Making A Distinction

 

The Sacramental Paradigm

This paradigm teaches that the grace of God is administered to humans through Sacraments. The sacraments only function as conduits of God's grace when administered to the recipient through a priest. A person can only become a priest by receiving an ordination to priesthood adminstered by a previously ordained priest.

This paradigm causes the believers to be dependant upon a priesthood in order to have a relationship with God.

The authority paradigm teaches that each christian is a priest and that the grace of God is administered to any and all who are faithfully submissive. The only dependancy that the christian has in receiving God's grace is that God's grace is administered through Jesus. This paradigm causes the believer to be dependant upon Jesus only for receiving God's grace. To learn more about this aspect of the authority paradigm, visit the "All Christians Are Priests" page

One example of the Sacramental paradigm is the Episcopalian denomination and other Anglican denominations.

Back to Other Paradigms.