Confirmation - A Case Study on "Thinking Anglicanly"

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ConfirmationOn Thinking Ánglicanly,µ Catechesis, And Not

Unrelated Miscellanea

Rev. Canon Mark E. Rudolph



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To the reader:

I submit this document as a part of theoverall discussion on confirmation and theLord¶s Supper.

The purpose of this and related studies is toprovide a common basis of history andtheology for our conversations at St. John¶s.If it has wider utility ± that would be nice too!

A little history of my involvement with thesetopics may be helpful. About 15 years ago,the topic of communion and confirmationcaught my attention while in the ReformedEpiscopal Church. During that time, a changeto the canons was proposed to prevent thosewho had not been confirmed from partakingat the Lord¶s Table. I wrote a kind of ³amicus

brief´ for the REC¶s Committees On Doctrineand Worship and On Constitution andCanons, the two denominational committeesresponsible for the initial work assessing thevalidity of the proposed canonical change.My study became the basis of a reportsubmitted to General Council that resulted inthe rejection of the proposed canonicalchange. That work and the resultingdocument was revision 0 of this presentmonograph.

Revision 1 started out as a ³refresher course´for me. It was little more than a compilation of

citations from Scripture, the Fathers,commentators, theologians, and historians.

This present revision (#2) serves four purposes.

1. It is a review and analysis of thegathered data of revision 1.

2. It suggests a model for the use of confirmation.

3. It served the purpose of helping mebetter understand the reformers¶ useof reason and tradition.

4. It was the ultimately preparation for a

lecture on the usefulness of confirmation for the Apostles¶Mission Network retreat, October 2010.

I suppose it could be said that what I¶mworking on now isrevision 3. The citations

are irregular, the bibliography is incomplete,and some aspects of the argument are not astightly knit as I would like. Also, I¶m becoming

increasingly aware of arguments andconcerns, of which I was not originally aware,which arguments I try now to address.

Mark



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Table of Contents

Anglican Schizophrenia And The Anglican Way ............................................................... 1

Anglicanism ² A New Thing ......................................................................................... 1

General Assumptions .................................................................................................... 1

Ánglicanismµ Is Definable ..................... ........................... ......................... ............................. ......... 2

Anglican Standards........................................................................................................................... 3

Classical Christianity As Methodology ² ´Thinking Anglicanlyµ .................................... 4

Scripture Not God·s Sole Voice ......................... ............................ ......................... ........................... 4

Anglicanism·s Unique Approach ............................................. ......................... ............................ ..... 5

Topics Not Treated ....................................................................................................... 8

The ´Problemµ Of Confirmation ....................................................................................... 8 That Was Then ² This Is Now ....................................................................................... 8

Three Problems With Confirmation ............................................................................... 9

Historically Confusing ............................................... ......................... ............................ .................. 9

Theologically Paradoxical ........................ .......................... ......................... ............................. ....... 12

Pastorally Problematic ........................................... ......................... ............................ .................... 16

A Suggested Solution / Approach ................................................................................... 16

Why Bother? ............................................................................................................... 16

Really Worth The Effort? ........................ ........................... ......................... ............................. ....... 16

The Importance Of Catechesis ........................ ......................... ............................ ......................... ... 18

A Proposed Model ...................................................................................................... 21

Bases For A Proposed Solution........................................ ........................ ............................. ........... 21

Presentation Of The Model ............................................ ......................... ............................. ........... 21

A Brief Walk-Through Of The Model .......................... ......................... ............................ ............... 24

Appendix I ² Diversity Of Episcopal Opinion Among Cranmer·s Contemporaries ........... 26

Appendix II ² Hooker On Confirmation .......................................................................... 29

Appendix III ² Questionnaire For Confirmation Presentation At Network Retreat ........... 36



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A Caveat And A Dedication

I am an Anglican by study, by professional relation, and by conviction. That ´way of being

a Christianµ ² as more fully explained herein ² requires me to say that any establishment of doctrine or practice regarding the topic of Confirmation is ultimately a matter of Episcopal

judgment and oversight. This paper is offered in the hope that it will be a partial help in that

deliberation. It is in no way intended to usurp the proper authority of the bishops.

In that spirit, this paper is humbly dedicated to:

- the Rt. Rev. Thaddeus R. Barnum, who got me into this mess in the first place,

- the Rt. Rev. Terrell Glenn, who permitted me a forum in which to present this

material,- and to the clergy, wardens, and vestry of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church

for being watchful and requiring healthy accountability from her clergy.

(Rev. Canon) Mark E. Rudolph

Rector, St. John The Evangelist Anglican ChurchChurchville, PA

Trinity Season, 2010



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ConfirmationOn Thinking Ánglicanly,µ Catechesis, And Not Unrelated Miscellanea

Anglican Schizophrenia And The Anglican Way

Anglicanism ² A New Thing

Anglicanism, especially as the west is aligning itself with the Global South and there is an

increasing American interest in things liturgical, is brand new for many. And it·s new in a

couple of interesting ways.

Those who are the ´jilted loversµ from (TEC)USA find Anglicanism a new thing, becausethey are eager to ridthemselves of every accretion they believe caused the downfall of that

house of cards. As a result, old terms, ideas, and practicesare often replaced with new. Attimes, these exchanges take place without careful thought about the differences between

things useful and essentialand things useless or dangerous.

Those who come from outside of Episcopalianism are introduced to those same historic

terms, usages, and ideas; often in ahaphazard way.They·re unfamiliar with all the thingsthat many of Episcopal tradition consider perfectly normal, while at the same time

witnessing the auctioning off the terms, ideas, and practices I just mentioned.We·ll keep

this, but not that. We do this, but we never do that! And these newbies are trying to fit all

that into their passion for the history of the church.One example of these two trends crashing into each other should suffice. Consider AMiAs·curious avoidance of words like ´dioceseµ and árchdeacon,µ instead using ńetworkµ and

ńetwork leader.µAt the same, AMiAs has introduced the curious title of ´primatial vicarµ

for her presiding officer ² a title heretofore unknown.

In the midst of all this change, there is curiosity, concern, and confusion. No one quite

knows what to do with some of the older practices of Anglicanism and perhaps some

reading this paper have never even heard of them: have you ever used the Commination

Service or the Service For The Churching Of Women?

I believe that Confirmation is one such confusing item.This paper arguesfor the retaining of

Confirmation and for several important reasons. But before I even begin to address arethinking of Confirmation, I argue that we must begin from a common starting point. That

starting point is a process that I call ´thinking Anglicanly.µ

General Assumptions

We need to start with some general assumptions. Without common assumptions, common

words and ideas will not contain commonmeaning. Two of the most important assumptions





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Anglican StandardsWe need to define ourselves as Anglicans, therefore, if for no other reason than to justify

our separate existence within the spectrum of Nicene Creed or écumenicalµ1 Christianity.Again, without common assumptions, we cannot have a meaningful conversation about

anything, including Confirmation. Therefore, for this purpose, I define Anglicanism as that

theology, practice, and ethos defined within:

- The Thirty-nine Articles Of Religion

- The 1662 Book Of Common Prayer, and,

- Both books of the Elizabethan Homilies as a commentary thereon (see Article 35 in

this regard).

!!!

It should be noted that this standard has not been arbitrarily established. At least on paper,

the standards of much of realigning Anglicanism agree with me.Consider theseorganizations:

- Globa l Anglican Future (GAFCON): Áuthentic Anglicanism is a particular expression of Christian corporate life which seeks to honour the Lord Jesus Christ by

nurturing faith, and also encouraging obedience to the teaching of God·s written

word, meaning the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. It embracesthe Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (published in the year 1571) and the Book of

Common Prayer (the two versions of 1552 and 1662), both texts being read

according to their plain and historical sense, and being accepted as faithful

expressions of the teaching of Scripture, which provides the standard for Anglicantheology and practice.µ2

- Anglican Church In North America:From the theological statement found onACNA·s web site, ´6) We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the

Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as astandard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and, with the Books which precededit, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship. 7) We receive the Thirty-

Nine Articles of Religion of 1562, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as

expressing the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time,

and as expressing the fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief.µ3

- Province Of Rwanda:´The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of theSacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, together with the Psalter

or Psalms of David, the Form of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating Bishop,

Priests, and Deacons, the Form of Consecration of a Church or Chapel, and an

Office of Institution of Ministers, and Articles of Religion based on the 1662 Book of

Common Prayer are the standards for this Church as set forth in the Solemn

1 I use this this term in its original sense of the whole church of Christ, or ´the catholic Church,µ from theGreek oikoumene , referring to ¶the (inhabited) earth· or ¶the whole world·.

2Theological Resource Team of the Global Anglican Future Conference 2008. See the document atgafcon.org/resources/the_way_the_truth_and_the_life_-_official_gafcon_study_document/, last accessed2010-10-22.

3http://www.anglicanchurch.net/?/main/page/about#theo-stmt, last accessed 2010-10-22.



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Declarations of the Provincial Constitution. The Church of Rwanda affirms the

liturgy found in the Book of Common Prayer as being based on the Word of God.µ4

- Anglican Mission In (The) America(s):á. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer andOrdinal: The theology set forth in the 1662 edition of the Book of Common Prayer and Ordinal shall be the theology to which alternative liturgical texts and forms will

conform. b. The 39 Articles of the Church of England: This Church subscribes to theteaching of the 39 Articles of Religion of the Church of England. These are to be

interpreted, as ordered in the Declaration which prefaces them in the English Book of Common Prayer, ¶in the full and plain meaning thereof· and ¶in the literal and

grammatical sense.·µ5

Anglicanism should and must be defined. More than that, in a kind of ecumenical fashion,Anglicanism has been defined. On the basis of this definition of Anglicanism, I believe that

we can derive a way to think about the world, the church, and our lives, a way that is

different from a large part of the rest of Christendom.That leads us to the second key

assumption in this paper, ´Thinking Anglicanly.µ

Classical Christianity As Methodology ² ´Thinking Anglicanlyµ

Scripture Not God·sSole VoiceI have purposely entitled this section in a provocative way, but do not think that I have

diminished the authority of Scripture in any way. Intellectual honesty demands that we say

that the Bible is not our sole authoritative voice, but that assertion can actually strengthenour view of Scripture! Allow me to explain what I mean.

Anglican thinking has been described as a stool supported by three legs: revelation

(Scripture), reason, and tradition. This idea is rightly attributed to Richard Hooker. AsHooker puts it(Hooker, Laws Of Ecclesiastical Polity 1875):

What Scr ipt ur e d oth pl ainly d elive r, t o that the f i rst pl ac e both o f cr e d i t and obe d ienc e i s d ue; the nex t whe r eunt o i s, whats oeve r any man can ne c e ssar ily c onc lud e b y f orc e o f r e as on; aft e r the s e , the voi c e o f the church

s ucc ee d e th.6 (emphases mine)

The grievous error attributed to this analogy is that reason and tradition are considered

freestanding entities, authorities independent from oreven on par with Scripture. This

conception of reason and tradition are unacceptable in Hooker·s thinking.

