Q: What led the Roman Catholic faith to designate and choose the seven sacraments as rituals? Where did they originate from? Were they borrowed concepts from another faith?
A: In the first three Xn centuries, Xns celebrated what we now call sacraments, but they did not call them that at the time. A number of key rituals are used by Xns to celebrate their faith; some of these are well-known to us, and some are less well-known. E.g., a common meal (eucharist) and an initiatory bath (baptism) were in use already in the CE 40s, and probably before -- even during Jesus' lifetime. Anointing the sick with oil and praying over them (anointing of the sick), and laying hands on leaders and praying over them (ordination) were also in use during the first century. Converts were anointed with oil (Confirmation) in memory of Jesus' own anointing by the woman, and as a way of showing that they were endowed with the Holy Spirit to speak God's word (i.e.,the gospel). When a Xn behaved in a scandalous manner, the person was excluded from participation in the communal meals until they had PUBLICLY repented (reconciliation). These should look pretty familiar.Some differences: often the "eucharist" included blessings of not only bread and wine, but also cheese, olives, raisins, and other foodstuffs; this, of course, because the thanksgiving meal was actually a MEAL. Many Christian groups remembered when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples by doing a footwashing ritual; in fact, in the 3rd and 4th century lists of sacraments, sometimes footwashing is included. Marriage was not officially named a sacrament until the Council of Florence in 1439. Of course, Xns did get married before then, and already in early 3rd century North Africa Tertullian is teaching that marriages must be approved (before consummation) by the local church officials. The NT letter to the Ephesians is one of the primary biblical foundations for this as a sacrament.
At the council of Trent, in the mid-16th century, is when the RCC stated that the seven we know as sacraments are the CENTRAL RITUALS through which the community of Christians experiences the real and active presence of Christ. This does not exclude other rituals, and the number seven is not important. It does not preclude other sacraments being added at some later point; it does preclude any of these being eliminated.
The question of origins is very tricky because of the limited historical evidence, however one can generally say that there are parallels to all of these rituals in formative Judaism (except, perhaps, confirmation and reconciliation). There also are some parallels in pagan mystery cults (e.g. Mithraism). This does not mean that the Xn rituals were TAKEN FROM other religions, but it is reasonable to assume that this was the case with Judaism, since Jesus and his earliest followers all were Jews.
To say that the ritual is adopted from an earlier religious practice, is not the same thing as saying the ritual MEANS THE SAME thing in its new setting (i.e., Xy). Similarities and differences in terms of belief have to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.
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