1 of 1- Goose
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Confirmation
Today, on a perfect spring afternoon, my youngest daughter received the sacrement of confirmation at a church in Northern PA. It was a wonderful time for my daughter and the entire family.
I reflected upon my own youth in the 1970s. As I remember it, in a Roman Catholic family at that time, Confirmation took a distant second to 1st confirmation in the realm of family excitement.
I have become curious. What is the place of confirmation with our Orthodox brothers?
What is it's place among the various Protestant denominations?
This is not a challenge about who is "right". I am merely curious.
Please excuse and do not take offense at my ignorance.
Thank you
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
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- Dark Overlord
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Re: Confirmation
Is confirmation the first time they take the sacrement?
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Re: Confirmation
It is difficult to give a single answer for Protestants because they are such a broad spectrum. At one end, you have Anglicans and Lutherans for whom Baptism is salvific and administered to infants. For them, Confirmation is important because teaching children the Christian faith is a promise that parents and/or sponsors made at Baptism.
At the other end of the spectrum are the Baptists and others who stress "decision theology" -- that Christianity is attained by a visible commitment made by someone of a mature mind, ie, coming forward at a Billy Graham-style rally. Baptism of those who have "made a decision" is an outward sign of their commitment but doesn't really convey saving grace in and of itself. So the Baptismal rite sort of becomes Confirmation.
As to First Communion: Really hard to pin down, again because of the diversity. On the Anglican/Lutheran end the age of First Communnion has been steadily lowering. At one time it had been linked to Confirmation. By the 1970's it had lowered to 5th grade but never aquired the ceremonial as in Catholocism. Nowdays that child's first communion often happens sometime between Baptism and Confirmation,determined mutually by the child, the parents, and the pastor. Many of these congregations state that the Eucharist is available to "all Baptized persons" without listing a specific age.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Communion is viewed as an Ordinance, not a Sacrament, and Christ is not present in the RC/Anglican/Lutheran sense. He is present in the believer's heart and mind and the bread and wine are simply reminders of His grace. First Communion never took hold in any way at that end.
For the Orthodox, Baptism+Confirmation+Communion are a package deal. An infant is Baptised, Chrismated (Confirmed), and Communed all on the same day and in the same extended service. Adult converts likewise. Those becoming Orthodox from another Christian background are Chrismated (their Baptism is considered valid) and thereafter may receive Communion with their congregation. The Orthodox do not re-Baptize.
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