4Canons of the Province Of Rwanda, Title II, Canon 12.

5The Solemn Declaration Of The Anglican Mission In (The) America(s). See theamia.org.

6 Book V, Chapter 8.



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Í f s o be i t w e r e po ss i ble that all othe r or naments o f mind mig ht be had in thei r f ull pe rf e ct ion , neve rthele ss the mind that shoul d po ss e ss them d ivorc e d

fr om pie t y c oul d be but a s pe ctac le o f c ommi s e rat ion.µ 7 (emphasis mine)

By ´pietyµ Hooker means true religion and not mere sincerity of religious feeling.8

Therefore, the piety of revealed religion is the source of and the structure for how we

understand and use reason and tradition. It would be a fundamental mistake to think that

reason and tradition are the source of and structure for how to think about the Bible.Biblically informed reason and tradition(to put them in Hooker·s order) are merely tools ²

helpful and necessary tools² but nothing more than toolsfor understanding and applying

Scripture.

Anglicanism·s Unique ApproachThe result of this epistemological heritage puts Anglicanismin a unique position in westernChristianity and for this reason. Especially in the case of Anglicanism, there is a healthy

stand between two extreme poles of thought common in Christianity.At the one extreme,stands something I call impositionalism. At the other pole stands individualism.

F igur e 1 - The M i dd le Path ² The ´Via Mediaµ?

Under impositionalism, I include two sorts of thinking. For Protestants, an example of

impositionalism is the regulative principle9 of some post-reformed10groups. For the Roman

Catholic Church, impositionalism is expressed in the dogmatic authority of the See of Rome. I know that these two schools of thought aren·t typically considered related. But I·ve

put these two together, because in them I see variations on the same theme.

The regulative principle prohibits from practiceeverything not explicitly stated or reasonablyderived from Scripture. Papal authority mandates things, even if they are not explicitly

stated or reasonably derived from Scripture. In both cases, the church determines something

as being absolutely necessary (or necessarily forbidden) regarding essential matters of faith,

7 Book V, Chapter 2.

8 Just a paragraph before, Hooker writes ´To make therefore our beginning « We agree that pure andunstained religion ought to be the highest of all cares «µ

9 The ´regulative principleµ ² sometimes called the ´regulative principle of worshipµ ² teaches that that onlythose elements that are instituted or appointed by command, precept, or example; in or by good and necessaryconsequence from the Bible are permissible in worship. All else is forbidden.

10 I use this phrase of ´post-reformed,µ because of my own increasing conviction that what is called´reformedµ today is foreign to the ćlassically reformedµ thinking of the magisterial reformers. See alsofootnote 13.

Impositionalism IndividualismAnglicanism

³Classical Christianity´

³Reformed Catholicism´

³Ancient-Future Faith´



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which things are neither clearly revealed in nor reasonably derived from the Bible. This

imposes on the faithful disciples in that ecclesial discipline matters that are extra-Biblical.

At the other extreme pole stands the final and absolute authority of personal conscience,afar more common mindsetamong American evangelicals. Called by some ´soul freedomµ or

´soul sovereignty,µa unifiedvoice of the church of Christ has been muted by the cacophony

of personal opinions. Whether the topic is abortion, capital punishment, theprivate life of public persons when they are members of a church, law and ethics, or whatever the issue

may be, this standard ensures that there will be nearly the same number of opinions as

voices in the room. Theindividualist voice authoritatively allowsthe individual to bringhis or

her expectations into the congregation, with each opinion, preference, and perspectivehaving exactly the same weight as any other. This is the ecclesiastical version of Burger

King·s ´have it your way.µ11 Everything is up for grabs and there are no norms.

In the first case ²the impositionalist ² the church oversteps the boundaries of its authority byimposing an ecclesiastical decision as normative for true religion. In the second ² the

individualist ² the individual oversteps his boundaries of authority by imposing personal

perspective as normative for true religion.Contrary to these two polar positions, I believe that we have a wise balance in Anglicanism.The simplest description of this balance, what I have called ´thinking Anglicanlyµ is this:

Thinking Angli canly me an s that the church ow e s allegi anc e t o r e as on , then trad i t ion; but trad i t ion ,

r e as on , and the church all ow e ul t imat e s ubmi ss ion t o the Scr ipt ur e s.

By way of example, the Articles permit something that initially looks like impositionalism

by saying that ´the church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in

Controversies of Faith.µ In fact:

who s oeve r, thr oug h hi s pr iv at e j ud gment, w illingly and pur po s ely , d oth

openly br e ak the trad i t ion s and c e r emonie s o f the Church, whi ch be not r epugnant t o the W ord o f G od, and be ordaine d and a ppr ove d b y c ommon

author i t y , oug ht t o be r e buke d openly .

Nevertheless, the Articles curb the impulse for impositionalism by carefully limiting the

authority of the church. That is, there is only one place from which ´things necessary to

salvationµ may be derived.

H oly Scr ipt ur e c ontaine th all thing s ne c e ssar y t o salv at ion: s o that whats oeve r

i s not r e ad the r ein , nor ma y be pr ove d the r e b y , i s not t o be r equi r e d o f any

man , that i t shoul d be believe d as an art i c le o f the Fai th, or be thoug ht r equi s i t e or ne c e ssar y t o salv at ion.12

11 It should be said that I·m not afraid of the church in ´the market place.µ In fact, I believe that the church isintended to be a reactionary force against the world, the flesh, and the devil. We must know the marketplaceof ideas, social pressures, and shifting cultural norms to function meaningfully as Christians.

12From Articles XX (Of the Authority of the Church), XXXIV (Of the Traditions of the Church), and VI (Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scripture for Salvation) respectively.



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Classical Christianity ²the Christianity of the magisterial reformers13 ² says that our faith is

dependent upon the faith of the fathers. The lessons of the continuum of the church are our

lessons too. True ² the ultimate authority of Scripture trumps all, however, the piousreasoning and the practical solutions of the historic church stand as examples of thought

and practice from which weare required learn.

Think about this pastorally and practically. Pastoral needs of the day do push us to adapt,improvise, and overcome. And that·s not wrong! The individual does matter and the

opinions need to be taken into account, such that the church may change practices as

necessary. As Hooker writes:

´ The church hath author i t y t o e stabli sh that f or an ord e r at one t ime , whi chat anothe r t ime i t ma y aboli sh, and in both ma y d o w ell .µ

But the demands of the market place do not determine the extent of the adaptations. There

is nothing new under the sun and not everything is up for grabs or subject to change. The

Bible is the primary source book of truth and manual of practice, which together withrational thought informed by Scripture, and the perspectives and solutions of the historic

church provide a way for us to think and act. To finish Hooker·s thought started above:

B ut that whi ch in d octr ine and the church d oe s now d elive r r ig ht ly as tr uth,no man w ill sa y that i t ma y he r e aft e r r e call , and as r ig ht ly avouch the c ontrar y . Laws t ouching matt e r o f ord e r ar e change able , b y the pow e r o f the church ; art i c le s c onc e r ning d octr ine not s o.µ (Laws, B ook 5, Cha pt e r 8,

Para g ra ph 2)

It·s a given that Scripture ought to permeate every idea and practice. It is the primary and

superior authority. It·s the main classroom of the school in which we learn to follow Christand lead his sheep. But pious reasoning and pious historic practice are tutors that help usunderstand what·s going on in the classroom of Scripture. We look backward, in order tolook forward. S empe r r e f or manda only legitimately takes place within the arms of our mother,

the church.14 Statistics and demographics may help us determine where to apply Biblical

principle, or even how, but they never tell us what the principle ought to be.

Griffith-Thomas (1978) summarizes the idea of thinking Anglicanly in this way.

The one thing t o r emembe r i s that the B i ble i s e ss ent i ally a book o f pr inc iple s,not o f r ule s, and the s upr eme r equi r ement i s that ami dst the v ar ie d and

c omplex nee ds o f li f e and w orship no Church r ule shall c ontravene a B i ble

13 The term ´magisterial reformersµ is a personal phrase used to denote the ´Big Threeµ of the reformation:Calvin, Cranmer, and Luther ² who are carefully listed here in alphabetical order, so as to avoid implying anysuperiority in one over another.

14 See my unpublished paper on Theological Education And The Church, in which I discuss the nearlyubiquitous theme of ´God as Father, Church as motherµ in the history of the church.



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pr inc iple . A part fr om thi s the r e mu st ne c e ssar ily be f ull li be rt y t o ´ ordain ,

change , and aboli sh.µ 15

Thinking Anglicanly is thinking in the context of the continuum of the church·s wrestling

with doctrine and practice, withour chief cornerstone being the revealed Word of God (the

Bible)telling us about the living Word of God (Jesus Christ). It is neither arrogantindividualism, nor arrogant bureaucracy, but a careful, consistent pedagogical approach

under the authority of all these elements.

Topics Not Treated

Having explicitly stated some of the key assumptions being made in this paper, I believe that

it·s also important to state some of the assumptions that will not be explicitly treated in this

paper. Among them are:

- The doctrine of the sacraments in general, for which explanation, one should see

Articles 25-31.- The relationship between confirmation and communion is only lightly touched upon

and will be treated in a subsequent paper.- A Biblical understanding of ´tradition,µ about which one can refer to Paul·s use of

the words � ( parad o s i s, as in 2 Thessalonians 2.15) and �

( parad i d omi , as in 1 Corinthians 11.2), as well that subject in Article 34.

- A proper understanding of ´reasonµ as understood in Scripture with the various

cognates of (logo s , word, reason, logic, thought, idea), as well as the 9th

Article·s elucidation of original sin.

The ´Problemµ Of Confirmation

That Was Then ² This Is Now

So what about confirmation? We must admit that we find ourselves in a different

environment than that of our fathers. Clergy are no longer the ´parish vicarµ of

yore.Theyare no longer the locus of a geographic region,to whom all turn for spiritualcounsel or for a veneer ofsocial propriety. In fact, to say that the church and the world are

different today is so vast an understatement as to perhaps bring a smile and this presenting

matter of Confirmation provides an excellent contrast. Concerning Confirmation, think

about these elements:- Due to the rugged individualism of much of American religion, experiences and

expectations come in such a wide varietythat we cannot count them, meaning that

expectations about church membership ² a question to which the consideration of Confirmation points ² are in no way uniform.

15p. 442.



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- The concept of an established church is largely dead, even in the country of its origin.

Therefore, the idea of a normative voice in culture and government is likewise dead.

