The Sacraments (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

The Sacraments

The Sacraments

• Sacraments play a key role in worship and belief for many Christians

• Sacraments are rites and rituals through which the believer receives a special gift of grace

• For Catholics, Anglicans and many Protestants, sacraments are ‘outward signs’ of ‘inward grace’

• Sacraments are important as they show God’s grace and gifts offered at appropriate times in their lives

• They are seen as something physical that is done to the body which has a permanent effect on the soul

• Sacraments must have form (words and/or actions), matter (physical objects/matter like water), and intention (of the person to perform the sacrament)

• Many Christians believe that Sacraments bring them closer to God

• Different Christian denominations believe in different sacraments

  • Orthodox and Catholic churches believe in seven sacraments whereas Protestants only recognise two

  • Some Christians like the Salvation Army and Quakers do not recognise any of the sacraments and see them as unnecessary symbols for the inward acceptance of God’s grace

  • Some even see the whole world as sacramental and God’s grace can be experienced through His creation

The Catholic and Orthodox Sacraments

• The seven sacraments for Catholics and Orthodox Christians occur at significant times in their lives

• ‘The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

  • Baptism signifies entry into the Church

  • Confirmation is the time when a Christian (usually a teenager) renews their vows made on their behalf during Baptism

  • Reconciliation is when sin is confessed and forgiveness is sought

  • Anointing the Sick happens when the person is ill and needs God’s help

  • Matrimony is where a marriage takes place and God blesses the couple

  • Holy Orders occurs when men are ordained as deacons, priests or bishops

  • Eucharist is the ceremony where the body and blood of Christ is received through bread and wine

The Protestant Sacraments

• Protestants only accept Baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments

• They believe that it was only these two that were prescribed by Jesus in the Gospels

Baptism

Baptism in Christianity

• Baptism is a very important sacrament for many Christians

• Jesus himself was baptised by John the Baptist in the Bible

• After Jesus was crucified and resurrected He told his disciples to go out and baptise people

• There are many reasons why Baptism is an important sacrament to many Christians

  • It is seen as welcoming Christians to the Church and the family of God

  • Some Christians believe that it cleanses Christians of the original sin they were born with

  • As a sacrament it is recognising a time of great change within the lives of Christians

  • Some Christians believe that a person is unable to enter heaven unless they have been baptised

• Christians see baptism as the point in their lives when they are resurrected

• Many Christians (Catholics, Anglicans and Methodists) baptise when the person is a baby

  • Although they will baptise an adult if they haven’t been baptised and want to join the church

• Christians who baptise babies also usually have a confirmation service to declare their faith when they are old enough to understand

• Other Christians (Baptism and Pentecostals) do not baptise until a person is older as they believe they should have a choice

  • This is called a believers baptism

Infant Baptism

• Blessed water is combined with the Trinitarian Formula (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit)

• Sign of the Cross is made on the infant’s forehead to show that the child will remain faithful to Christ and fight against evil

• The lighting of the candle to symbolize that the child has received the Light of Christ

• The bible is read and prayers are recited

• Parents and Godparents are reminded of their responsibility to bring up the child in the Christian faith

• Promises are made by parents and Godparents to reject evil, repent of sins and submit to Christ, and accept the Church’s faith as set out in the Apostle’s Creed

• The newly baptized child will be dressed in a white robe

• At two different points in the service the infant will be anointed with oils as a sign of receiving strength to fight evil and salvation

Believers Baptism

• White clothes are often worn as a sign of the new life about to begin

• Testimony is read from the person due to be baptized explaining why they came to believe and why they were seeking baptism

• There is a Declaration of Penitence for Sin, of faith in Christ as his or her personal Saviour and the dedication of lifelong service to Christ

• The candidate walks down the steps into the water and is fully submerged in the water

• The minister will then baptise the person in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

• When the person leaves the pool it symbolizes an end to their old life of sin and separation from God and the start of a new life serving God

A little confusing as it may suggest to some students that he was baptized in the bible - may be better to turn the sentence around - In the Bible it states that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist

Holy Communion

Holy Communion / The Eucharist

• The Eucharist is celebrated by almost all denominations. It has many names such as The Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, The breaking of bread and Mass

• Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians see the service as a sacrament

  • Sacraments are important ceremonies in which a sacred or spiritual power (Grace) is believed to be transmitted from God to the worshipper

• It remembers the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples and remembers his death, the sacrifice and the miracle of his resurrection

• During Holy Communion Christians give thanks to God for sending Jesus to save people from sin and enable them to experience God’s love for all eternity

• During the service Christians remember the biblical account of The Last Supper with bread and wine representing the body and blood of Christ

• There are different understandings of the Eucharist depending on the Christian denominations. Many of the different beliefs centre around the bread and wine and transubstantiation

Different understandings of The Eucharist