3.2.1

Meaning & Significance

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The Seven Sacraments

A sacrament is a ceremony through which Catholics believe they receive God’s grace.

The seven

The seven

  • Catholics believe there are seven sacraments: Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Holy Orders, Marriage and the Anointing of the Sick.
    • Some of these ceremonies mark important moments in a person’s life, such as when they are born, when they become adults, when they marry, when they are sick and perhaps near death.
    • Other sacraments mark times when Catholics set out on a certain mission, perhaps to be a Christian family or to take holy orders.
Quotes about sacraments

Quotes about sacraments

  • ‘Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. … They give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian's life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life’ [CCC 1210].
  • ‘The sacraments of Christian initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist - lay the foundations of every Christian life’ [CCC 1212].

Meaning and Significance of the Sacraments

A sacrament is a ceremony through which Catholics believe they receive God’s grace.

Inward grace

Inward grace

  • A sacrament is often called an outward sign of inward grace, a sign that God is within them and helping them.
  • This grace is the grace of the Holy Spirit helping people to remain faithful to Christ.
  • Catholics do not consider sacraments as just symbols; each one changes the person who receives it because of God’s power.
Beliefs about sacraments

Beliefs about sacraments

  • By taking part in the sacraments, Catholics believe they are brought closer to God.
  • The Catholic Church also teaches that all reality is sacramental, meaning that God is present and active in every aspect of creation.
  • They also believe that the Church is a sacrament of salvation, meaning that the salvation (deliverance from sin) brought by the death of Jesus comes to people through the Church, particularly through the seven sacraments.
Disbelievers

Disbelievers

  • Not all Christians believe in the seven sacraments. Most Protestant Churches accept only two: Baptism and the Eucharist.
  • Some Christians (e.g. Quakers) do not practice any sacraments, believing they are unnecessary symbols and that God’s grace is available to everyone who asks for it.
Jump to other topics
1

Buddhism

1.1

Key Beliefs

1.1.1The Dhamma1.1.2The Five Skandhas1.1.3Aspects of Human Life1.1.4The Buddha1.1.5The Ascetic & Enlightened Life1.1.6Dhukka1.1.7Samudaya1.1.8Nirodha1.1.9Magga1.1.10The Wheel of Life1.1.11End of Topic Test - Buddhism Key Beliefs
1.2

Practices

1.2.1Places of Worship1.2.2Objects of Worship1.2.3Puja1.2.4Meditation1.2.5Death1.2.6Festivals1.2.7End of Topic Test - Buddhism Practices
1.3

Ethics

1.3.1Kamma1.3.2Five Moral Precepts1.3.3End of Topic Test - Buddhism Ethics
2

Christianity

2.1

Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God2.1.2The Problem of Evil2.1.3Monotheism2.1.4Creation2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation2.1.6The Trinity and Creation2.1.7Afterlife2.1.8Heaven and Hell2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs
2.2

Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human2.2.3The Crucifixion2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension2.2.6Sin2.2.7Original Sin2.2.8Punishment2.2.9The Means of Salvation2.2.10Achieving Salvation2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation2.2.13Theories of Salvation2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.3

Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship2.3.2Prayer2.3.3Sacrament2.3.4Baptism2.3.5Other Sacraments2.3.6Eucharist2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations2.3.8Christmas & Easter2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals
2.4

Community

2.4.1Local Community2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth2.4.3Worldwide Church2.4.4Reconciliation2.4.5Persecution2.4.6Caring for Those in Need2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices
3

Catholicism (Christianity)

3.1

Key Beliefs

3.1.1The Trinity3.1.2Creation3.1.3Incarnation3.1.4Redemption3.1.5Life After Death3.1.6Heaven and Hell3.1.7End of Topic Test - Catholic Key Beliefs
3.2

The Seven Sacraments

3.2.1Meaning & Significance3.2.2Baptism3.2.3Confirmation3.2.4Reconciliation3.2.5Anointing of the Sick3.2.6Marriage3.2.7Holy Orders3.2.8The Eucharist3.2.9End of Topic Test - The Seven Sacraments
3.3

Practices

3.3.1Prayer3.3.2Popular Piety3.3.3Pilgrimage3.3.4Pilgrimages HyperLearning3.3.5Funeral Rites3.3.6The Duty to Love Our Neighbour3.3.7Catholic Agencies3.3.8Catholic Social Teaching3.3.9Justice3.3.10War3.3.11Mission & Evangelism3.3.12End of Topic Test - Catholic Practices
4

Islam

4.1

Key Beliefs

4.1.1Oneness of God4.1.2Six Articles of Faith4.1.3Five Roots of Usul4.1.4The Nature of God4.1.5Angels4.1.6Freedom4.1.7Life After Death4.1.8Human Responsibility4.1.9End of Topic Test - Muslim Key Beliefs
4.2

Authority

4.2.1Prophethood4.2.2The Holy Books4.2.3The Imamate4.2.4End of Topic Test - Muslim Authority
4.3

Practices

4.3.1Worship4.3.2Ten Obligatory Acts4.3.3Shahadah4.3.4Salah & Its Significance4.3.5Mosques4.3.6Rak'ahs4.3.7Sawm4.3.8Zakah4.3.9Hajj4.3.10Jihad4.3.11Festivals & Commemorations4.3.12End of Topic Test - Muslim Practices4.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Muslim Practices
5

Judaism

5.1

Key Beliefs

5.1.1The Nature of God5.1.2God as One5.1.3God's Name5.1.4God as Creator5.1.5Free Will5.1.6God as Law Giver and Judge5.1.7The Divine Presence & Beliefs5.1.8Role of the Messiah5.1.9End of Topic Test - Jewish Key Beliefs5.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Jewish Beliefs
5.2

Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.2.1The Promised Land5.2.2Abraham5.2.3The Covenant5.2.4The Covenant at Sinai5.2.5The Covenant at Sinai 25.2.6Key Moral Principles5.2.7End of Topic Test - Covenant & The Mitzvot
5.3

The Synagogue & Worship

5.3.1The Synagogue & Its Importance5.3.2Public Acts of Worship5.3.3Shabbat5.3.4Worship & Law5.3.5End of Topic Test - Synagogue & Worship

Practice questions on Meaning & Significance

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  1. 1
    The seven sacraments are:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    How many sacraments do Catholics believe there are?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Complete these quotes about sacraments:Fill in the list
  4. 4
    Which of the following is a ceremony through which Catholics believe they receive God’s grace?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    Which 2 sacraments do most Protestant Churches accept?True / false
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End of Topic Test - Catholic Key Beliefs

Baptism