- Conversion takes place through Alpha groups, television evangelists, PromiseKeepers, or other places unfamiliar with classical Christianity, providing the church

of Christ with converts who do not have a common perspective about their

experience.- Ex-Episcopalians have fond memories about Confirmation and their ´first massµ and

want to reproduce those memories in their new contexts.

- Transfers from other parts of Christ·s church are offended to think that they may not

take the Lord·s Supper until the bishop has laid hands upon them.- Pastors depend on seminars and Christian radio to feed their people meat, because

lifestyles are too complex and busy to expect catechesis to take place in the home,

meaning that ideas about church are as different as the voices are,- We wonder if baptized, confessing, but unconfirmed children must be excluded from

the table, in spite of the fact that some 5 year olds can make a more credible

confession of faith than some 50 year olds,

- Those from charismatic backgrounds (such as the large number of Episcopalianswho·s faith originated in the Episcopal Renewal Movement) are fundamentally

motivated by what the Spirit seems to be telling them and the exercise of authority

and order seems óld school,µ repressive, and contrary to passionate Christianity, sothat for them, the fact that I·m taking the time to write a paper such as this is, for

them, a mind-blowing waste of time.

So what do pastors do? Many who call themselves Anglicans do not practice Confirmation

at all. Others who still practice Confirmationuse it merely as a rite of passage fromchildhood into adulthood, more a social ritual than religious. Some presbyters confirm on

their own recognizance ² i.e., without a bishop. Others will only allow a bishop to confirm

and are shocked to think that one of his appointees could suffice.

Three Problems With Confirmation

My studies suggest at least three complications with Confirmation.

- It is historically confusing, which also means,

- It is theologically confusing, and,- It presents sticky pastoral problems.

Historically ConfusingWhen I began to study the matter of Confirmation, I assumed that the study would be a ńo

brainer.µI planned to go back and study the formularies and see what the Anglicanreformers had in mind.I was sure that the more I studied the matter, the more the problemwould resolve itself into a solution. But rather than resolve itself, the problem of

Confirmation began to compound itself. The first reason for that problem is that

Confirmation is historically confusing.Keep in mind in this discussion that I·m mostlyreferring to the Anglican practice, though I will refer to the practice and thinking of the

broader church as it sheds light on our topic.



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For the earliest portions of church history, Baptism (the washing with water), unction (the

anointing with oil), and the laying on of hands (the imposition of the Holy Spirit) were seen

as simultaneous rites in the process of initiation, after which the Lord·s Supper immediatelyfollowed. Tertullian (roughly 160 - 220 AD) writes:

When w e have i ss ue d fr om the f ont, w e ar e thor oug hly anoint e d w i th able ss e d unct ion , - (a pract i c e d e r ive d) fr om the ol d d i sc ipline , whe r ein on

ent e r ing the pr ie sthood, men w e r e w ont t o be anoint e d w i th oil fr om a hor n ,eve r s inc e Aar on was anoint e d b y M o s e s « Thu s, t oo , in our cas e , the unct ion r un s car nally , ( i .e . on the bod y ,) but pr o f i ts s pi r i t ually; in the same

wa y as the act o f ba pt i s m i ts el f t oo i s car nal , in that w e ar e plunge d in wat e r,but the e ff e ct s pi r i t ual , in that w e ar e fr ee d fr om s in s « I n the nex t pl ac e the

hand i s l ai d on u s, invoking and invi t ing the H oly S pi r i t thr oug h

bene d i ct ion.16

However, it would be a mistaketo see this section from Tertullian as normative for the entire

early church. In ´The Theory And Practice Of Confirmation In The Church Up To TheReformation,µ17 MacLean writes: ´From at least sub-apostolic times onwards unction is

almost universal in connexion with Baptism,µ and then one paragraph later writes Ít is

disputed whether unction was used in apostolic times in connexion with Baptism.µ In other

words, from the time of the apostles to the first or second generation after the apostles,opacity turns into clarity and variety begins to become uniformity.What the apostles may

never have used later became a (nearly) universal usage, so MacLean says.

MacLean traces the practice of unction and the laying on of hands ín connexion withBaptism,µ noting references froma variety of sources through the first four centuries. As you

skim the following list, remember that MacLean has asserted a kind of uniformity about the

post-Apostolic Fathers!- The Didache (~100 AD?) ² not mentioned,- Clement (~150 to 215) ² separates unction from the laying on of hands,

- Origen (185 to 254) ² only mentions unction twice,

- Cyprian (died 258) ² lays more stress on the laying on of the hand than on theunction, which he mentions only once,

- Novatian (~200 to 258) ² speaking on baptism, dwells on the Holy Ghost·s effecting

regeneration with water, but does not mention the seal of the laying on of hands,- The tract d e Re ba pt i s mat e , traditionally understood to have been written by an Italian

bishop of the third century, does not mention unction at all,

- Optatus of Milevis (300s) ² mentions unction before the laying on of the hands,

16Tertullian, On Baptism, Chapters 7 and 8. See also Sykes and Booty (1988), who assert that there had always been an éssential unity of Christian initiation (baptism in water, sealing/imposition of hands, reception of communion)µ which ´had devolved into three rites (baptism, Confirmation, first communion) celebrated over an extended period of years.µ This devolution occurred within Romanism up until the time of theReformation. At some times in church history these three rites occurred immediately one right after the other.

17Confirmation, Or The Laying On Of Hands.Chapter II, The Theory And Practice Of Confirmation In TheChurch Up To The Reformation. By A. J. Maclean, Section 3.



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- Sarapion of Thmuis (300s) and perhaps Ambrose (~337 to 397) ² unction replaced

the laying on of hands altogether,

- Augustine (354 to 430) ² the gift of the Spirit is connected with the unction, not thelaying on of hands.

What is startling about the above list is that it already evidences clear differences of practice

and that just in the first 4 or 5 centuries. If MacLean is tracing out sub-apostolic clarity, thesimplicity of opacity is rather to be desired!

At this point, I purposely spring forward from the 5th century to the 16th. During those

intervening years, practice did become increasingly uniform in both the Eastern and

Western Churches. The eastern church kept baptism, unction, the laying on of hands, andcommunion in tight relationship, usually at the same time. The western church essentially

developed the Roman practice we know today.

But what about Anglicanism? Springing forward, it seems clear that the historicalrelationship between baptism, unction, and the laying on of hands was initially interpreted

in this way (Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge 1936):

At the end o f the s e c ond c ent ur y T e rt ulli an give s the ord e r o f the c e r emonie s as imme rs ion ² unct ion ² l a ying on o f the hand. I n the wat e r, he sa y s, w e ar e

´ pr epar e d f or the H oly Gho stµ ; ´ w e d o not obtainµ the S pi r i t ´ in the wat e rs.µ H e pe rha p s implie s a c opiou s anoint ing all ove r the bod y . The impo s i t ion o f

the hand i s f or r e c eiving the S pi r i t, the unct ion i s a c on s e crat ion. Aft e r be c oming a M ontani st he u s e s s imil ar l angua ge , show ing that hi s ne w c o-r eligioni sts d i d not d i ff e r fr om the Catholi cs as t o C on f i r mat ion. H e r e the

ord e r i s washing³ anoint ing (f or c on s e crat ion ) ³ s igning (f or str eng thening ) ³impo s i t ion o f the hand (f or the gi ft o f the S pi r i t) ³euchar i st.

N o hint i s given that the s e acts c oul d be s eparat e d.18

As reformational theology began to permeate the English church, the practice of

Confirmation is commonly defined as having two facets, with an occasional third.

1. It is a verbal and personal confirmation by the candidate of his or her own intention

to faithfully execute the baptismal covenant on their own behalf, which covenantthey now understand (usually through catechesis), such that their faith and

obedience are now their own and not that of their parents.

2. It is a confirmation by the church that the candidate is part of Christ·s bodyuniversal, particularly through the presence and officiating of the bishop.

18 I bi d . MacLean may misquote or misunderstand Tertullian on this point. He seems to miss or ignore the place

of faith in the reception of the Holy Spirit in Tertullian·s comment. While Tertullian does write that the layingon of hands is for the ínvoking and inviting the Holy Spirit through benedictionµ (Chapter 8), he also writesin Chapter 6 of On Baptism: Ńot that in the waters we obtain the Holy Spirit; but in the water, under (thewitness of) the angel, we are cleansed, and prepared for the Holy Spirit. In this case also a type has preceded;for thus was John beforehand the Lord·s forerunner, ¶preparing His ways.· Thus, too, does the angel, thewitness of baptism, ¶make the paths straight· for the Holy Spirit, who is about to come upon us, by the washingaway of sins, which faith, sealed in (the name of) the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, obtains.µ



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3. Occasionally, some attached a kind of legal significance to the rite, in that the

obligations of the godparents outlined in the baptism servicewere signaled as having

come to an end, having been taken up by the confirmand.19

As will be seen, these historic practices come laden with theological meaning, about which

there was little consensus, except very broadlywithin the two theological ´bucketsµ of Rome

or reform. The passage of time from the reformation to this day has not improved this lack of consensus.Presumably responding to revivalism both in the UK and in the USA,

Lambetheven added a previously unknown use for confirmation; namely, that Confirmation

could serve as an act of rededication of oneself and one·s faith.20

Theologically ParadoxicalHistoric practice ² i.e., tradition ² does not take place in a vacuum. In the same way thatnature abhors a vacuum, it is the nature of symbols and practices to abhor a vacuum of

meaning. Historical usages are either based on a theological understanding, or areinstalled a

theological understanding over time.

As one studies this topic, the suspicion grows that many who write on confirmation practicea kind of ´back loadingµ of meaning into texts of Scriptureand historical practice. That is,Roman, Anglican, or Reformed authors begin with their version of the presupposition that x

must mean y .Therefore, when we see x practiced, that proves that the church meant y .21In

pseudo-syllogistic form; they are saying A = A, B = B, the r e f or e A = B, q .e .d !

I have tried to avoid this sort of back loading. An honest assessment of the data seems to

suggest that there the two large buckets into which the theological meaning of Confirmation

historically falls: a) as a sacramental act, separated from matters of age or cognitive ability(like baptism), or, b) a cognizant rite of confirming or reaffirming one·s own baptismal vows

following catechesis.

However, what was the intent of the reforming English church? Archbishop Cranmer wrote:

´ The r e i s no pl ac e in Scr ipt ur e that d e c l ar e th thi s sacrament t o be in st i t ut e d o f Chr i st.F i rst, f or the pl ac e s allege d f or the same be no in st i t ut ion s, but acts and d ee ds o f the A po st le s.S e c ond, the s e acts w e r e d one b y a s pe c i al gi ft given t o the

19 Bishop Whitgift wrote how Ćonfirmation now used in this Church is not to make Baptism perfect,µ butpartly to try how ´the godparents have done their duty.µ Confirmation, Chapter III, Section 2.

