See Reform Judaism article about its Confirmation ceremony. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions

A bishop administering Confirmation. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight Rogier van der Weyden, The Seven Sacraments, 15th century. Rogier van der Weyden, also known as Rogier de le Pasture (1399/1400 &ndash June 18, 1464) is with Jan van Eyck, considered one of the

Confirmation is a rite of initiation in many Christian Churches, normally in the form of laying on of hands and/or anointing for the purpose of bestowing the Gifts of the Holy Spirit upon them. A rite is an established ceremonious usually Religious act or Process art. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship The laying on of hands is a religious practice found throughout the world in varying forms To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil milk water melted butter or other substances a process employed ritually by many religions and races Spiritual gifts (or Charismata, according to some Christian denominations such as Pentecostal, are gifts that are bestowed on Christians each having his or her In some denominations, confirmation bestows full membership in the church upon the recipient. In others, such as the Roman Catholic Church, confirmation "renders the bond with the Church more perfect",^[1] but a baptized person is already a full member. ^[2]

Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, and Anglicans, view Confirmation as a sacrament. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active In the East is conferred on infants immediately after baptism, but in the West is usually administered later at the age of reason or in early adolescence. Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church The age of Reason, also called the age of discretion, is the Age at which Children become capable of Moral responsibility.

In Protestant Churches, the rite tends to be seen rather as a mature statement of faith by an already baptised person. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Faith is a Belief in the trustworthiness of an Idea. Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of Religion, as in In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted However, it is required by most protestant denominations for membership in the respective church, in particular for traditional protestant faiths. In traditional protestant faiths (Presbyterian, Methodist, etc. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations ) it is recognized by a coming of age ceremony. Coming of age is a young person's transition from Adolescence to Adulthood The age at which this transition takes place varies in society as does the nature

Several secular, mainly Humanist, organizations direct "civil confirmations" for older children, as a statement of their life stance, an equivalent alternative to traditional religious ceremonies for children of that age. See also philosophical Humanism For the Renaissance liberal arts movement see Renaissance humanism Humanism is Secular coming of age ceremonies, sometimes called "civil confirmations" are ceremonies arranged by organisations that are Secular, i Life stance or lifestance refers to a person's relation with what he or she accepts as of Ultimate importance, the presuppositions and theory of this and the commitments

Some secular regimes have as a matter of policy fostered the replacement of Christian rituals such as confirmation with non-religious ones (see Miltant atheism). Antitheism (sometimes anti-theism) is active opposition to Theism. In the historically Protestant German Democratic Republic (East Germany), for example, "the Jugendweihe (youth dedication) gradually supplanted the Christian practice of Confirmation. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state Jugendweihe ( youth consecration) is a Secular coming of age ceremony practiced by German 14 year olds "^[3] A concept that first appeared in 1852, the Jugendweihe is described as "a solemn initiation marking the transition from youth to adulthood that was developed in opposition to Protestant and Catholic Churches' Confirmation. "^[4]

Scriptural foundation

The roots of confirmation are found in the New Testament. For instance, in the Acts of the Apostles 8:14-17:

"Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e Samaria, or the Shomron ( שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Šoməron Tiberian Šōmərôn Saint John the Apostle ( Greek Ιωάννης, see Names of John) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. "

When the Apostle Paul met disciples in Ephesus who had only received the baptism of John the Baptist, they received Christian baptism and then Paul laid hands upon them and "the Holy Spirit came on them" (Acts 19:2-6). Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram.

Also, in the Gospel of John, Chapter 14, Christ speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (John 14:15-26). The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon Later, after his Resurrection, Jesus breathed upon them and they received the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), a process completed on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Pentecost (πεντηκοστή, pentekostē, "the fiftieth day" is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian Liturgical year, celebrated the After this point, the New Testament records the apostles bestowing the Holy Spirit upon others through the laying on of hands.

Roman Catholic view

German wood cut depicting Confirmation service (1679).

Main article: Confirmation (Catholic Church)

In the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, Confirmation, known also as Chrismation,^[5] is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ for the conferral of sanctifying grace and the strengthening of the union between individual souls and God. Confirmation, known also as Chrismation, is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in its paragraphs 1302-1303 states:

It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e Pentecost (πεντηκοστή, pentekostē, "the fiftieth day" is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian Liturgical year, celebrated the

From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15);

- it unites us more firmly to Christ;

- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;

- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;

- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.

