3.2 - role of sacraments

• sacraments

  • baptism
  • confirmation
  • reconciliation (confession)
  • annointing of the sick (the last rites)
  • marriage
  • holy orders (priest/nun)
  • eucharist
• catholics

  • through sacraments they receive god's grace and blessings
  • mark journey of faith that christians go through in life
  • make them stronger in faith
  • bring them closer to god
  • outward, visible sign of inward, spiritual grace
• protestants

  • only believe in baptism and eucharist
  • church of england say these are authorised by god
• small denominations (quakers, salvation army)

  • dont believe in any sacraments
  • not baptised and non-liturgical worship doesnt include the eucharist
• baptism

  • necessary for a person to receive salvation
  • makes a person a member of the church
  • washes away original sin, makes the person pure
  • allows them to receive other sacraments
• catholics and baptism

  • infant baptism (baby)
  • parents and godparents make promises on behalf of baby
  • priest pours water over head in name of the trinity and annoints with oil of chrism
  • godparents hold a candle
• why baptism is important for catholics

  • necessary to revceive salvation
  • person becomes member of church
  • publicly shows child is a christian and intends to live as one
  • washes away original sin
  • basis of christian life
  • copies jesus' example of being baptised
  • gives parents strength and help in bringing child up as a christian
• baptists and baptism

  • believers' baptism (old enough to make own baptism vows, become member of the church)
  • total immersion
  • baptismal pool, baptised in name of the trinity
• why baptism is important for baptists

  • signifies end of old life outside of church and being born again into a new life with the church
  • god's presence and blessings come upon them during baptism
  • make personal commitment of faith as jesus as lord
  • receive god's spirit
• catholics and the eucharist

  • attend every sunday
  • congregation members confess sins, receive absolution
  • sermons to learn more about faith, do intercessionary prayers
  • re-enact last supper where bread and wine change into jesus' body and blood by transubstantiation
  • wine drunk from a chalice, thin wafer of unleafened (unrisen) bread
• why eucharist is important to catholics

  • sacrament
  • celebrating the resurrection of jesus
  • come into presence of christ
  • obeys command of jesus
• methodists and the eucharist

  • not compulsary, celebrated once a month
  • remembrance of last supper - bread and wine dont change into body and blood
  • brings unity, peace and closeness to jesus
  • bread is normal, wine is unalcoholic
• importance of eucharist to methodists

  • remember last supper, god's mercy
  • bread and wine are symbols of christ's presence
  • gives spiritual nourishment
  • brings unity - share one body of christ, share peace
  • reminder of crucifixion, resurrection
  • sacrament