20The Anglican Tradition, p. 424, section 436, resolution 111, ´The (Lambeth) Conference (of 1948, a plenaryconference of the broad Anglican communion which has no legislative, administrative or judicial force)recommends that those who have been confirmed should from time to time be given opportunity, after duepreparation, for the re-affirmation of vows and re-dedication.µ

21 For example: ´The laying on of hands in the Bible and in history must mean the imposition of the HolySpirit, as in Confirmation. Therefore, the laying on of hands in the Bible and in history is a form of Confirmation, in which the Holy Spirit is imposed.µ This is an informal logical fallacy of presumption called´begging the question.µ



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A po st le s f or the c on f i r mat ion o f G od·s W ord at that t ime .Thi rd ly , the sai d

s pe c i al gi ft d oth not now r emain w i th the s ucc e ss ors o f the A po st le s.µ 22

However, at the same time, the breadth and diversity ² not to say complete disagreement ²

among the other bishops contemporary with Cranmer is nothing short of stunning. Some

follow Cranmer·s lead, some are more politically savvy and therefore vague, and some arequite clear that Confirmation is a sacrament of the church. See Appendix I with an

extendedcitation on this topic.Given the historical review above, we shouldn·t be shocked at

such theological diversity among contemporaries.

We can also discern from the data that as more reformational thinking began to permeate

the church, the more clarity began to likewise emerge. That clarity typically consisted of

´putting offµ certain ideas and ´putting onµ others. Increasingly detached from

Confirmation were the ideas of: a) the completion of an insufficient baptism, and, b) aspecial or additional imposition of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. Increasingly

attached were the ideas of: a) catechetical examination, and, b) a mature affirmation or

confession of faith.This contrast and shift is well expressed in this citation fromConfirmation.

The d octr ine o f C on f i r mat ion in the (more Roman) Pra ye r B ook o f 1559 23

was pl ain; the r i t e was d e c l ar e d t o be f or str eng thening o f the ba pt ize d and f or a d e f enc e a g ain st all t emptat ion s t o s in; i t was t o be mini st e r e d b y a bi shop only , w i th l a ying on o f hands, and imme d i at ely be f or e that c e r emony came an invocat ion o f the H oly Gho st in H i s s even f ol d gi fts, a pra ye r, as has been

sai d above , whi ch had been in eve r y W e st e r n Ord e r f or C on f i r mat ion. F urthe r, C on f i r mat ion was d e c l ar e d ne c e ssar y be f or e f i rst C ommunion. B ut s uch t e aching d i d not w ell a g r ee w i th the s y st em s le ar nt b y tho s e E liz abe than

d ivine s who had been abr oad in Q ueen Mar y ·s r eign; c on s equent ly s oon aft e r the book o f 1559 had been author ize d Calvini st t e aching s oug ht t o minimize i ts d octr ine o f C on f i r mat ion , t e aching whi ch was s ubstant i ally i d ent i cal w i th

that o f the Church in the pr eviou s c ent ur ie s.

Thu s Thomas B e c on , who s e c oars e H umble S uppli cat ion has been r e f e rr e d t o above ( p. 79), publi she d in 1563 a short tr e at i s e on Chr i st i an d octr ine , The

D emands o f H oly Scr ipt ur e . H e d e c l ar e d that the r e be but tw o sacraments, s inc e , acc ord ing t o hi s d e f ini t ion , a sacrament mu st have been in st i t ut e d b y

22 Quoted in Confirmation, Chapter III, Section 1, in turn quoted from Miscellaneous Writings and Letters of

Archbishop Cranmer (Parker Soc.), p. 80.23 This BCP was a conservative (he r e me aning c on s e r v at ively Roman , MER) revision of the 1552 edition « to ahalt the movement in the previous two Prayer Books towards a more Protestant church. Some of the fewchanges made included: - Dropping the very last rubric in the Communion service (called the "Black Rubric"),which had sought to assure that kneeling during Communion did not in any way imply worship of theelements; - Combining the two versions of the sentences used for administration of the elements duringCommunion from the previous two Prayer Books; - Dropping prayers against the Pope from the Litany; and, -Adding a rubric to Morning Prayer prescribing the use of traditional vestments(http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1559/BCP_1559.htm).



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our Lord, the r e st be ´ hone st trad e s, god ly ord e rs o f li f e and vi rt uou s, mee t t o

be exe rc i s e d o f Chr i st i an s, as matr imony ,µ and the othe r f our le ss e r sacraments. H e tr e ats them short ly , and t o hi s ow n que st ion , ´ What i s C on f i r mat ion? µ he an sw e rs, ´ A god ly allowanc e b y the bi shop or pr e ache r o f

the chil dr en when they c ome t o a ge , int o the c ong r eg at ion o f Chr i st, aft e r a

d ue ex aminat ion or tr i al o f thei r c ont inuanc e in the same fai th whi ch thei r godfathe rs or s ur e t ie s in thei r name pr o f e ss e d and pr omi s e d f or them at thei r ba pt i s m t o keep. And thi s c on f i r mat ion i s, as i t w e r e , a d i schar ge o f the

godfathe rs· bounds ( i .e . bonds).µ H e r e i s no s ugge st ion o f any gi ft o f the H oly

S pi r i t, and the mini st e r o f the r i t e ma y be ´ the bi shop or pr e ache r.µ 24

The previous years from Henry VIII through Mary I had been a clash of people, but also

ideas. This citation is indicative of the theological discussion (and beheadings, burnings,drownings, imprisonments) that had been going on in the Church of England prior to the

accession to the throne of Elizabeth I. A kind of dialectical process had been going on,

which godly and thoughtful people with sufficient time could interpret and further process.

Of special note is Hooker·s thinking on Confirmation.Hooker·s Laws of EcclesiasticalPolitywere written at a crucial time in the history of the Church of England. His work was

being done after the initial reforming work of Cranmer and after the counter-reforming work

of Mary I of England, but during the reign of Elizabeth I, whose chief desire seems to have been pragmatic order, over finely tuned and socially upsetting theological disorder. His

work was written for two crucial purposes. First, he needed to protect the reforming church

from too extensive a catholicity that wanted to move back toward Rome. Second, he needed

to protect his ´reformed catholicµ church from too extensive an anti-Romanism.

His opposition was significant. From within, the Church of England suffered from the

ignorance of untrained clergy, the ćonservatismµ of those who still leaned toward Rome, as

well as the shrill voices of the more rabid reformers, both Puritans and Anabaptists. Fromwithout, the Church of England suffered from papal threats both theological and

governmental, and the pressure of the Continental reformers on the Church of England

pressing Canterbury to maintain that good thing that they had started.

How well did Hooker walk this thin line?

Book 5, Section 66 of Hooker·s Laws is devoted to the topic of confirmation (the entire

section is included in the Appendix II). In it, Hooker reviews the historic customs of the

ancient church regarding the imposition of hands, the work of the Holy Spirit as a result of the imposition of hands, the topic of confirmation itself, and particularly the reasons why

confirmation and the imposition of hands have historically been separated from baptism.

Finally, he sarcastically responds to four criticisms that had been made against confirmation by some of the Puritan reformers.

Hooker·s balancing act is worthy of any gymnast. Hooker carefully does do the following:

24Confirmation, Volume I, Chapter III, Confirmation In The Anglican Communion, by S. L. Ollard. Section2. ´From The Accession Of Queen Elizabeth, 1558, To The Publication Of The Fifth Book Of Hooker·sÉcclesiastical Polity,µ 1597.µ The authors are actually disgusted with this change of trajectory, being of anAnglo-Catholic bent.



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- he is careful to maintain the historicity of confirmation,

- he is careful to maintain the spiritual value of confirmation,

- he is careful to maintain the practical value of confirmation.

With equal care, Hooker does not do the following:

- he does not insist that confirmation is mandatory, as a sacrament,- he does not insist that the work of the Holy Spirit can only be given through the

imposition of a Bishop·s hands.

Hooker·s approach is not éither / or.µ Instead, his approach is´both / and.µ An éither /

orµ approach would mean that he would claim eitheran untainted theological reasoning for

mandating or forbidding confirmation (Roman sacramentalism / post-reformationalism), or abrogate the use of confirmation altogether because of its confusinghistorical usage

(evangelical pragmatism / individualism). Instead, what he does is bothacknowledge

confirmation as a means of grace in the same way that prayer is a means of grace25andlaments its lack of proper use as a pragmatic tool for a palpable need in the

church.26

Hooker·s argument is not flawless. He makes what I consider to be a key error by asserting

that´« the gift of miraculous operations by the power of the Holy Ghost they had not butonly at the apostles· own hands.µ27 There are several clear exceptions to this ´rule,µ such as

the ´signs and wondersµ done by Stephen in Acts 6.8 and the imposition of the Holy Spirit

through Ananias· hands on Saul/Paul in Acts 9.17. Whether this was an error due to lack of a good computer Bible program, or whether it reflected a theological predisposition, I have

not yet had the chance to research.

Why give so much time Hooker·s treatment on this topic? There are a number of reasons,the most important of which are these two. First, I believe that Hooker is one of the mostrigorous theological voices of the reforming Church of England. His is a voice with which

one must reckon, if one does an honest study of the reforming church·s theology and

25 ´The ancient custom of the Church was after they had baptized, to add thereunto imposition of hands witheffectual prayer for the illumination of God·s most Holy Spirit to confirm and perfect that which the grace of the same Spirit had already begun in baptism. For our means to obtain the graces which God doth bestow areour prayers.µ

26 ´For by this mean it came to pass that children in expectation thereof were seasoned with the principles of true religion before malice and corrupt examples depraved their minds, a good foundation was laid betimes for

direction of the course of their whole lives, the seed of the Church of God was preserved sincere and sound,the prelates and fathers of God·s family to whom the cure of their souls belonged saw by trial and examinationof them a part of their own heavy burden discharged, reaped comfort by beholding the first beginnings of truegodliness in tender years, glorified Him whose praise they found in the mouths of infants, and neglected not sofit opportunity of giving every one fatherly encouragement and exhortation. Whereunto imposition of handsand prayer being added, our warrant for the great good effect thereof is the same which Patriarchs, Prophets,Priests, Apostles, Fathers and men of God have had for such their particular invocations and benedictions, asno man I suppose professing truth of religion will easily think to have been without fruit.µ

27 Book V, Section 66, Paragraph 2.

Roman SacramentalismPragmatism (Puritan and

Anabaptist)Anglicanism on Confirmation



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practice. Second, I believe that we can find a hint of a solution in our time from Hooker·s

treatment of confirmation, more about which, when we talk about solutions.28

Pastorally ProblematicFinally, the history and present understanding of confirmation brings with it practical

pastoral problems, the most of which cluster around the meaning of ćommuningmembership.µ These are the kinds of questions that arise:

- Who can come to the table?- What is a member (voting and/or communing)?