According to canon law for the Latin or Western Catholic Church, the sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion (generally taken to be about 7), unless the Episcopal Conference has decided on a different age, or there is danger of death or, in the judgement of the minister, a grave reason suggests otherwise (canon 891 of the Code of Canon Law). Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. The age of Reason, also called the age of discretion, is the Age at which Children become capable of Moral responsibility. In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the The number of Episcopal Conferences that have set a later age, usually between 14 and 16 years of age, has diminished in recent decades, and even in those countries a bishop may not refuse to confer the sacrament on younger children who request it, provided they are baptized, have the use of reason, are suitably instructed and are properly disposed and able to renew the baptismal promises (letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published in its 1999 bulletin, pages 537-540). The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments ( Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum) is the congregation of the

In the Latin-Rite (i. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. e. , Western) Catholic Church, the sacrament is customarily conferred only on persons old enough to understand it, and the ordinary minister of confirmation is a bishop. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight Only for a serious reason may the diocesan bishop delegate a priest to administer the sacrament (canon 884 of the Code of Canon Law). A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities However, a priest is not only by law empowered (canon 883), but, in the absence of a bishop, is obliged^[6] to confer the sacrament, if he baptizes someone who is no longer an infant or admits a person already baptized to full communion, or if the person (adult or child) to be confirmed is in danger of death. The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common Baptism and confirmation of an adult would normally occur at the Easter Vigil. The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration

In Eastern Catholic Churches, the usual minister of this sacrament is the parish priest, using olive oil consecrated by a bishop (i. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See e. , chrism), and administering the sacrament immediately after baptism. Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing" also called "Myrrh" ( Myron) "Holy Oil" or "Consecrated Oil" is a Consecrated In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted This corresponds exactly to the practice of the Early Church and the non-Catholic Eastern Churches.

"The practice of the Eastern Churches gives greater emphasis to the unity of Christian initiation. That of the Latin Church more clearly expresses the communion of the new Christian with the bishop as guarantor and servant of the unity, catholicity and apostolicity of his Church, and hence the connection with the apostolic origins of Christ's Church. "^[7]

History of Latin-Rite practice

The main reason why the West separated the sacrament of Confirmation from that of Baptism was to reestablish direct contact between the person being initiated with the Bishop. In the early Church, the Bishop administered all three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), assisted by the priests and deacons and, where they existed, by deaconesses for women's Baptism. The post-baptismal chrismation in particular was reserved to the Bishop. When adults no longer formed the majority of those being baptised, this chrismation was delayed until the Bishop could confer it. Until the twelfth century, priests often continued to confer Confirmation before giving Communion to very young children. ^[8]

After the Fourth Lateran Council, Communion, which continued to be given only after Confirmation, was to be administered only on reaching the age of reason. The Fourth Council of the Lateran was summoned by Pope Innocent III with his Papal bull of April 19, 1213. The 1917 Code of Canon Law, while recommending that Confirmation be delayed until about seven years of age, allowed it be given at an earlier age. ^[9] Only on 30 June 1932 was official permission given to change the traditional order of the three sacraments of Christian initiation: the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments then allowed, where necessary, that Confirmation be administered after first Holy Communion. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. This novelty, originally seen as exceptional, became more and more the accepted practice.

In the mid-twentieth century, Confirmation thus began to be seen as an occasion for professing personal commitment to the faith on the part of someone approaching adulthood. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1308 warns: "Although Confirmation is sometimes called the 'sacrament of Christian maturity,' we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need 'ratification' to become effective. "^[10]

The present (1983) Code of Canon Law maintains the rule in the 1917 Code, stating that the sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion (generally taken to be about 7), unless the Episcopal Conference has decided on a different age, or there is danger of death or, in the judgement of the minister, a grave reason suggests otherwise. In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the ^[11]. The Code lays down the age of discretion also for the sacraments of Penance^[12] and first Holy Communion. ^[13]

The number of Episcopal Conferences that have set a later age has diminished in recent decades, and even in those countries a bishop may not refuse to confer the sacrament on younger children who request it, provided they are baptized, have the use of reason, are suitably instructed and are properly disposed and able to renew the baptismal promises (letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published in its 1999 bulletin, pages 537-540). The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments ( Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum) is the congregation of the

