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A '''sacrament''' is a special religious rite in some Christian churches.

A '''sacrament''' is a special religious rite in the Christian Churches.

The [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]] recognizes seven sacraments: [[Baptism]], [[Confirmation]] (Chrismation), the [[Eucharist]], [[Confession|Penance and Reconciliation]] (Confession), the [[Anointing of the Sick]] (Extreme Unction, Last Rites), [[Holy Orders]] and [[Marriage]] (Holy Matrimony).<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3E.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' 1210], The Vatican. Accessed 24 March 2007</ref> [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches usually recognize only Baptism, and sometimes the Eucharist, as sacraments. The others may be considered religious ceremonies, but not sacraments.  

The [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]] recognizes seven sacraments: [[Baptism]], [[Confirmation]] (Chrismation), the [[Eucharist]], [[Confession|Penance and Reconciliation]] (Confession), the [[Anointing of the Sick]] (Extreme Unction, Last Rites), [[Holy Orders]] and [[Marriage]] (Holy Matrimony).<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3E.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' 1210], The Vatican. Accessed 24 March 2007</ref> [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches usually recognize only Baptism, and sometimes the Eucharist, as sacraments. The others may be considered religious ceremonies, but not sacraments.  

The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' defines the sacraments as "perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify".<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s1c1a1.htm CCC 1084], The Vatican. Accessed 8 May 2016</ref>  At the time of the [[Protestant Reformation]], Protestant churches held that five of the sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church failed to meet one or more of those four tests established by the Catholic Church herself.

The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' defines the sacraments as "perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify".<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s1c1a1.htm CCC 1084], The Vatican. Accessed 8 May 2016</ref>   

For example, Matrimony was not a new practice at the time of Christ. Then too, Jesus does not appear to have authorized Holy Unction, although the anointing of the sick by church elders is mentioned in the [[New Testament]]. The [[Anglican]] Church's Articles of Religion contend that the Catholic doctrine of [[transubstantiation]] negates the sacramental character of the Sacrament of the Altar (the Eucharist) because if the [[substance]]s of the bread and wine are rendered non-existent, as is claimed, there is no longer any physical component.<ref>According to Catholic doctrine the "substance" is not the "physical matter". See [[Transubstantiation#In Roman Catholic theology|Transubstantiation: In Roman Catholic theology]]. Compare [[Materialism]] and [[Philosophical naturalism]].</ref>

At the time of the [[Protestant Reformation]], Protestant churches sought to define the number of sacraments as those insituted by Christ Himself. For example, Matrimony was not a new practice at the time of Christ. Then too, Jesus does not appear to have instituted Holy Unction, although the anointing of the sick by church elders is mentioned in the [[New Testament]].

 

 

The [[Reformed]] tradition teaches two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper. The [[Anglican]] Church's Articles of Religion contend that the Catholic doctrine of [[transubstantiation]] negates the sacramental character of the Sacrament of the Altar (the Eucharist) because if the [[substance]]s of the bread and wine are rendered non-existent, as is claimed, there is no longer any physical component.<ref>According to Catholic doctrine the "substance" is not the "physical matter". See [[Transubstantiation#In Roman Catholic theology|Transubstantiation: In Roman Catholic theology]]. Compare [[Materialism]] and [[Philosophical naturalism]].</ref>

The [[Orthodox Church]] accepts the same set of sacraments as the Roman Catholic church does, but it declines to number the sacraments.  The sacraments of the [[Orthodox Church]] are more fully described in the essay "[[Orthodox Mysteries]]".

The [[Orthodox Church]] accepts the same set of sacraments as the Roman Catholic church does, but it declines to number the sacraments.  The sacraments of the [[Orthodox Church]] are more fully described in the essay "[[Orthodox Mysteries]]".

The only significant Christian Churches that observe no sacraments at all, in the usual sense of the word, are the Friends (Quakers), Salvation Army, and Unitarians.  Most [[Baptists]], instead of referring to sacraments, refer to the two ordinances, namely, baptism and the Lord's Supper, and regard those as symbolic acts of obedience.<ref>[http://www.baptistdistinctives.org/articles/baptiststwoordinances.shtml Baptists' Two Ordinances]</ref><ref>[http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#vii Baptism and the Lord's Supper], from the [[Southern Baptist Convention]]</ref>

The only significant Christian Churches that observe no sacraments at all, in the usual sense of the word, are the Friends (Quakers), Salvation Army, and Unitarians.  Most [[Baptists]], instead of referring to sacraments, refer to the two ordinances, namely, baptism and the Lord's Supper, and regard those as symbolic acts of obedience.<ref>[http://www.baptistdistinctives.org/articles/baptiststwoordinances.shtml Baptists' Two Ordinances]</ref><ref>[http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#vii Baptism and the Lord's Supper], from the [[Southern Baptist Convention]]</ref> The Mennonite Anabaptist tradition names seven ordinances: "baptism, communion, footwashing, marriage, anointing with oil, the holy kiss, and the prayer covering."<ref name="Hartzler2013">{{cite book |last1=Hartzler |first1=Rachel Nafziger |title=No Strings Attached: Boundary Lines in Pleasant Places: A History of Warren Street / Pleasant Oaks Mennonite Church |date=30 April 2013 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-62189-635-7 |language=English}}</ref>

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