In many Protestant denominations, such as the Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican and Methodist traditions, confirmation is a rite that often includes a profession of faith by an already baptized person. Confirmation is a Sacrament in the Catholic Church in which the one who is confirmed (confirmandi) receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the imposition of hand and anointing with oils by the bishop. The meaning of CONFIRMATION is an act or process of confirming.

Understanding the Context

How to use confirmation in a sentence. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ. The prophets of the Old Testament foretold that God's Spirit would rest upon the Messiah to sustain his mission. So, we can look to the experience of Pentecost to understand the purpose of confirmation.

Key Insights

In this light, we see one of the most clear distinctions between baptism and confirmation: confirmation helps us to be witnesses, to stand up for the faith, and even to suffer. Confirmation, Christian rite by which admission to the church, established previously in infant baptism, is said to be confirmed (or strengthened and established in faith). It is considered a sacrament in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches and is equivalent to chrismation in Eastern Christianity. The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the cornerstones of Christian life, an inexhaustible source of grace that strengthens our faith and equips us to live fully as disciples of Christ. The Sacrament of Confirmation: The Gift of the Holy Spirit and the ...

Final Thoughts