- What about non-Anglican background Christians in our church?

It·s significant to remember that the problem of Confirmation and communion, and the

larger questions of the nature of church membership are not unique to Anglicanism. Theseissues affect every orthodox church.The words and forms change from tradition to tradition

but the problems regarding ínitiationµ seem essentially to be the same. For example:

- Baptists may require that a new believer be re-baptized, if they were baptized as an

infant.That approach betrays a doctrine of the sacraments foreign from Anglicanism, but still illustrates the problems outlined above.

- Presbyterians require several years of catechism training for children raised in the

church, but a membership class and some sort of public profession. The variationsare nearly endless.

- Calvary Chapel and similar ńon-denominational denominationsµ eschew the idea

of membership altogether.

Review the history of Jonathan Edward·s early ministry and the ´Half-way Covenantµ to

see how emotionally and politically laden these kinds of questions are.29

A Suggested Solution / Approach

Why Bother?

Really Worth The Effort?With certain assumptions under our belts, we press on toward a solution. One of the first

questions one might ask is: ´why bother?µ That is, if the history and theology of

confirmation are so confusing and unclear, let·s just get rid of it and move on.

The problem is that we have called ourselves Anglicans. We have committed ourselves tocertain assumptions, uses, forms, and theology. We, like Hooker, cannot say that

28 Here is not the place to address the matter in detail, but Hooker·s approach is a great example of theAnglican vi a me d i a and proves that the vi a me d i a is NOT a compromise position, but rather a courageousposition guaranteed to irritate everyone.

29 For a quick review, Wikipedia·s article on the Half-Way Covenant is helpful: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Way_Covenant.



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confirmation is a Biblically mandated rite, a sacrament in the Dominical sense.

Nevertheless, and again like Hooker, we must resist the temptation to throwout

confirmation because we don·t know what to think about it. As Hooker rightly (andfacetiously) puts it:

« w e look bac k t o the t ime s past, whi ch w i s e men d o al wa y s mor e r e s pe ct than the pr e s ent, i t hath been abu s e d, and i s f ound at the leng th no s uch

pr o f i table c e r emony as the whole s illy Church o f Chr i st f or the s pac e o f the s e

s ix t een hundr e d ye ars hath thr oug h want o f expe r ienc e ima gine d «

Sadly, I have heard this exact theme played out repeatedly among my contemporaries. One

may not know why some item of liturgy or ecclesial practiceexists, it is said, so they aregoing to change or remove it. ´Prove to me that I have to use confirmation, or I don·t feel

compelled to even worry about these things.µ

I dare say that the tendency to eschew words such as ´dioceseµ is an extension of the same

problem. While no doubt inadvertent, essentially they are saying that there is found ńosuch profitable ceremonyµ in ´the whole silly Church of Christ.µ This generation has now

discovered a brand new and better way ² which generally means ignoring catechesis. This is

akin to an automotive neophyte saying: ´My car is running badly. I·m going to look under the hood and tear out everything I don·t understand or don·t like!µ

I·m not saying that if one is not confirmed, one is going to miss heaven. But one is missing a

very useful teaching moment. One is purposely setting aside one of the most properlyecumenical moments that one may ever experience. Or one may only see it as a kind of evangelical bar mi t zv ah, a rite of passage. But one may also be feeding a culture that already

loves a colorful, patriotic, ritualistic, andnon-invasive faith.

However, these approaches put the burden of proof on the history of the church todemonstrate and prove the validity of confirmation. However, thinking Anglicanly puts the

burden of proof on us to prove that we should not hold to the practice of confirmation. In

other words, we·re stuck with confirmation, unless we can ² through biblically informed

tradition and reason ² prove that confirmation should be abandoned.

In my judgment, there are four values to be found in the use of Confirmation, all of which

are partly pragmatic and partly theological and all find a precedent somewhere in the

history and practice of the church. They are:

- Confessiona l ² both in the sense of a statement of doctrine and in the sense of a

statement of one·s faith. Íf you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be savedµ (Romans

10.9).

- Dedicatory ² a close corollary is that of dedication; of one·s self to Christ Jesus, toChrist·s church, and to a public life that corresponds with the faith of the heart.



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- Ecumenica l ² The écumenicalµ30 moment of a bishop in Christ·s church welcomingone into the larger church informs one·s faith, encourages one·s heart, and humbles

one.

- Catechetica l . . .

The Importance Of Catechesis31 Of all the excellent values to be attributed to confirmation that I·ve listed above, I believe

that it is the matter of ever-increasing knowledge and wisdom in the believer that mostrequires our attention. The other three elements (confessional, dedicatory, ecumenical) are

built into the rite and ² in fact ² will naturally follow, if catechesis is done. Without

catechesis, the whole structure crumbles. For the sake of keeping this paper shorter than itcould become, I concentrate on the last item ² catechesis ² only.

Knowledge (a command of facts) and wisdom (the attribute of knowing how to apply those

facts with good judgment) are increasingly lacking in the church of Christ. Why? It is this

writer·s opinion that the church and her pastors have historically been lax in the arena of religious training ² of catechesis ² for children and adults. Consider these evidences.

- A study by the Pew Forum Trust On Religion And Public Life, published 28

September 2010,32 showed that on average, Americans could answer 16 out of 32

questions about the Bible correctly. Those who did the best were, in this order:atheists/agnostics, Jews, and Mormons! White evangelical Protestants came in 4th

at 17.6% of the questions correctly answered.

- Bill Hybel·s of Willow Creek fame admits: ´We made a mistake. What we should

have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should

have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibilityto become 'self feeders.' We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read

their bible between services, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively

on their own.µ33

- JI Packer and Gary Parrett observe that Ás evangelical Christian educators, we see

catechesis as integral to the all-age Christian nurture that every congregation should

be practicing. Together we mourn its current eclipse, perceiving this as the deepest

root of the immaturity that is so widespread in evangelical circles, and we unite in

seeking the recognition, restoration, and indeed enhancement of it as a basicdiscipline of Christian life. In this we find that we see eye to eye with the late Pope

John Paul II and his successor, Benedict XVI, and we are happy to be in their

company at this point. Both have been clear and emphatic that in order to be fully

30 The word écumenicalµ has been spoiled by its use among those who are seeking to minimize the faith and

maximize únity.µ The word comes from the Greek (oikoumene),used in NT Koine Greek torefer to the whole world, as in ´this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as atestimony to all nations, and then the end will comeµ (Matt 24.14). Thus, properly, the word should beunderstood to refer to all those who believe Christ·s gospel and are members of Christ throughout the world.

31 By ćatechesisµ I simply mean religious instruction for all Christians.

32http://pewforum.org/Other-Beliefs-and-Practices/U-S-Religious-Knowledge-Survey.aspx, last accessed2010-10-22.

33http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6988, last accessed 2010-10-22.



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useful, Christians must know their faith well. We could not agree more.µ(Packer

2010)34

This is not solely a modern phenomenon. The call for catechesis stretches across the historyof the church.

- ´Dealing with Confirmation, Bucer insists that children should not be admitted to it

before they have proved by their life and conversation that they mean to live a godly

life. Mere recitation of the Catechism is not enough; they must show signs of the fruitof the Spirit.µ(Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge 1936)

- Bishops in the early history of the Church of England are constantly asking their

priests about the state of catechesis in their congregations, among whom can be

numbered Archbishops Parker, Cranmer, Grindal in the 1500s.35

- All of the magisterial reformers gave themselves to catechesis and other aspects of

education for the congregation. Luther·s Small Catechism was published in 1529 for the training of children, together with his Large Catechism for adults, saying

´Therefore it is the duty of every father of a family to question and examine his

children and servants at least once a week and to ascertain what they know of it, or are learning and, if they do not know it, to keep them faithfully at it.µ

- John Calvin wrote his famous Institutes (An Instruction In Christian Piety) to

instruct lay and clergy alike, as well as to demonstrate the truly catholic nature of the

reformers· doctrine to the world. Writing in 1548 to the Lord Protector of England,

he emphatically stated, ´Believe me, Monseigneur, the Church of God will never bepreserved without catechesis.µ36

- The catechism in the 1549 Book Of Common Prayer was Cranmer·s preparation, a

pattern that has been followed in preparation for confirmation ever since.

- Need one mention Jesus· own command to ´Go therefore and make disciples of all

nations « teaching them to observe all that I have commanded youµ (Matt 28.19-

20)?- Catechesis was integral even to the life of the church in the wilderness. Ńow this is

the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the LORD your God commanded

me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, topossess it « Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well

with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers,

has promised you « You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and

with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command youtoday shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and

shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and

when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand,

34 I am personally concerned about the trend in Anglicanism to set aside theological discussion, to minimizetheological difference, and yet at the same time to call the events of the last 10 years in Anglicanism a´reforming movement.µ The Reformation of the 1500s and 1600s was nothing less than theological in everyaspect, from liturgy, to hymnology, to education, to creedal formulation, and even to engagement with thegovernments of their day.

35 See Chapter III, Period 2 of Confirmation.

36 http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12446, last accessed 2010-10-22.



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and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the

doorposts of your house and on your gatesµ (Deu 6.1-9).

Catechesis has often been an element in the history of confirmation. Whether we callcatechesis ćonfirmation class,µ ´membership class,µ or ńew inquirers class,µ this

historical rite demands teaching, demonstrates that the local congregation and pastor are

under authority and are in intimate relationship with the larger church, and provides thegood order of uniform expectations of knowledge and practice.

So what does Confirmation mean when considered Anglicanly? As a beginning, recalling

Griffith-Thomas· summary of Hooker·s views on outward form and tradition will be

helpful.

Í n r eg ard t o matt e rs o f outward f or m , H ooke r l a y s d ow n f our s imple pr opo s i t ion s. (1) Any thing that can be show n t o s e t f orward god line ss i s t o be acc ept e d, notw i thstand ing s lig ht inc onvenienc e s that ma y accr ue . (2) I n

matt e rs whi ch d o not s ugge st in them s elve s f i t ne ss, the j ud gment o f ant iqui t y

ma y r ig ht ly w eig h in thei r acc eptanc e and r e t ent ion. (3) A part fr om D ivine l aw, c le ar ar gument, and publi c inc onvenienc e , the author i t y o f the Church

shoul d r ig ht ly w eig h w i th tr ue f ollow e rs o f Chr i st. (4) I f ne c e ss i t y or u s e f ulne ss r equi r e , c e rtain c e r emonie s ma y be d i s pen s e d w i th fr om t ime t o t ime .µ 37

Corresponding to these 4 statements:

1. It has been well demonstrated that Confirmation ćan be shown to set forward

godliness.µ

2. As complicated and confusing as the history of Confirmation is, ´the judgment of antiquityµ has universally ´weighe d in C on f i r mat ion·s acceptance and retention.µ

3. Since ´the authority of the Church should rightly weigh with true followers of Christ,µ as Anglicans, the burden is on us to demonstrate that we should dispense

with an ancient rite.4. Finally, if it is true that Íf necessity or usefulness require, certain ceremonies may be

dispensed with from time to time,µ ńecessity or usefulnessµ may also permit less

drastic measures, and allow an appropriate rethinking and retooling of such a rite as

Confirmation.

