Church of Ireland Guide

Baptism, Confirmation
and Holy Communion
in the Church of Ireland
A Guide for
Primary School Teachers
Introduction
Recognition of diversity and respecting each other’s differences is
accorded increasing significance within Irish education.
As our communities have changed and diversified, so our education system
has sought to respond to these changes. However, some of our most
challenging areas of difference in this country have related to our differing
faith traditions and churches. It is with that area that this guide is concerned.
Teachers have a very important role in helping children to understand about
faith and its role in our lives. In many schools there are a minority of children
who have a different approach to sacrament from that of the majority. It is
sincerely hoped that this guide will offer an additional support to teachers
in their important work to include all children and their faith traditions. In
particular it is hoped that this guide will offer some insight into how important
moments on the journey of faith are marked within the Church of Ireland.
This guide has been produced by members of the Church of Ireland involved
in the Contemporary Protestant Life Project which was delivered by Sligo
LEADER Partnership Company Ltd as part of the Sligo Peace III Rural Peace
Project. This project was funded by the PEACE III Programme through the
European Union’s European Regional Development Fund managed for the
Special EU Programmes Body by Sligo County Council on behalf of
Sligo PEACE & Reconciliation Partnership Committee.
The idea for the guide arose out of discussion and sharing about
experiences of children from the minority Christian churches
at primary school level and in
particular, concern that we, as
active Christians, could do
more to support teachers to
deepen their understanding
of the significance of
sacraments in the ritual life
of the Church of Ireland,
and thus of the children
in their classrooms from
that church tradition.
Christian Churches in Ireland today
Ireland has a rich diversity of Churches and Christian communities
each with their own history, customs and practices.
The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, the Methodist Church and
the Presbyterian Church all have long traditions and established membership.
Each have a distinctive expression of the Christian faith in their organisation,
governance and doctrine. Alongside these, in varying numbers and
distribution throughout the country, are other denominations including the
Elim Pentecostal Church, the Baptist Church, the Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers) to name but a few, as well as smaller groups of Christians who band
together for worship and support in their faith. The reformed Church tradition
is very diverse and a guide on this scale could not do justice to its variety.
Therefore, we have focused on the Church of Ireland as the group who have
produced this guide come from that tradition.
To find out more about other churches within the reformed tradition please
refer to:
Methodist Church
www.irishmethodist.org
Presbyterian Church
www.presbyterianireland.org
Association of Baptist Churches of Ireland
www.baptistireland.org
Elim Church
www.elimchurchireland.org
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
www.quakers-in-ireland.ie
Listing of some of the evangelical churches around the country
www.TippFellowship.org
www.evangelical alliance.ie
An interesting project for school children is to find out what churches are in
their communities and to visit or invite members from those churches to come
and talk to the children about their church. Where schools have engaged
in this type of cross-community activity understanding and friendship is
increased and the schools often benefit from further joint projects.
The Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland has its
roots in the early Irish Christian
traditions with their influences
from Celtic pre-Christian
spirituality.
When the Christian churches in Europe
underwent reformation in the sixteenth
century, the Church of Ireland emerged
as a separate entity from the Roman
Catholic Church while still retaining many of the structures and practices of
the pre-reformation church. Members of the Church of Ireland are also called
Anglicans because the Church of Ireland is a member of the Worldwide
Anglican Communion of Churches which is a family of Churches that
comprises over 70 million people in 164 countries. Within this there are 38
autonomous Provinces which have a shared doctrine, way of worshipping, and
mission. While all recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as their spiritual
leader, and a focus for unity among all Provinces, the Church of Ireland is led
by the Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin.
Anglicanism rests on the three pillars of Scripture,
Reason and Tradition as it seeks to chart a ‘middle
way’ (via media) among the other Christian traditions.
The Church of Ireland is organised on a whole island
basis with two provinces, Armagh and Dublin. It has
a democratic structure where each of the 12 dioceses
has representation at the General Synod which is
the governing body of the Church. The synod makes
decisions on the work of the church and meets
annually. Twice as many lay members as clergy are
members of the synod.
There are over 450 parishes within the Church, where
decisions at local level are made by Select Vestries
whose lay members are elected each Easter by the
people of the parish.
The Church has one Prayer Book, the Book of Common Prayer which dates
from 1662, and was most recently revised in 2004.
Sacraments in the Church of Ireland
The main sacraments pertaining to children in primary school are
Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacrament of Baptism can be administered
in infancy, followed by Confirmation,
usually at around the age of twelve,
when people are deemed to be mature
enough to confirm their faith, after
which time they may receive Holy
Communion.
Sacraments have a central role in the
life of the Church of Ireland. They
are important and special ways in
which we unite with Jesus and are
nourished in our faith. The definition
of a sacrament in the Church of
Ireland is that it is an outward and
visible sign of an inward and spiritual
grace. Grace is God’s favour towards us, through
which our sins are forgiven and we are empowered to
do God’s work. The inward grace of the sacraments is
given to us as a gift by Christ, which we neither deserve
nor can earn. The outward signs of sacrament are
the rituals we engage in when sacraments are being
administered. For instance, water is an outward sign in
Baptism and bread and wine are outward signs in Holy
Communion. Sacraments unite and strengthen us in our
faith.
The seven sacraments of the Church of Ireland are Baptism, Holy Eucharist
(Holy Communion) Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Anointing of the
Sick, and Ordination.
