture of the meaning of the sacrament but also serves as a source for a theological understanding of human suffering , sin, dependence upon God and community, the Paschal Mystery, ecclesiology , pastoral care, and more. The “lex orandi,” in this more expansive sense, is the project of this book. The first chapter establishes the rite of anointing within the context of the new ritual’s overall program of pastoral care for the sick and dying so that the second chapter can take on the task of studying the heart of this ministry found in the sacramental anointing. This analysis gives rise to a third chapter on the theological issues and questions the author finds in the new rite. A final chapter brings the insights of the liturgy to bear on the cultural circumstances, both general and ecclesial, that shape the way we think about sickness and dying. These “theological questions” and these “insights” come both from the rite and from modern human experience . Thus, the author places modern culture and liturgical tradition in dialogue. Some of the issues raised here include the debate about the necessity of presbyteral ministry in the rite of anointing, the ability of the anointing to effect the forgiveness of sins, the question of physical healing, the effect of the sacrament on those who are at the point of death, and the ecclesial nature of the sacrament. The cultural presuppositions about human suffering, its apparent futility, and the relationship between sickness and sin likewise are raised. These are very big questions, bound to generate far-reaching discussions and expansive theologizing. The very fact that they are raised is evidence of the author’s knowledge of the tradition and familiarity with both the cultural climate and pastoral ministry . It is impossible for a book of this size to resolve all these issues but Larson-Miller raises them in a way that will encourage readers to seek further insight from our liturgical tradition and theology. Some readers will be disappointed to find here many more questions than answers. This, however, may well be one of the great contributions of this book destined to be read in upper level undergraduate or master’slevel theology courses. It raises unavoidable questions in a way that will inevitably stir discussion. In the hands of a knowledgeable instructor, Larson-Miller’s book will provide opportunities for the discussion of historical details, comparative liturgy, and the fundamentals of sacramental theology with a group of students now ready to recognize...

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