Types of Grace

[Kmon23]

I understand there are different types of grace in Catholic theology (actual vs. habitual). There is also sacramental, efficient, etc.
My Orthodox acquaintances say they don’t have a distinction in the types of grace, and that grace is just grace.

So what is the nature of the distinction of grace in Catholic theology? Is it based on the effects/consequence, the object it is affecting, or the essence of the grace is different for the different kinds of grace? Why is there a distinction that makes sacramental grace different than habitual grace, and why is there a distinction in types of grace in Catholic theology?

 

[grannymh]

I understand there are different types of grace in Catholic theology (actual vs. habitual). There is also sacramental, efficient, etc.
My Orthodox acquaintances say they don’t have a distinction in the types of grace, and that grace is just grace.

So what is the nature of the distinction of grace in Catholic theology? Is it based on the effects/consequence, the object it is affecting, or the essence of the grace is different for the different kinds of grace? Why is there a distinction that makes sacramental grace different than habitual grace, and why is there a distinction in types of grace in Catholic theology?

"Habitual’ would be a description of the State of Sanctifying Grace. Basically the State of Sanctifying Grace is when we are sharing in the life of the Trinity. This is the grace we receive in the Sacrament of Baptism. This is our spiritual state, that is, the state of our soul.

Many moons ago, when I learned about “grace” – Sanctifying Grace stayed with us until we committed a Mortal Sin. Actual graces were like spurts of God’s energy which helped us to accomplish something good or to help keep us from doing something bad. Since then, I have not thought about grace. I am simply grateful that it exists.

I do not feel capable of answering your questions in depth. My gut instinct tells me tells me that the “distinctions” really come under the two categories of the State of Sanctifying Grace and the actual grace which pertains to individual actions or individual needs. Perhaps if you start with one question or with one comment, we can look at the Catechism together.

Links to the universal Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition
usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/

scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

 

[ynotzap]

Grace in general implies a concept of pleasure , of joy, in modern usage it has various meanings, reducible to two aspects: 1(subjective) - beauty, benevolence, favor, gratitude
2 (objective) -gift, benefit The definition of grace in the Catholic Church: A gratuitous gift infused by God into the rational creature with reference to the end of eternal life."
There are two divisions of grace: (l) grace gratis data, given to a person for the good of another (eg. gift of prophesy), and grace, gratum faciens, given for the good of the receiver himself.
_Actual grace: The transient supernatural influence of God in the soul moving it to acts leading to salvation, to an act ordained to sanctification and eternal life.
Habitual grace: A divine gift infused by God into the soul, as something permanent by it’s nature, it’s infused into the very essence of the soul, and is called also sanctifying and justifying grace, in as much as it confers holiness and makes righteous one who had been a sinner, in addition virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are like a ramification of
sanctifying grace and are received in the faculties of the soul.
_Efficacious grace: A supernatural divine influence on account of which the human will is determined, infallibly but freely, to act with respect to eternal life eg, is the conversion of St.Paul “I will cause you to walk in my commandments, and do them” (Ezech 36:27)
_Sacramental grace: A supernatural gift added by the action of the individual sacraments to sanctifying grace
_Sufficient grace: A supernatural gift which confers on man the power to act, if he so wills, in a salutary way (i.e.,with reference to eternal life)
Holy scripture speaks of graces granted by God, which did not have their effect, and the Lord reproves man, who though being able to, has refused to profit by them. “I called you and you refused” (Prov. l:24)
_Charismatic Grace: Transient edifying gifts to build the church, gifts of healing, discerning, prophesy etc.
All grace is the work of the Holy Spirit manifested in different ways, and actions made possible by Jesus Christ and the Father.

 

[Kmon23]

Grace in general implies a concept of pleasure , of joy, in modern usage it has various meanings, reducible to two aspects: 1(subjective) - beauty, benevolence, favor, gratitude
2 (objective) -gift, benefit The definition of grace in the Catholic Church: A gratuitous gift infused by God into the rational creature with reference to the end of eternal life."
There are two divisions of grace: (l) grace gratis data, given to a person for the good of another (eg. gift of prophesy), and grace, gratum faciens, given for the good of the receiver himself.
_Actual grace: The transient supernatural influence of God in the soul moving it to acts leading to salvation, to an act ordained to sanctification and eternal life.
Habitual grace: A divine gift infused by God into the soul, as something permanent by it’s nature, it’s infused into the very essence of the soul, and is called also sanctifying and justifying grace, in as much as it confers holiness and makes righteous one who had been a sinner, in addition virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are like a ramification of
sanctifying grace and are received in the faculties of the soul.
_Efficacious grace: A supernatural divine influence on account of which the human will is determined, infallibly but freely, to act with respect to eternal life eg, is the conversion of St.Paul “I will cause you to walk in my commandments, and do them” (Ezech 36:27)
_Sacramental grace: A supernatural gift added by the action of the individual sacraments to sanctifying grace
_Sufficient grace: A supernatural gift which confers on man the power to act, if he so wills, in a salutary way (i.e.,with reference to eternal life)
Holy scripture speaks of graces granted by God, which did not have their effect, and the Lord reproves man, who though being able to, has refused to profit by them. “I called you and you refused” (Prov. l:24)
_Charismatic Grace: Transient edifying gifts to build the church, gifts of healing, discerning, prophesy etc.
All grace is the work of the Holy Spirit manifested in different ways, and actions made possible by Jesus Christ and the Father.

So the different “kinds” of grace is just different manifestations of the same grace? So the essence/nature of the different forms of grace are all the same?
This is my question, whether the different kinds of grace share the same essence or are actually different.

 

[ynotzap]

Some graces are transient, some are permanent, some sanctify, others don’t Eg. Habitual grace sanctifies, makes holy, Charismatic grace does not sanctify, but edify, one can go to hell using charismatic grace, eg. "If you can perform miracles , expell spirits etc, and do not have love (a Theological virtue that comes from Baptism (a sanctifying grace) you are nothing. Actual grace is transient, eg. a religious experience that predisposes one to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Some graces lead to salvation, others work salvation, make righteous, transform one in holiness to the likeness of Christ. Not all graces are the same, although all are the work of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

From the Catholic Encyclopedia article “Actual Grace”:

Before the Council of Trent, the Schoolmen seldom distinguished actual grace from sanctifying grace. But, in consequence of modern controversies regarding grace, it has become usual and necessary in theology to draw a sharper distinction between the transient help to act (actual grace) and the permanent state of grace (sanctifying grace). For this reason we adopt this distinction as our principle of division in our exposition of the Catholic doctrine.

To put it simply, “sanctifying grace” concerns being, and “actual grace” concerns doing. The term “sacramental grace” refers not to the *kind *of grace (for being or doing), but to the *means * (i.e. the sacraments). Incidentally, we get both sanctifying and actual grace in the sacraments.

The other terms like “efficacious,” “sufficient,” “operating,” “cooperating,” etc. refer to actual grace. The difference between these is what the grace is given for. (Does it inspire us to do a good act? Does it help us to do the good act? Does it help us persevere in doing good? etc.)