The Sacraments of the Church

A sacrament is a formal ceremony or rite which confers divine grace on those who participate in or receive it. The Anglican tradition recognizes seven liturgical sacraments for the Church:

  • Baptism
  • Holy Communion
  • Confirmation
  • Marriage
  • Holy Orders
  • Penance
  • Extreme Unction

Baptism and Holy Communion are sometimes called “Christ-ordered,” as these were the two sacraments directly initiated by the actions of Our Lord.

A sacrament has two parts: the outward (visible and physical) part and the inward (invisible and spiritual) part. The outward part is a symbol or representation which allows the partakers to glimpse or better understand the inward part (the thing which is represented). The inward part of each sacrament involves a particular form of divine grace, which separates the sacraments from other ritual observances.