Remember that thinking Anglicanly means that we have the Bible as our superior authority,

with a godly well-informed mind using reason and respecting the history of the church. If

catechesis is crucial (as reason tells us) and if catechesis increasingly was tied together withconfirmation (as tradition and history tell us), then thinking Anglicanly suggests that we

keep confirmation and reconsider it in the light of the increasing catechetical thrust of thelast centuries.

37 See footnote 15, here summarizing Hooker·s Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, Book V, Chapters 6-9



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A Proposed Model

Bases For A Proposed SolutionOk, so let·s assume we keep confirmation. But what do we do with it? The confusion in the

church on this topic isn·t helpful and ignoring it isn·t blissful. So what do we do?

In answer to that question, I have taken tips from several sources, listed here in order of

significance:

1) The language of the 39 Articles, that Ćonfirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony,and Extreme Unction, arenot to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being «

partly arestatesof life allowed in the Scriptures.µ38 If confirmation, like marriage or ordination, are ´states of lifeµ ² an individual·s S i t zim Le ben ² about which the

Scriptures give instruction and command, ought we not use those ´statesµ andmoments as tools for the edification of our congregations?

2) Hooker·s careful treading of the theological and historical/traditional line regarding

confirmation, namely:a. His respect for the church·s wisdom and tradition over the centuries, b. His respect for good order,

c. His passion for catechesis.

3) Ínspirationµ in the comments of the reformer Martin Bucer on Cranmer·sconfirmation office. He states that candidates are those ´who have confirmed the

confession of their mouth with a manner of life consistent with it and from whose

conduct it can be discerned that they make a profession of their own and notanother·s.µ39( emphas i s mine )

4) The influence on me of the doctrine of the covenant, explained through its modelingafter Near Eastern suzerainty treaties.40

I am proposing that confirmation follow the normal order of growth in the believer as found

analogously in the biological growth of a human. While the Romanists have erred by givingan overly sacramental twist to these states of life, they have rightly recognized that the

church must provide a spiritual framework for each of these conditions of life. If the church

of Christ will not provide the framework, the world most certainly will and does.

Furthermore, it is my sincerest hope that the result of this rethinking will strengthen thedoctrine and discipline of the church in all sorts of areas, through the strengthening of the

meaning and use of confirmation.

Presentation Of The Model

In developing the following spiritual growth model, this writer thought it important to beable to derive the principles of this model from Scripture. Initially, there was no attempt to

find these five stages exactly presented in Scripture. It would have sufficed to find an

evidence of God·s recognition and provision of structures for states of life

38 Article 25.

39Sykes 1988, p. 263, para. 4.

40 See Ray Sutton·s very helpful ´That You May Prosper: Dominion By Covenant.µ



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generally.However, after constructing the modelI saw that the five stages of spiritual life

referred to in the Articles as ´states of lifeµ bear a resemblance both to the biological or

chronological stages of lifeandto the covenantal-suzerainty model mentioned above.

The covenantal model holds that God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. As

such, he has revealed himself in the Bible covenantally. The nature of this covenant is well

defined and common to the entire fabric of Scripture. This covenantal model has five major parts which have been titled1) Transcendence, 2) Hierarchy, 3) Ethics, 4) Oaths, 5)

Succession.

Those familiar with the covenantal model will see the connection between the ´states of

lifeµ which are proposed and the parts of the covenantal model. These covenantal parts areincluded in the chart below.Though I have been influenced by covenantal-suzerainty model,

the reader may either be unfamiliar with that model, or disagree with it. Even in that case,

the proposed model applies, since we have in Scripture the general recognition of andprovision for the 25th Article·s ´states of life.µWe may find Biblical support for God·s

recognition of states of life when we recognize, for example:

- Special sacrifices were offered upon the delivery of a child (see Lev. 12.2-8), the state

of life being birth.

- Circumcision was the OT rite normally carried out shortly after birth. In the ordinary

NT covenant family, baptism has taken its place(see Lev. 12.3, Col. 2.11-12).

- Differentiation is made in the law between a child still under the authority of his

parents (for example, Deu21.18-20) and an adult responsible for his own acts (see

most any other law). This recognizes a transition from childhood into adulthood.

- Formal retirement provisions are made for the priests in Num. 8.23-26, a form of

providing for the succession of leadership.

Here·s what I mean to say.

Biologica l Ecclesiastica l Covenanta l

Birth - is the entrance into theworld, the visible body of humanity.

Baptism - For the covenantćhild,µ whether chronologicallyyoung or old, baptism is theritual of initiation into the visible body of Christ. It is symbolic of washing and cleansing.

Transcendence - the new birthcomes entirely from God. AsPaul says, it does not ´dependon the man who wills or theman who runs, but on Godwho has mercy.µ (Romans9.16) Baptism shows God·sdistinct transcendence by thefact that he is in authority over the one who is saved, hesustains the one who is saved,and he places both his visibleseal of baptism and the invisibleseal of the Holy Spirit on the believer.

Weaning - as the infant grows,it is progressively weaned from

Communion - is that God-ordained sacrament which

Hierarchy - the weaningprocess shows hierarchy



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the mother·s breast to theordinary food of the table. Thechild holds its own utensils,

makes its own food choices andis aware of what it likes anddislikes.

speaks of the on-going feeding of the believer on Christ as Savior.This corresponds to the child·s

being weaned from the milk of the parent·s faith to the food of the family table, and its beginning to understand whatare its responsibilities andprivileges in éatingµ from thefamily table.

because God has ordainedauthorities in his creation, inthis case including the authority

of church and parents over his´little ones,µ whatever their chronological age. Communionis also hierarchical in nature because God feeds us from histable through the mediation of his Son who in turn hasordained order in theadministration of the church.

Increasing Maturity - While itis recognized that all of life is a

training ground for thematuring human; as adulthoodapproaches, more responsibilityand privilege and more specificand formal training are given inpreparation for adulthood. Thechild makes its own bed,washes the dishes, drives thecar, balances a check book andgoes off to college. Yet, in allthese things, prior to fulladulthood the child is never

entirely allowed to subsist apartfrom parental care.

Forma l Catechism Training -All of the Christian life is

essentially catechetical. Training begins from the earliest days andcontinues throughout life.However, the church has noformal time which correspondsto increased maturity in biological growth. This modelshould work regardless of thechronological age of thematuring Christian. Too often,older converts are presumed to be fit for mature and

independent spiritual living,when they are in fact spirituallyas helpless as a child. Duringthis time, both the parents (if applicable) and the church oughtto take an active role inpreparing the ćhildµ (regardlessof chronology) for independentChristian maturity. Catechismtraining in this sense is moreformal and specialized.

Ethics - This may be called theethical stage in that the law of

the transcendent God, whichhas been communicatedthrough the mediation of hisword, his Son, and his people iscommunicated to the growing believer. On one level, thisprocess is always taking placefrom birth onwards pursuant toDeu. 6.6-9. On another level,the less formal training becomes more intensive andsophisticated toward the end

that the maturing believer willone day be able to disciplehis/her own family.

Adul

thood - Nearly everyculture has recognizable rites of passage into independentadulthood. In our culture;marriage, moving into one·sown apartment and the age of majority are three of the morecommon rituals. At adulthood,the human is considered

Spiritua l

Ádul

thoodµ -Confirmation is the rite of aChristian ćoming of age,µ of coming to a place of independent thought andresponsibility. Rather than beingof indeterminate place in theChristian growth, it ought be thepublic statement of the believer

Oaths - With adulthood comesthe stage of independentresponsibility. Not only is thegrowing believer cognizant of the blessings and cursings (seeDeu. 11), but he is also ableand willing to take uponhimself the responsibility to



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essentially self-sufficient andresponsible for one·s ownwelfare. This change in societal

status is often marked by suchrights as the right to makecontracts and the right to bepunished for crimesindependent of parentalresponsibility and oversight.

that he is himself aware of hisresponsibilities and fullyprepared to independently

undertake those responsibilities.As Bucer said; candidates should be those ´who have confirmedthe confession of their mouthwith a manner of life consistentwith it and from whose conductit can be discerned that theymake a profession of their ownand not another·s.µ

obey or be punished.

Other - Marriage, Death, etc. From here, we may branch theanalogy out into a variety of

stages of life which are alreadywell covered by tradition andScripture; including marriage,death, and ordination.

Successions - These other ´states of lifeµ provide for

continuance of God·sorganization. Spiritually this istrue in ordination - pastorsproviding for the on-goinggrowth of the church.Physically it is true in marriage- for the on-going growth of families. Eschatologically it·strue in death - since thesuccession of believers into theinvisible church is the last andgreatest ´stage of life.µ

A BriefWalk-Through Of The ModelEvery principle ought to have practical application to action, word and thought. So alsomust this theoretical model.Please remember that:

- This paper is not attempting to establish church-wide practice. These observations

and suggestions are simply intended to spur the reader and the church to further

discussion.

- This model is designed to apply to a Christian at any chronological age; whether the

literal covenant child at 6 years of age, or the 60 year old new convert.

- This is only a thumbnail sketch.

- Finally, any real solution must be made a matter of episcopal oversight.

Let·s take each stage one by one.

1. Baptism - This stage is obvious both for the infant and the adult believer. Since

baptism is the rite of initiation into the visible body and a symbol of God·s cleansing(not man·s confessing), then age is irrelevant. Therefore, pastors should be

encouraging believing parents to incorporate their children into the body of Christ

through this Dominically commanded symbol.



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25

2. Weaning - For the child, as soon as a basic Biblical confession of faith 41 can be made,

and with the consent of parent and pastor, the child should be allowed to partake of

the Lord·s Supper. For the believing adult, confession/profession precedes baptism. Iknow that this raises the question of unconfirmed children at the table. This topic

will be dealt with in another paper.

