Sacraments of the Catholic Church

Roman Catholic teaching holds that there are seven sacraments which Christ instituted and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rituals that Catholics see as signs of God's presence and effective channels of God's grace to all those who receive them with the proper disposition. The sevenfold list of sacraments is often organized into those of: initiation (into the Church, the body of Christ), that is, Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; healing sacraments, that is, Penance and the Anointing of the Sick; and sacraments of service: Holy Orders and Matrimony.

Number

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists the sacraments as follows: "The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony."

These seven sacraments were codified in the documents of the Council of Trent (1545-1563), which stated:

Sacrament

A sacrament is a Christian rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the sacraments as "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is 'dispensed' to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions." The catechism included in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer defines a sacrament as "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof".

The Catholic Church teaches there are seven sacraments. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Church also believe that there are seven major sacraments, but applies the corresponding Greek word, μυστήριον (mysterion) also to rites that in the Western tradition are called sacramentals and to other realities, such as the Church itself. Similarly, the Catholic Church understands the word "sacrament" as referring not only to the seven sacraments considered here, but also to Christ and the Church.

Sacrament (Community of Christ)

The sacraments are viewed as vital ministries in the Community of Christ for both individual and community spiritual development. They are viewed as essential to the mission, identity and message of the denomination, providing a common foundation for religious practice across the world. The sacraments practiced by the Community of Christ are baptism, confirmation, the Lord's supper, marriage, administration to the sick, ordination, blessing of children, and evangelist's blessing. These latter two are not widely practiced as sacraments in other Christian denominations. The Community of Christ does not observe confession as a sacrament.

Baptism

For the Community of Christ, baptism is a covenant entered into between the individual and God. It is an expression of their faith and trust in God. A Person is baptized into Community of Christ and becomes a member of that particular fellowship. Baptism also signifies commitment to the universal task of Christianity to which the contributions of other Christians are acknowledged and appreciated. Community of Christ requires that persons reach the "age of accountability" before becoming baptized. That age has been identified as at least eight years of age. The term "age of accountability" also suggests that a person is accountable to God for their decisions, their resources, and their whole lives. In the Community of Christ tradition a person is baptized by immersion. Emerging from the water symbolizes resurrection and the rising to a new life. The sacrament of baptism may be performed by members of the Melchisedec priesthood or by Aaronic priests. The 2007 World Conference of the Community of Christ passed a resolution requesting the First Presidency to examine the issue of rebaptism as a condition for membership in those cases where the potential member is already a baptized Christian.