Visible Words: The Interpretation and Practice of Christian Sacraments

"Robert Jenson deserves to be studied as one of the more creative theologians in America today. It is perhaps due to his wisdom in the ways of this world that each of his books leaves the reader impatient to hear more. If his work in the future proves to be as stimulating as that in the past, we will not be disappointed." Christopher L. Morse Union Theological Seminary, New York "For those who have experienced genuine confusion about sacraments, Jenson's book is a breath of fresh air." Donald H. Juel Luther Theological Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota "Saint Augustine's distilled description of sacraments, 'visible words, ' is used by the systematic theologian Robert Jenson to title this important book. In attempting something so deceptively simple as 'to explain Christianity's sacraments, ' the author is remarkably successful." William S. Adams Vancouver School of Theology "Jenson is especially helpful in his discussion of the sacraments as communication events. One wishes great influence for this book in the Christian churches for it surely will assist the liturgical dialogue among them." John Barry Ryan Manhattan College, Bronx, New York Robert W. Jenson is a leading American Lutheran theologian. He has taught at many institutions, including Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, the Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, and Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. With Carl Braaten, he founded the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology in Northfield, Minnesota. He was a Senior Scholar for Research at the Center for Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey, where he now resides. Among his many books are his two-volume Systematic Theology, Lutheranism: The Theological Movement and Its Confessional Writings (with Eric Gritsch), and A Map of Twentieth-Century Theology (editor with Carl Braaten).