3. Training - This is more natural and life-long for the child. Sunday School, youthgroup, and other forums exist for children to be learning the faith. Unfortunately,

adults are more lax in this area. For adults, Sunday School often means ćhildren·s

time.µ For an adult, it is presently possible to baptize, confirm, commune, bring into

church membership, give voting rights to, and vote into leadership a new adultconvert all on the same day. An appropriate period of more sophisticated training

than received at home or through normal personal study might be given to adult

believers as well as to children prior to full voting church membership, the privilegeof leadership, or other ádultµ spiritual responsibilities. We need to somehow change

the perspective that on-going training for adults is demeaning, or not expected as part

of their participation as members of the church.

4. Adulthood/Confirmation - The child·s passage into chronological adulthood willoften approximately coincide with his spiritual passage into adulthood. Confirmation

will have a far more substantive influence on believers if we wait until they are able,

willing, even desirous to understand more sophisticated matters of churchmanship,theology, and the like. However, it is conceivable that a spiritually precocious child

could come to this point at an early age and that a lax or rebellious child may well

come to this point at a much later age. For the adult, this spiritual ádulthoodµ may

come to fruition only a few months after conversion or some years later.5. Other ²Proper preparation for marriage, a solid commitment of the local church to

mentoring and discipling and disciplining her members, the use of visitation to effectreal ministry in the life of her members a l a Richard Baxter·s The Reformed Pastor,

the clear preaching of the gospel at funerals: these are all additional opportunitiesand ´states of lifeµ in which profitable ministry ought to be done.

This brief application of the model certainly does not anticipate and answer all the

hypothetical problems that could be posited. Many blanks are left to fill in. Fuller expositionmust wait for another time or other hands.However, the model is not simply theory. At

every stage, catechesis, holistic church discipline of that sort that encouragesas well as

corrects, and faithful service are all gradually understood and taken upon oneself as spiritualgrowth progresses. And it·s this spiritual growth that I have in mind most of all.

41 I hold that a basic confession of faith consists of something like Paul·s words; ´The word of faith which weare preaching, is that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raisedHim from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and withthe mouth he confesses, resulting in salvationµ (Rom. 10.8-10). Of course, there should always be thecontinually increasing understanding of the purpose and nature of communion as well as of the rest of Biblicaldoctrine.



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Appendix I ² Diversity Of Episcopal Opinion Among

Cranmer·s ContemporariesThi s i s an ex t end e d c i tat ion fr om C on f i r mat ion , V olume I , Cha pt e r III , P e r iod or S e ct ion I . I have e d i t e d thi s s e ct ion int o bulle t points f or e as ie r r e ad ing . The author, S. L. O ll ard, i s r e c ount ing how

v ar iou s bi shop s and theologi an s r e s pond e d t o thr ee que st ion s put t o them b y H enr y V III as he was c on s i d e r ing a c onc ord w i th Luthe ran G e r many . The f i rst que st ion put was «

´Whether this Sacrament (of Confirmation) be a Sacrament of the New Testamentinstituted by Christ, or not?

- The Bishop of Ely (Goodrich) found no mention of the institution of Confirmation

ás it is now usedµ by our Lord in the New Testament, and,

- the Bishop of Rochester (Hilsey) had a long exordium to prove that Confirmation asthen used was not the same as the New Testament ceremony;

- the Bishop of Bangor (Capon, alias Salcot, late Bishop of Salisbury) held it to be a

Sacrament of the New Testament, i.e. not instituted of Christ, but by the Fathers.Thus four of the seven bishops were on this side.

- Of the divines,42 Dr. Barber, chaplain to Archbishop Cranmer and Official of his

court at Canterbury, replies that the institution of Confirmation is not clear from

Holy Scripture. He thinks it was handed down in the Church from the Apostles, and,- Dr. Edmunds, Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge (who was privately ´marriedµ some

years before such unions had been recognized as lawful by Church or State), was of

the same opinion. Confirmation, he held, was not instituted by Christ by any expressword of Holy Scripture, but only by tradition from the Fathers. These two alone of

the divines followed the lead of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The second question of the matter, form, and grace of the Sacrament elicited equally

interesting answers.

- The Archbishop of York held that the signing (with chrism) by the bishop,c on s ignat io, was the outward sign, and that the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost were

conferred by it.

- The Bishop of Lincoln regarded the outward sign as imposition of hands and signingof the cross on the forehead, chrism being added.

- The Bishop of London held the matter and form to be the words of signing with the

cream and imposition of the bishop·s hands. The grace is the increase of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially fortitude. These were the conservative bishops.

- Of the divines Dean Wotton held the outward sign to be the touching and marking of the forehead by the Minister for that Sacrament deputed, and the grace to be a

corroboration or strengthening to resist the ghostly enemy.

42 Meaning ´theologians.µ





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Edmunds insists that there is no promise made by Christ to those who receive

Confirmation.



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Appendix II ² Hooker On Confirmation

H ooke r d evot e s an ent i r e s e ct ion o f hi s Laws Of Ecc le s i ast i cal P oli t y t o the t opi c o f c on f i r mat ion (B ook

V, S e ct ion 66). That ent i r e s e ct ion i s r epr od uc e d he r e . The port ion s o f H ooke r·s end not e s that ar e c i tat ion s fr om the Fathe rs in the or iginal Lat in and Gr eek have been omi tt e d. F or tho s e who ma y

w ond e r at the pl ac ement o f s ome o f the f oot not e s, thei r pl ac ement r epr od uc e s that o f my c opy o f H ooke r·s Laws.

The ancient custom of the Church was after they had baptized, to add thereunto imposition

of hands with effectual prayer for the illumination of God·s most Holy Spiritto confirm andperfect that which the grace of the same Spirit had already begun in baptism.

For our means to obtain the graces which God doth bestow are our prayers. Our prayers tothat intent are available as well for others as for ourselves. To pray for others is t o ble ss them

for whom we pray, because prayer procureth the blessing of God upon them, especially the

prayer of such as God either most respecteth for their piety and zeal that way, or elseregardeth for that their place and calling bindeth them above others unto this duty as it doth

both natural and spiritual fathers.

With prayers of spiritual and personal benediction the manner hath been in all ages to useimpo s i t ion o f hands, as a ceremony betokening our r e straine d d e s i r e s to the party, whom we

present unto God by prayer. Thus when Israel ble ss e d Ephraim and Manasses Joseph·s sons,

he impo s e d upon them his hands and prayed43, ´God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham

and Isaac did walk, God which hath fed me all my life long unto this day, and the Angel

which hath delivered me from evil bless these children.µ The prophets which healed diseases

by prayer, used therein the selfsame ceremony. And therefore when Eliseus willed Naamanto wash himself seven times in Jordan for cure of his foul disease it much offended him;

44Í thought,µ saith he, ´with myself, surely the man will come forth and stand and call

upon the name of the Lord his God, and put his hand on the place to the end he may soheal the leprosy.µ In consecrations and ordinations of men unto rooms of divine calling, the

like was usually done from the time of Moses to Christ.45 Their suits that came unto Christ

for help were also tendered oftentimes and are expressed in such forms or phrases of speech

as shew that he was himself an observer of the same custom. 46 He which with imposition of hands and prayer did so great works of mercy for restoration of bodily health, was worthily

judged as able to effect the infusion of heavenly grace into them whose age was not yet

depraved with that malice which might be supposed a bar to the goodness of God towardsthem. They47 brought him therefore young children to put hi s hands upon them and pra y .

43 Gen. xlviii. 14.

442 Kings v. 11.

45 Num. xxvii. 18.

46 Matt. ix. 18; Mark v. 23; viii. 22.

47 Matt. xix. 13; Mark x. 13; Luke xviii. 15.



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[2.]After the ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that which he had begun

continued in the daily practice of his Apostles, whose prayer and imposition of hands were a

mean whereby thousands became partakers of the wonderful gifts of God. The Church hadreceived from Christ a promise that such as have believed in him these signs and tokens

should follow them.48 ´To cast out devils, to speak with tongues, to drive away serpents, to

be free from the harm which any deadly poison could work, and to cure diseases byimposition of hands.µ Which power, common at the first in a manner unto all believe rs, all

believers had not power to derive or communicate unto all other men, but whosoever was

the instrument of God to instruct, convert and baptize them, the gift of miraculous

operations by the power of the Holy Ghost they had not but only at the Apostles· ownhands.49 For which cause Simon Magus perceiving that power to be in none but them, and

presuming that they which had it might sell it, sought to purchase it of them with money.50

[3.]And as miraculous graces of the Spirit continued after the Apostles· times; 51(´for,µsaithIrenæus, ´they which are truly his disciples do in his name and through grace received

from him such works for the benefit of other men as every of them is by him enabled to

work; some cast out devils, insomuch as they which are delivered from wicked spirits have

been thereby wonunto Christ, and do constantly persevere in the church and society of faithful men; some excel in the knowledge of things to come, in the grace of visions from

God, and the gift of prophetical predictions; some by laying on their hands restore them to

health which are grievously afflicted with sickness; yea there are that of dead have beenmade alive and have afterwards many years conversed with us. What should I say? The gifts

are innumerable wherewith God hath enriched his Church throughout the world, and by

virtue whereof in the name of Christ crucified under Pontius Pilate the Church every day

doth many wonders for the good of nations, neither fraudulently nor in any respect of lucreand gain to herself, but as freely bestowing as God on her hath bestowed his divine graces;µ)

so it no where appeareth that ever any did by prayer and imposition of hands sithence theApostles· times make others partakers of the like mi rac ulou s gi fts and graces, as long as it

pleased God to continue the same in his Church, but only Bishops the Apostles· successorsfor a time even in that power. St. Augustine acknowledgeth that such gifts were not

permitted to last always, lest men should wax cold with the commonness of that the

strangeness whereof at the first inflamed them.52 Which words of St. Augustine declaringhow the vulgar use of those miracles was then expired, are no prejudice to the like

extraordinary graces more rarely observed in some either then or of later days.

[4.]Now whereas the successors of the Apostles had but only for a time such power as by

prayer and imposition of hands to bestow the Holy Ghost, the reason whereforeconfirmation nevertheless by prayer and laying on of hands hath hitherto always continued,

is for other very special benefits which the Church thereby enjoyeth. The Fathers every

where impute unto it that gift or grace of the Holy Ghost, not which maketh us first

48 Mark xvi. 17.

49 Acts xix. 6.

50 Acts viii. 17, 18.

51 Iren. lib. ii. cap. 57, p. 188. C i tat ion in Gr eek omi tt e d.

52 August. de Vera Relig. cap. 25, t. i. 76.C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.



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Christian men, but when we are made such, assisteth us in all virtue, armeth us against

temptation and sin. For, after baptism administered, ´there followeth,µ saith Tertullian,53

ímposition of hands with invocation and invitation of the Holy Ghost, which willinglycometh down from the Father to rest upon the purified and blessed bodies, as it were

acknowledging the waters of baptism a fit seat.µ St. Cyprian in more particular manner

alluding to that effect of the Spirit which here especially was respected,54 ´How great,µ saithhe, ís that power and force wherewith the mind is hereµ (he meaneth in baptism) énabled,

being not only withdrawn from that pernicious hold which the world before had of it, nor

only so purified and made clean that no stain or blemish of the enemy·s invasion doth

remain, but over and besidesµ (namely through prayer and imposition of hands) ´becomethyet greater, yet mightier in strength, so far as to reign with a kind of imperial dominion over

the whole band of that roaming and spoiling adversary.µ As much is signified by Eusebius

Emisenus saying, ´The Holy Ghost which descendeth with saving influence upon thewaters of baptism doth there give that fulness which sufficeth for innocency, and afterwards

exhibiteth in confirmation an augmentation of further grace.µ55 The Fathers therefore beingthus persuaded held confirmation as56an ordinance apostolic al wa y s pr o f i table 57in God·s

Church, although not always accompanied with equal largeness of those external effectswhich gave it countenance at the first.

