Sacraments
Baptism, Communion, Confession, Marriage, Ordination — the rites that mark Christian life, and where traditions sharply disagree.
6 topics
Anointing of the Sick
Anointing of the Sick, a sacrament in the Christian tradition, was once primarily reserved for those on their deathbeds, but its use has expanded over time. …
Baptism
Baptism, as practiced by early Christians, has deep roots in Jewish purification rituals. Before Christianity, various Jewish sects engaged in ritual washing…
Communion
Communion, also known as the Eucharist, was so contentious that it played a role in the first major split in Christianity, the East-West Schism of 1054. Diff…
Confession
Christianity's practice of confession was not formalized until the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, which required all Christians to confess their sins at lea…
Marriage
The Christian church only began formally officiating marriages in the 12th century, much later than many people assume. Before this period, marriage was prim…
Ordination
The practice of ordination has roots in ancient rituals that predate Christianity by thousands of years. In various early cultures, religious leaders were of…