sacraments

[RedTulipMom]

sorry, i just thought of another question..
how many sacraments do you have in your church? Is it baptism and communion? i did notice that they have confirmation classes for 7th and 8th graders at the church i am going to be attending. Do you consider confirmation a sacrament also like the RC? If not, what is confirmation in the ELCA? Could you tell me a little bit more about your baptism, communion and confirmation beliefs, i would appreciate it! thanks much

 

[AngCath]

sorry, i just thought of another question..
how many sacraments do you have in your church? Is it baptism and communion? i did notice that they have confirmation classes for 7th and 8th graders at the church i am going to be attending. Do you consider confirmation a sacrament also like the RC? If not, what is confirmation in the ELCA? Could you tell me a little bit more about your baptism, communion and confirmation beliefs, i would appreciate it! thanks much

Confirmation is not a sacrament as in the RCC. Only Baptism and Communion are sacraments (with some seeing confession/absolution as a sacrament while others see it as an extension of baptism).

I think this is as good a place as any to start: The Small Catechism - Book of Concord

 

[RedTulipMom]

great and thanks for the link dunstan i will check it out!

 

[AngCath]

You're welcome - the link is for the entirety of the Book of Concord so poke around!

 

[RedTulipMom]

question, how does confession work? do you have personal one on one confession with the pastor??????????

 

[AngCath]

question, how does confession work? do you have personal one on one confession with the pastor??????????

There is a brief order for it in the hymnal. In Evangelical Lutheran Worship (the current hymnal) there are two: "Corporate Confession and Forgiveness" and "Individual Confession and Forgiveness." Yes, it is one on one with the pastor and includes a confession of sin followed by a pronouncement of absolution (following is one of the two forms of absolution)

_____, in obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

 

[doulos_tou_kuriou]

Corporate Confession and Forgiveness is the most typical practice, at least formally. But Lutherans retain individual confession and forgiveness not as a necessity or burden but rather as an opportunity for those who are feeling deep guilt for particular sins to hear forgiveness specifically for them for that sin. Like I say it is not common, at least not formally. But if you asked your pastor they would be willing to do it.

Dunstan is right there are two sacraments, confession and more specifically absolution was early in the reformation still referred to as a sacrament. Now it would probably be more appropriately called simply a means of grace. It lacks the physical element to make it a sacrament since Lutherans believe sacraments are elements combined with Christ's Word of Promise. This is Augustine's definition of a sacrament that Luther appeals to in the Smalcald Articles "Moreover, Augustine says, 'Let the Word be added to the element, and a sacrament results.'" (SA, Article 5.1)

 

[RedTulipMom]

interesting. word be added to element to make sacrament...never heard that. so the element in communion is the bread and wine and the element in baptism is the water? just makes me think of when jesus put spit and dirt in the mans eyes and healed him from blindness. he could have just looked at him and said "open your eyes you see now" but he chose to use physical elements plus words.

 

[RedTulipMom]

is corporate confession done at each service every sunday? or is it only done once a month or at special services, i am curious now.

 

[doulos_tou_kuriou]

is corporate confession done at each service every sunday? or is it only done once a month or at special services, i am curious now.

This will depend on the church. Sadly some do not do corporate confession at all (the ELCA has offered an alternative "thanksgiving for baptism" rite that I do not believe is an adequate or appropriate comparable to confession and absolution, but that's another issue).
Most typical practices will be to do it either:
-Weekly
-On communion Sundays
-weekly during the season of Lent

Some churches may have other occasions or patterns but those are I think the most common.