A Defense of St. Robert Bellarmine's Definition of Sacrifice

ABSTRACT:St. Robert Bellarmine's defense of the sacrificial nature of the Mass was influential for centuries. Several contemporary theologians, however, have accused Bellarmine of making a "massive methodological mistake" in deriving his definition of sacrifice from an examination of "the religious cultures of the world." Some also allege that his definition was a theological novelty. This article argues that Bellarmine's methodology made a positive contribution to the theology of the sacrifice of the Mass. It will also refute the argument that he derived his definition of sacrifice by considering "the religious cultures of the world." Moreover, the article will argue that his definition was not a theological novelty.