Christianity
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Christian Sacraments

How Various Christian Denominations View Them

	Church, tradition, or confessional family --->	Eastern Orthodox	Roman Catholic	Anglican (Episcopal)	Lutheran	Presbyterian and UCC	Methodist	Disciples of Christ (Christian)	Baptist
1	How many "Sacraments" does your church have?	Seven	Seven	2 "major" 5 "minor"	Differing views: 2 to 7	2: Baptism & Eucharist	2: Baptism & Eucharist	2: Baptism & Eucharist	The two "ordinances"
2	Do you consider them to be a "means of grace"	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Varying Views	Yes	Yes	Yes
3	Must the Minister of the Eucharist be in some way in " Apostolic Succession"	Yes, in Order	Yes, in Order	Yes, in Order	Yes, in Office	Yes, in function	Yes, in function	Yes, in Faith	No
4	Does this mean he/she must be �ordained�?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, normally	Yes normally	Yes normally	No	Yes
5	Must he/she be ordained by the �historic Episcopate�?	Yes	Yes	Yes	No, but desirable	No	No	No	No
6	Do you use a standard liturgy for the Eucharistic service?	Yes	Yes, New Rite	Yes, old & Trial	Yes, old & new	optional	normally	No	No
7	Do you offer the Eucharist every Sunday?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, increasingly	At least quarterly	Quarterly or monthly	Yes	Quarterly or monthly
8	Are the people given only the bread or both the bread and cup?	Both, by intinctn	Normally only bread	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both
9	Do lay people assist in giving Holy Communion?	No	they may	they may	Yes, increasingly	Yes, Elders or Deacons	Yes, Deacons	Yes, Deacons & Elders	Yes
10	Where do you primarily "locate" Christ's presence in Communion?	In the bread and wine	In the bread and wine	In the bread and wine	In the bread and wine	In the presence of the Holy Spirit	In the believers	In the believers	In the believers
11	How is this presence effected in the service?	Invocation of the Holy Spirit	Words and acts of consecration	Words and acts of consecration	Words of institution	Faith in Christ�s promise to be with us	Faith in Christ	Faith in Christ	Faith in Christ
12	How long does this presence remain in effect?	As long as the bread and wine remain what they are	As long as the bread and wine remain what they are.	As long as the bread and wine remain what they are.	Varying views	Sustained in us by the Spirit	As long as faith is present.	As long as faith is present	As long as faith is present
13	What is the relationship between the elements and the Body/Blood?	Elements "become" Body & Blood	Elements "become" Body & Blood	Elements "become" Body & Blood	Elements convey them	Elements represent them	Elements symbolize them.	Elements symbolize them	Elements symbolize them
14	Are they "reserved" for the communion of the sick and shut-in?	Yes	Yes	commonly	Very rarely	No	No	No	No
15	Are they "reserved" for the purposes of veneration ("Benediction")?	No	Yes	No, but sometimes permitted	No	No	No	No	No
16	What is most basic for 'validity'? 1. Christ in his ministry at the altar; 2. In his meal on it; 3. In his members around it?	All three	In His ministry	In His ministry	In His meal	In His members	In His members	In His members	In His members
17	Do you stress Eucharist as Sacrament: Christ�s offering of Himself to us?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
18	Do you stress Eucharist � as- sacrifice that it includes us in his offering of himself to his Father?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Increasingly	Somewhat	Somewhat	No	No
19	How do you understand the word "remembrance" (anamnesis)?	to make present again	to make present again	to make present again	to make present	To represent	To recall	To recall	To recall
20	At what age do children in your church receive "First Communion," or become communicants?	infancy, at baptism & Chrismation	infancy, at baptism & Chrismation	when priest, parents, and child agree (New Rule)	when priest, parents, and child agree (New Rule)	usually in early teens	usually in early teens	usually in early teens	As soon as they join the church
21	Must they be baptized beforehand?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
22	Must they be "confirmed" beforehand?	Yes	No	Not anymore	Not anymore	Not anymore	No	No	No
23	Is some period of fasting involved in preparation for communion?	Yes	Yes	recommended	recommended	No	No	No	No
24	Is "Confession" of sin involved in preparation?	Yes, in the liturgy & private	Yes, in the liturgy	Yes, in the liturgy	Usually in the liturgy	Yes	Yes	Self-examination	Personal repentance
25	Does your church practice official inter-communion with Some churches of other confessions?	No	No	Yes	Lutheran churches differ	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
26	Are individuals of other churches admitted to Communion in your church?	Rarely	Rarely	Yes, as guests	Lutheran churches differ	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
27	If so, what is required of them for admission?	Orthodox Faith in Eucharist, emergency	Baptism, Faith Eucharist & emergency	Baptism & Communicant status in own church	Baptism & faith in real presence	Faith in Christ	Faith in Christ	Faith in Christ	Faith in Christ
28	"Does your church practice "excommunication" in some form?	Yes	Yes	rarely	Very rarely	Very rarely	No	No	No
29	Does your church see communion as the "sign" of complete unity?	Yes	Yes	Varying views	Lutheran churches differ	No	No	No	No
30	Does your church see communion as a "means" to complete unity?	No	No	Varying views	Lutheran churches differ	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
31	Do you see the Eucharist as a "Looking forward" to Christ's Kingdom?	Yes	increasingly	increasingly	increasingly	Yes	increasingly	somewhat	rarely
32	Do you see the elements as symbols of all of man's earthly life offered to God in Christ?	Yes	Yes	Yes	increasingly	Yes	somewhat	rarely	No

Source: Rev. Fr. Joseph T. Hilinski, Interfaith Director, The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

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