Editing Confirmation (section)

{{Short description|Christian religious practice}}
{{Other uses|Confirmation (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

[[File:Confirmation in the lutheran church.jpg|right|thumb|upright|A [[stained glass]] representation of a Lutheran confirmation. An [[Elder (Christianity)|elder]] lays hands on the confirmand.]]
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In Christian denominations that practice [[infant baptism]], '''confirmation''' is seen as the sealing of the [[covenant (religion)|covenant]] created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as '''confirmands'''. The ceremony typically involves [[laying on of hands]].

[[Catholicism]] views Baptism as a [[sacrament]]. The sacrament is called [[chrismation]] in [[Eastern Christianity]]. In the East it takes place immediately after [[baptism]]; in the [[Western Christianity|West]], when a child reaches the [[Age of reason (canon law)|age of reason]] or early adolescence, or in the case of adult baptism immediately afterwards in the same ceremony. Among those Christians who practise confirmation during their teenage years, the practice may be perceived, secondarily, as a [[coming of age]] [[Rite of passage|rite]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/a/stpaulcatholic.net/parish/sacraments/theology-of-confirmation|access-date=6 October 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429080059/https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/confirmation/https://sites.google.com/a/stpaulcatholic.net/parish/sacraments/theology-of-confirmation|archive-date=29 April 2016|title=Glossary |website= Episcopal Church }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week446/belief.html |work=Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly |title=Belief & Practice: Confirmation |date=July 13, 2001  |publisher=[[PBS]] |access-date=26 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310153727/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week446/belief.html |archive-date=10 March 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In many [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations, such as the [[Lutheran]], [[Reformed tradition|Reformed]], [[Anglican]] and [[Methodist]] traditions, confirmation is a [[Rite (Christianity)|rite]] that often includes a [[profession of faith]] by an already baptized person. Confirmation is required by Lutherans, Anglicans and other traditional Protestant denominations for [[Church membership|full membership in the respective church]]; the [[covenant theology]] of Reformed churches considers baptized infants members of the church, while confirmation or "profession of faith" is required for admittance to the Lord's Table.<ref name="LB1921">{{cite book |title=The Lutheran World Almanac and Annual Encyclopedia for 1921 |date=1921 |publisher=Lutheran Bureau |page=68 |language=English |quote=In this connection it should be stated that as it is the custom of the Lutheran Church to receive into full membership only those who have been confirmed}}</ref><ref name="Dada2014">{{cite book|last=Dada|first=Adelowo, E.|title=Perspectives in Religious Studies: Volume II|date= 2014|publisher=HEBN Publishers|isbn=978-9780814465|page=209|quote=Confirmation in the Anglican Communion is the laying on of hands (of the Bishop) upon those who are baptised and have come to years of discretion. In this case, it involves those baptised both at infancy and adulthood. It is the attainment of this status, among other conditions, that determines, in the Anglican Church, full membership of the Church and eligibility to be admitted to the Lord's Table, and to enjoy certain rights of the Church.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/India/CSI_Confirmation.html|title=Order of Service for the Reception of Baptized Persons into the Full Membership of the Church commonly called Conformation|year=1950|publisher=Society of Archbishop Justus|access-date=7 June 2017|archive-date=24 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624120128/http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/India/CSI_Confirmation.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In Catholic theology, it is the sacrament of baptism that confers membership, while "reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal [[means of grace|grace]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3N.HTM|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church – IntraText|website=vatican.va|access-date=6 October 2017|archive-date=9 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609042345/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3N.HTM|url-status=live}}</ref> The Catholic and Methodist denominations teach that in confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens a baptized individual for their faith journey.<ref name="MCGB2014"/><ref name="Cavadini2018">{{cite web |last1=Cavadini |first1=John C. |title=Confirmation strengthens our identity as children of God |url=https://catholicphilly.com/2018/01/catholic-spirituality/confirmation-strengthens-our-identity-as-children-of-god/ |publisher=Catholic Philly |access-date=28 March 2021 |language=English |date=17 July 2018 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127081036/https://catholicphilly.com/2018/01/catholic-spirituality/confirmation-strengthens-our-identity-as-children-of-god/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Confirmation is not practised in [[Baptists|Baptist]], [[Anabaptists|Anabaptist]] and other groups that teach [[believer's baptism]]. Thus, the sacrament or rite of confirmation is administered to those being received from those aforementioned groups, in addition to those converts from non-Christian religions.

[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church) does not practise infant baptism, but individuals can be baptized after they reach 8 years old (the [[age of accountability]]). [[Confirmation (Latter Day Saints)|Confirmation in the LDS Church]] occurs shortly following baptism, which is not considered complete or fully efficacious until confirmation is received.<ref name="Archived copy">{{Cite web |url=http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Confirmation |title=Confirmation – the Encyclopedia of Mormonism |access-date=16 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117131128/http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Confirmation |archive-date=17 January 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

There is an analogous ceremony also called confirmation in [[Reform Judaism]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} Various [[Secularism|secular]] organizations also offer [[Secular coming-of-age ceremony|secular coming-of-age ceremonies]] as an alternative to Christian confirmation, while [[Unitarian Universalism|Unitarian Universalists]] have a similar [[Coming of Age (Unitarian Universalism)|Coming of Age ceremony]].