Effects of the sacrament

The Catholic Church teaches that, like baptism, confirmation marks the recipient permanently, making it impossible to receive the sacrament twice. It accepts as valid a confirmation conferred within Churches, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, whose Holy Orders it sees as valid through the apostolic succession of their bishops. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world In a general sense the term Holy Orders refers to those in the Christian religion who have been ordained in Apostolic Succession. But it considers it necessary to administer the sacrament of confirmation, in its view for the first and only time, to Protestants who are admitted to full communion with the Catholic Church. The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common

One of the effects of the sacrament is that "it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1303). [1] This effect has been described as making the confirmed person "a soldier of Christ". [2]

The same passage of the Catechism of the Catholic Church also mentions, as an effect of confirmation, that "it renders our bond with the Church more perfect". This mention stresses the importance of participation in the Christian community.

The "soldier of Christ" imagery, which remains valid [3] but is downplayed if seen as part of the once common idea of confirmation as a "sacrament of maturity" [4], was used as far back as 350, by St Cyril of Jerusalem. [5] In this connection, the touch on the cheek that the bishop gave while saying "Pax tecum" (Peace be with you) to the person he had just confirmed was interpreted in the Roman Pontifical as a slap, a reminder to be brave in spreading and defending the faith: "Deinde leviter eum in maxilla caedit, dicens: Pax tecum" (Then he strikes him lightly on the cheek, saying: Peace be with you). When, in application of the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, [6] the confirmation rite was revised in 1971, mention of this gesture was omitted. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. However, the French and Italian translations, indicating that the bishop should accompany the words "Peace be with you" with "a friendly gesture" (French text) or "the sign of peace" (Italian text), explicitly allow a gesture such as the touch on the cheek, to which they restore its original meaning. This is in accord with the Introduction to the Rite of Confirmation, 17, which indicates that the episcopal conference may decide "to introduce a different manner for the minister to give the sign of peace after the anointing, either to each individual or to all the newly confirmed together. "

Information on other effects and broader matters concerning this sacrament can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1285-1321.

Confirmation name

In many English-speaking countries and in German-speaking lands, as well as in Poland, it is customary for a person being confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church (and some Anglican dioceses) to adopt the name of a saint with whom he/she feels a special affinity, thus securing an additional patron saint to be his/her protector and guide. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members This practice is unknown in many other countries (including the Spanish and French-speaking ones and also Italy), and is not mentioned in the official liturgical book of the Rite of Confirmation. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a Church, that contains the text and directions for the Liturgy of its official Religious services Obviously, the custom prevailing in a country influences, often decisively, the practice of immigrants from another country, even if they keep their own language.

The saint's name is often used in conjunction with the confirmee's middle name, and is without effect in civil law, unless, of course, the confirmand pursues the appropriate legal avenues. Many people's Names include one or more middle names, placed between the first Given name and the Surname.

Prominent examples are Emperor Charles IV (originally Wenceslaus) and Madonna Louise 'Veronica' Ciccone Ritchie. Charles IV ( Czech: Karel IV, German: Karl IV, Hungarian: IV Károly; 14 May 1316 &ndash Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16 1958 known as Madonna, is an American

Orthodox views

Main article: Chrismation

The Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches refer to this sacrament (or, more properly, Sacred Mystery) as Chrismation, a term which Roman Catholics also use; for instance, in Italian the term is cresima. Chrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The term sacred mysteries generally denotes the area of Supernatural phenomena associated with a Divinity or a religious ideology. Chrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Eastern Christians link Chrismation closely with the Sacred Mystery of Baptism, confering it immediately after baptism, which is normally on infants. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Infant baptism is the Christian religious practice of baptizing infants or young children

