WHAT IS SACRIFICE IN RELIGION?

© 2000 by Orchid Land Publications

[updated 1-10-2000]

     Sacrifice is the latreutic (i.e. having to do with Worship) offering to a Deity of a creature--a material created being (see here), preferably (in propitiatory offerings) a living creature.  It may include, but does not have to, the IMMOLATION or slaying of a living victim.  The essence of sacrifice is the ANAPHORA or OBLATION--returning to the Creator one of His creatures in acknowledgement of His creation and ownership of all that is.   
        The eucharistic Sacrifice is is called "bloodless" because there is no repetition of Christ's Immolation, but only Christ's own Offering back (Oblation) of His once immolated Body  to the triune God in the offerers--members of His Body.  The Orthodox Liturgy makes it clear that Christ Himself (in His members) is the real Offererer and Offered in the Church's sacrificial iterated Oblations.  One can add that the faithful members of Christ are also being offered up in Him when He is offered--and not just by will or intention, but in ontological reality.
        Some Western theologians have sought to find an immolation in the eucharistic Sacrifice, e.g. in the breaking of the consecrated Bread.  But immolation is obviously not an essential part of sacrifice, or else the offering of herbs and other tokens could not be a Sacrifice (though it is admitted on all sides to be exactly that under the proper conditions).  Note that the Offering of the Pre-Consecrated Gifts during Lent is no less a Sacrifice for there being no consecration at the time of the Oblation.
      What has been said here has been influenced by the insightful works of the Latin theologian, Canon Eugène Masure.