Of these, only Baptism and the Holy Eucharist are considered necessary for
salvation, referred to as the two great sacraments of the Gospel, because they
are the only two ordained by Jesus Christ himself.
In the Church of Ireland the administration of sacraments, apart from
emergency baptism, rests solely with the clergy.
Baptism
The first sacrament within the Church of Ireland is
Baptism.
Jesus was baptised by John at the start of his ministry and
he also instructed his disciples to baptise believers saying…
‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit’. (Matthew 28:18).
Baptism as a sacrament initiates the person to their faith for life and once a
person has been baptised it cannot be undone: it is a lifelong commitment.
People may renew their baptismal vows at any stage.
Baptism can take place at any age. In the Church of Ireland most people
are baptised as infants. Children are baptised before they can answer for
themselves so that they become fully included in the life of the Church. Adults
who have not been baptised, or who convert to Christianity, also receive the
sacrament of baptism.
When a person is being baptised they have a godparent or sponsor whole
role is to support the spiritual welfare of the child. These sponsors must
commit themselves to living their faith and supporting the child to grow
spiritually as a member of the Church.
At baptism parents and godparents make promises on behalf of the child,
usually in the presence of a congregation engaged in public worship, and
affirm their own Christian faith publicly. The person being baptised will then
have water poured on their head in the name of the Trinity to declare God’s
presence and indicate that they are now children of God and members of the
Church. The sign of the cross is made on their forehead while these words are
said ‘Christ claims you for his own. Receive the sign of the cross. Live as a
disciple of Christ’.
Baptism is the start of the person’s Christian life and a lighted candle may be
presented with the words ‘You have received the light of Christ; walk in this
light all the days of your life. Shine as a light in the world to the glory of
God the Father’.
Baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity does not confer membership of just
one denomination, but rather of the whole Christian family. Once a person
is baptised they will continue to grow in their faith and learn how to live a
Christian life in line with the values of the Gospel.
Confirmation
Confirmation is when those who have been baptised seek the
help of the Holy Spirit to help them grow in their Christian faith.
Confirmation marks the moment
of transition from a child’s to
a mature faith and to adult
membership of the Church. It is
a public ceremony conducted by
the Bishop in the presence of a
congregation. Confirmation rarely
takes place before age 12.
The candidates renew their baptismal
vows before the bishop; and as in
baptism, the congregation is asked to
support the candidates in their life of faith. The
bishop then asks each candidate by name, ‘Do you .... believe and accept
the Christian faith into which you are baptized?’
The candidates then affirm their faith, together with the congregation, in the
words of the Apostles’ Creed. After this, they kneel before the bishop, who
lays hands on each one, praying,
‘Confirm .... O Lord, with your heavenly grace, that he/she may continue
to be yours for ever, and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more
until he/she comes to your eternal kingdom. Amen.’
During the confirmation rite, the Bishop asks each one, ‘Will you proclaim
by word and example the good news of God in Christ?’ and ‘Will you
seek and serve Christ in all people, loving your neighbour as yourself?’
and those being confirmed respond, ‘With the help of God, I will’.
This demonstrates both their commitment and their recognition of their
dependence on God to live a Christian life.
Once a person is confirmed they are ready to take responsibility for the
development of their own faith and for their participation as full members of the
Church of Christ. Once they are confirmed they can receive Holy Communion.
An important distinction therefore between the Church of Ireland and the
Roman Catholic Church is that confirmation usually happens prior to a church
member receiving Holy Communion whereas in the Roman Catholic Church,
First Holy Communion happens before confirmation.
Eucharist or Holy Communion
Holy Communion, also called the Lord’s Supper, is central to the
worship of the Church of Ireland.
This is when the faithful draw especially close to God. During Eucharist, we
give thanks and we follow Jesus’ direction that we remember him in this way,
so that we continually remember and give thanks for his passion and death,
we celebrate his resurrection and ascension, and we look for the coming of
his kingdom. As part of the Holy Communion Service those present confess
their sins and receive absolution prior to receiving Holy Communion.
The service of Holy Communion must take place at least once a month locally.
All communicants receive both bread and wine at Holy Communion.
Within the Anglican Communion there are a variety of understandings
concerning the consecration of the bread and wine. The Church of Ireland
would be from what is referred to as the low church tradition and for the
most part would understand that
there is not a physical change
in the properties of the
bread and wine at
consecration.
Eucharist/Holy
Communion is a meal of
fellowship which unites us
to Christ and to the whole
Church. All those who know
Jesus and are in communion
with their own church are
welcome to receive in the
Church of Ireland. This is done
in recognition of the validity
of our common baptism into
the Christian life.
Glossary
Eucharist or
Holy Communion
Cross of the
Church of Ireland
Sacraments in the
Church of Ireland
The Holy Bible
Baptism
The Book of
Common Prayer
Confirmation
Acknowledgements
The participants of the Contemporary Protestant Life Project
wish to thank all who have assisted in the course of the
project and in particular to acknowledge the assistance
of the Sligo LEADER Partnership’s Rural Peace Project
for their support of this work.
A PDF of this brochure is available to download from
the Sligo County Development Board website at:
www.sligocdb.ie/PeaceandReconciliationPartnershipPeaceIII/PeaceDownloads/
Design: JDK Design
This project has been funded by the PEACE lll Programme through the
European Union’s European Regional Development Fund managed for
the Special EU programmes Body by Sligo County Council on behalf of
Sligo Peace & Reconciliation Partnership Committee.