The Sacred Tradition of the Orthodox Church teaches that the Apostles themselves established the practice of anointing with chrism in place of the laying of of hands when bestowing the sacrament. Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing" also called "Myrrh" ( Myron) "Holy Oil" or "Consecrated Oil" is a Consecrated As the numbers of converts grew, it became physically impossible for the apostles to lay hands upon each of the newly-baptized. Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religious identity or a change from one religious identity to another So the Apostles laid hands upon a vessel of oil, bestowing the Holy Spirit upon it, which was then distributed to all of the presbyters (priests) for their use when they baptized. Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations then a synonym of episkopos (which has now come to mean Bishop ^[14] This same chrism is in use to this day, never being completely depleted but newly-consecrated chrism only being added to it as needed (this consecration traditionally is performed only by the primates of the autocephalous churches on Great Thursday). Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches Autocephaly, in Hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches is the status of a hierarchical church whose In the Christian Liturgical calendar, Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) is the feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter

When Roman Catholics (and some Protestants) convert to Orthodoxy, they are often admitted by Chrismation, without baptism; but, since this is a matter of local episcopal discretion, a bishop may require all converts to be admitted by baptism, if he deems it necessary. In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches and in the teaching of the Church Fathers which undergirds the theology of those Churches economy Depending upon the form of the original baptism, some Protestants must be baptized upon conversion to Orthodoxy. A common practice is that those persons who have been previously baptized by tripple immersion in the name of the Trinity do not need to be baptized. However, requirements will differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and some traditional Orthodox jurisdictions prefer to baptize all converts. When a person is received into the church, whether by Baptism or Chrismation, they will often take the name of a saint, who will become their patron saint. The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members

The Orthodox rite of Chrismation takes place immediately after baptism and clothing the "newly illumined" (i. e. , newly baptized) in their baptismal robe. Baptismal clothing is apparel worn by Christian proselytes (and in some cases by Clergy members also during the ceremony of Baptism. The priest makes the sign of the cross with the chrism (also referred to as Myrrh) on the brow, eyes, nostrils, lips, both ears, breast, hands and feet of the newly illumined, saying with each anointing: "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Sign of the Cross, or Signum crucis in Latin is a ritual hand motion made by members of many but not all branches of Christianity. Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing" also called "Myrrh" ( Myron) "Holy Oil" or "Consecrated Oil" is a Consecrated Myrrh is a reddish-brown Resinous material the dried sap of the tree Commiphora myrrha, native to Yemen, Somalia To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil milk water melted butter or other substances a process employed ritually by many religions and races In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance Amen. " Then the priest will place his epitrachelion (stole) over the newly-illumined and leads them and their sponsors in a procession, circling three times around the Gospel Book, while the choir chants each time: "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. The Epitrachelion (from the Greek, "around the neck" often called simply a stole in casual English-language usage is the liturgical Vestment A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's Baptism. The Gospel Book, or Book of the Gospels ( Greek:, Evangélion) is a Codex or bound volume containing one or more of the four Gospels Alleluia" (Galatians 3:27).

The reason the Eastern Churches perform Chrismation immediately after Baptism is so that the newly-baptized may receive Holy Communion, which is commonly given to infants as well as adults.

An individual may be baptized in extremis (in a life-threatening emergency) by any baptized member of the church; however, only a priest or bishop may perform the Mystery of Chrismation. If someone who has been baptized in extremis survives, the priest then performs the Chrismation.

The Roman Catholic Church does not confirm converts to Catholicism who have been Chrismated in an Eastern Church, considering that the sacrament has been validly conferred and may not be repeated.

Anglican view

The traditional view of the Anglican Communion, expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles, is that confirmation is "not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel"; however, many Anglicans, especially Anglo-Catholics, count it as one of seven sacraments. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563 and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people In the Anglican Communion the bishop alone may administer confirmation, unlike the Roman Catholic Church where confirmations performed by priests are valid and, if approved by the bishop, licit. The renewal of the baptismal vows, which is part of the Anglican confirmation service, is in no way necessary to confirmation and can be done more than once. The unfortunate phrase 'ratify and confirm' applied to the vows since 1552 (but altered in the 1928 revision to 'ratify and confess') has led to the common error that confirmation is merely the renewal of baptismal vows. (If it were, there would be no need for the presence of a bishop. ) When confirmation is given early, candidates may be asked to make a fresh renewal of vows when they approach adult life at about eighteen. "^[15] Anglican doctrine thus differs from Lutheran. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther

Protestant views

A girl is blessed by the priest during her confirmation in the Norwegian state church. The Church of Norway ( Den norske kirke in Bokmål or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk) is the state church of Norway

Lutheran Confirmation girl 1919 (Germany).

