Sacraments

• Sacrament


  Outward sign of invisible grace
• 7 Sacraments (CC)


  • Baptism
  • Confirmation
  • Eucharist
  • Reconciliation
  • Anointing of the Sick
  • Matrimony
  • Holy Orders
• Catholic Church and Church of England


  Practise infant baptism
• Infant baptism


  Believed to remove Original Sin (caused by Adam & Eve)
• Infant Baptism


  Sacrament of initiation of babies and young children into the Church
• Baptist and Pentecostals


  Practise believers' baptism
• Adult baptism


  Seen as a gift of grace from God to wash away sins (not Original Sin)
• Believers' Baptism


  Initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old enough to understand the ceremony/rite and who have made the decision to live a Christian life
• Quakers and the Salvation Army

  Reject baptism altogether (and all outward symbols and rituals)
• Infant Baptism


  1. Baptism takes place as a baby

  2. Welcomed into Church

  3. Believed to remove Original Sin

  4. Parents and godparents make promises on behalf of the child

  5. A sign of the cross is made on the baby's forehead and water is poured on their head from the font in the church

  6. A lighted candle is given to represent the light of Jesus
• Believer's Baptism


  • Baptism takes place as an adult
  • Only an adult can fully make the choice of belonging to the Church
  • Seen as a gift of grace from God to wash away sins (NOT Original Sin)
  • Each candidate is asked questions about their faith and states why they wish to become a Christian
  • They are baptised through full immersion - fully put under the water
• Eucharist


  • Eucharist literally means 'thanksgiving. It celebrates Jesus' sacrifice through his death and resurrection.
  • Christians give thanks to God for his creation of the world and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
• Interpretation of the Eucharist


  • Catholic Church: Transubstantiation - the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Jesus. Christ's presence in them is known as the 'real presence'. The Eucharist is the 'source and summit' of Christian life (Catechism of the Catholic Church).
  • Protestant Church: The bread and wine are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus
  • Orthodox Church: Accept the Eucharist as a sacrament though it is not possible to explain the transubstantiation as it is a divine mystery
  • Quakers: Do not practice or observe the Eucharist - or any other Sacrament - in any form. Instead, they try to find the sacred in all of life
• The celebration of Holy Communion (Eucharist) is the most important part of Christian life: '- evaluate this statement'
• Holy Communion (Eucharist)


  A memorial of Jesus' sacrificial death, inaugurated by Jesus himself on the night before he died
• Jesus: '"This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19)'
• Without Jesus' sacrificial death

  There would be no salvation
• Jesus: '"I am the living bread" (John 6:51)'
• Eucharist


  Brings you closer to Jesus
• Catechism of the Catholic Church: 'Describes the Eucharist as the "source and summit of the Christian life"'
• Eucharist


  Brings people together and is an act of fellowship between Christians
• Jesus: '"Where two or three are gathered, I am there" (Matthew 18)'
• Millions gather every Sunday for the Eucharist
• Performing good works is just as important