In other Protestant churches, confirmation is often called a "rite" rather than a sacrament, and is held to be merely symbolic rather than an effective means of conferring divine grace. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions In Protestant groups where baptism in the early teens is the norm, confirmation is often not practiced at all. The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize the sacramental validity of Protestant confirmations, and therefore does confirm converts from Protestantism.

Lutheran view

Lutheran confirmation (in German, Konfirmation) is a public profession of faith prepared for by long and careful instruction. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. In English, it is called "affirmation of baptism", and is a mature and public profession of the faith which "marks the completion of the congregation's program of confirmation ministry" (Lutheran Book of Worship - Ministers Desk Edition, p. Lutheran Book of Worship is a Hymnal and Prayer book used by several Lutheran denominations in North America. 324). ^[16]

Lutheran Churches do not treat confirmation as a dominical sacrament of the Gospel, considering that only baptism and the eucharist (and, among some Lutherans, sacramental confession) can be regarded as such. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those

United Methodist view

In the United Methodist Church, Confirmation is a rite where baptized individuals recognize the work of God's grace as well as an embrace of being a disciple. The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the first public affirmation of the grace of God in one's Baptism and the acknowledgment of one's acceptance of that grace by faith. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted It often occurs when youth enter their junior high school years, but it may occur at any time that a person is ready to profess their faith. ^[17]

Latter Day Saint movement

A Latter Day Saint confirmation.

Main article: Gift of the Holy Ghost

In the Latter Day Saint movement, confirmation is an ordinance (sacrament) that takes place soon after baptism. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a Christian term referenced in the Bible and in the Latter Day Saint movement. Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious Ritual of special significance often involving the formation of a covenant with God A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted It has two purposes: (1) to confirm the participant as a member of the church, and (2) to give them the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which provides the recipient with spiritual gifts. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a Christian term referenced in the Bible and in the Latter Day Saint movement. Spiritual gifts (or Charismata, according to some Christian denominations such as Pentecostal, are gifts that are bestowed on Christians each having his or her It consists of a member of the priesthood laying their hands on the participant's head and saying a blessing, and telling them to "receive the Holy Ghost". In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority of God including the authority to act as a leader in the church and to perform

Repetition of the sacrament

Western Christians do not normally confirm anyone who has already been validly confirmed. The Roman Catholic Church sees confirmation as one of the three sacraments that no one can receive more than once (see sacramental character). According to Roman Catholic Church teaching a sacramental character is an indelible spiritual mark (the meaning of the word character in Latin In Catholic understanding, the confirmation conferred in a Protestant or Anglican Church is not valid, for lack of a properly ordained minister; accordingly, confirmation is usually administered to those who enter the Catholic Church from those Churches. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies In the Anglican Communion, a person who was previously confirmed by a validly-ordained bishop in another denomination is "received" rather than confirmed again. However, the Episcopal Church USA recognizes non-episcopal confirmations as well. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States.

Eastern Orthodox Churches occasionally practise what is seen by other Christians as "re-chrismation", in that they usually chrismate/confirm - and sometimes rebaptize - a convert, even one previously confirmed in other Churches. The justification is that the new chrismation (or baptism) is the only valid one, the earlier one being administered outside of the Church and hence being little more than a symbol. The Eastern Orthodox will also chrismate an apostate from the Orthodox Church who repents and re-enters communion. According to some interpretations, the Eastern Churches therefore view confirmation/chrismation as a repeatable sacrament. According to others, the rite is understood as "part of a process of reconciliation, rather than as a reiteration of post-baptismal chrismation". ^[18] The Mystery of Chrismation was also performed on Orthodox monarchs at the time of their coronation, even though they were required to be baptized and chrismated before they could assume the throne. A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the However, this was not considered a repetition of their previous chrismation, but a distinct sacramental act of anointing, drawn from the biblical precedent of anointing kings. To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil milk water melted butter or other substances a process employed ritually by many religions and races

References

External links

• Catholic Sacrament of Confirmation - Initiation
• Information and Forum for Roman Catholics About to Receive Confirmation
• Catholic Encyclopedia - Catholic teaching on Confirmation
• Catechism of Filaret, 307-314 - Eastern Orthodox teaching on Confirmation/Unction with Chrism/Chrismation
• Anglican teaching on Confirmation