[5.]The cause of severing confirmation from baptism (for most commonly they went

together) was sometimes in the minister, which being of inferior degree might baptizebut notconfirm, as in their case it came to pass whom Peter and John did confirm, whereas Philip

had before baptized them;58 and in theirs of whom St. Jerome hath said,59 Í deny not but

the custom of the churches is that the Bishop should go abroad, and imposing his hands

pray for the gift of the Holy Ghost on them whom presbyters and deacons far off in lesser cities have already baptized.µ Which ancient custom of the Church St. Cyprian groundeth

upon the example of Peter and John in the eighth of the Acts before alleged.60

The faithful in Samaria, saith he, ´had already obtained baptism: only that which waswanting Peter and John supplied, by prayer and imposition of hands to the end the Holy

Ghost might be poured upon them. Which also is done amongst ourselves, when they

which be already baptized are brought to the Prelates of the Church to obtain by our prayer

and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost.µ By this it appeareth that when the ministers of baptism were persons of inferior degree, the Bishops did after confirm whom such had

before baptized.

53Tertull. deBaptis., c. 8, see Gen. i. 2. C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.

54Cypr. Tract. adDonat. c. 2. (5.), t. i. p. 4.C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.

55

Euseb. Emis. Ser. de Pentec., p. 572. par. i. tom. v. Biblioth. Patr. Colon. C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d. Hooker, b.vi. expresses an opinion that these homilies were Salvian·s.

56 Aug. de Trin. lib. xv. cap. 26., t. viii. 999.C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.

57 Heb. vi. 2.

58 Acts viii. 12-17.

59Hieron. advers. Lucif. cap. 4. (= 9.), t. ii. p. 139.C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.

60Cypr. Epist. 73. [c. 6. = 9.] adJubaianum. t. ii. p. 202.C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.



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[6.]Sometimes they which by force of their ecclesiastical calling might do as well the one as

the other, were notwithstanding men whom heresy had disjoined from the fellowship of true

believers. Whereupon when any man by them baptized and confirmed came afterwards tosee and renounce their error, there grew in some churches very hot contention about the

manner of admitting such into the bosom of the true Church, as hath been declared already

in the question of rebaptization. But the general received custom was only to admit themwith imposition of hands and prayer. Of which custom while some imagined the reason to

be for that heretics might give remission of sins by baptism, but not the Spirit by imposition

of hands because themselves had not God·s Spirit, and that therefore their baptism might

stand, but confirmation must be given again: the imbecility of this ground gave Cyprianoccasion to oppose himself against the practice of the Church herein, labouring many ways

to prove that heretics could do neither,61 and, consequently, that their baptism in all respects

was as frustrate as their chrism; for the manner of those times was in confirming to useanointing.62 On the other side against Luciferians which ratified only the baptism of heretics

but disannulled their confirmations and consecrations under pretence of the reason which

hath been before specified, ´heretics cannot give the Holy Ghost,µ St. Jerome proveth at

large, that if baptism by heretics be granted available to remission of sins, which no manreceiveth without the Spirit, it must needs follow that the reason taken from disability of

bestowing the Holy Ghost was no reason wherefore the Church should admit converts with

any new imposition of hands. Notwithstanding because it might be objected, that if the giftof the Holy Ghost do always join itself with true baptism, the Church, which thinketh the

bishop·s confirmation after other men·s baptism needful for the obtaining of the Holy

Ghost, should hold an error, St. Jerome hereunto maketh answer, that the cause of this

observation is not any absolute impossibility of receiving the Holy Ghost by the sacramentof baptism unless a bishop add after it the imposition of hands, but rather a certain congruity

and fitness to honour prelacy with such preeminences, because the safety of the Church

dependeth upon the dignity of her chief superiors, to whom if some eminent offices of

power above others should not be given, there would be in the Church as many schisms aspriests.63 By which answer it appeareth his opinion was, that the Holy Ghost is received in

baptism; that confirmation is only a sacramental complement; that the reason why bishops

alone did ordinarily confirm, was not because the benefit, grace, and dignity thereof isgreater than of baptism, but rather, for that by the Sacrament of Baptism men being

admitted into God·s Church, it was both reasonable and convenient that if he baptize them

not unto whom the chiefest authority and charge of their souls belongeth, yet for honour·ssake and in token of his spiritual superiority over them, because to bless is an act of

authority,64the performance of this annexed ceremony should be sought for at his hands.

Now what effect their imposition of hands hath either after baptism administered by heretics

61 Ep. 74. (c. 5.) ii. 213, et Ep. 75. (c. 18.) FirmilianusCypriano, p. 226.C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.

62Tertull. deBaptismo, c. 7. C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d. This seems to be the earliest mention of Chrism. SeeBingham, Antiq. xii. 3. 2. From Tertullian·s mode of speaking, it would seem to have been then a settled andprobably a general custom. And Bishop Pearson (Lect. in Act. Apost. v. 6.) considers it to have been practisedimmediately after the Apostles.

63 Cap. 6. t. ii. 137-139. C i tat ion in Lat in omi tt e d.

64 Heb. vii. 7.



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or otherwise, St. Jerome in that place hath made no mention, because all men understood

that in converts it tendeth to the fruits of repentance, and craveth in behalf of the penitent

such grace as David after his fall desired at the hands of God;65 in others the fruit and benefitthereof is that which hath been before shewed.

[7.]Finally sometime the cause of severing confirmation from baptism was in the parties that

received baptism being infants, at which age they might be very well admitted to live in thefamily; but because to fight in the army of God, to discharge the duties of a Christian man,

to bring forth the fruits and to do the works of the Holy Ghost their time of ability was not

yet come (so that baptism were not deferred) there could by stay of their confirmation no

harm ensue but rather good. For by this mean it came to pass that children in expectationthereof were seasoned with the principles of true religion before malice and corrupt

examples depraved their minds,a good foundation was laid betimes for direction of the

course of their whole lives, the seed of the Church of God was preserved sincere and sound,the prelates and fathers of God·s family to whom the cure of their souls belonged saw by

trial and examination of them a part of their own heavy burden discharged, reaped comfort

by beholding the first beginnings of true godliness in tender years, glorified Him whose

praise they found in the mouths of infants, and neglected not so fit opportunity of givingevery one fatherly encouragement and exhortation. Whereunto imposition of hands and

prayer being added, our warrant for the great good effect thereof is the same which

Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests, Apostles, Fathers and men of God have had for such their particular invocations and benedictions, as no man I suppose professing truth of religion

will easily think to have been without fruit.

[8.]No, there is no cause we should doubt of the benefit, but surely great cause to make

complaint of the deep neglect of this Christian duty66almost with all them to whom by rightof their place and calling the same belongeth. Let them not take it in evil part, the thing is

true, their small regard hereunto hath done harm in the Church of God. That which error

rashly uttereth in disgrace of good things67

may peradventure be sponged out, when the printof those evils which are grown through neglect will remain behind.

65 Psalm li. 10-12.

66Caudry in Strype, Aylm. 89. ´The Bishops themselves, for the most part, these twenty-nine years, had notobserved it,µ (the Book of Common Prayer) . . . ín not confirming of children.µ Archbishop Whitgift writes,in a circular letter, Sept. 1591, Í am very sorry to hear that my brethren, the Bishops of the province of Canterbury, do so generally begin to neglect to confirm children; at least, to call for and exact both the use of it, and of the catechising children in the Church by the minister.µ Strype, Whitg. iii. 289.

67 [Adm. ap. Whitg. Def. 725. Ás for confirmation, as they use it by the Bishop alone to them that lack bothdiscretion and faith, it is superstitious, and not agreeable to the word of God, but popish and peevish. We

speak not of other toys used in it: and how far it differeth from the first institution, they themselves that arelearned can witness.µ] T. C. lib. i. p. 199. [160.] ´Tell me why there should be any such confirmation in theChurch, being brought in by the feigned decretal epistles of the Popes,µ (this is retracted by the same T. C. lib.iii. p. 232. ´That it is ancienter than the feigned decretal epistles I yield unto:µ) ánd no one tittle thereof beingonce found in the Scripture, and seeing that it hath been so horribly abused, and not necessary, why ought itnot to be utterly abolished? and thirdly this confirmation hath many dangerous points in it. The first step of popery in this confirmation is the laying on of hands upon the head of the child, whereby the opinion of it thatit is a sacrament is confirmed, especially when as the prayer doth say that it is done according to the exampleof the Apostles, which is a manifest untruth, and taken indeed from the popish confirmation. The second is for that the bishop as he is called must be the only minister of it, whereby the popish opinion which esteemeth it



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[9.]Thus much therefore generally spoken may serve for answer unto their demands that

require us to tell them ´why there should be any such confirmation in the Church,µ seeing

we are not ignorant how earnestly they have protested against it; and how directly (althoughuntruly, for so they are content to acknowledge) it hath by some of them been said to be

´first brought in by the feigned decretal epistles of the Popes:µ or why it should not be

útterly abolished, seeing that no one tittle thereof can be once found in the wholeScripture,µ except the epistle to the Hebrews be Scripture:68 and again seeing that how free

soever it be now from abuse, if we look back to the times past, which wise men do alwaysmore respect than the present, it hath been abused, and is found at the length no such

pr o f i table c e r emony as the whole silly Church of Christ for the space of these sixteen hundred

years hath through want of experience imagined: last of all ´seeingµ also besides the cruelty

which is shewed towards poor country people, who are fain sometime to let their ploughs

stand still, and with incredible wearisome toil of their feeble bodies to wander over mountains and through woods it may be now and then little less than a whole ´half-score of

milesµ for a bishop·s blessing, ´which if it were needful might as well be done at home in

their own parishes,µ rather than they to purchase it with so great loss and so intolerable

pain. There are they say in confirmation besides this, thr ee terrible points.

The first is ´laying on of hands with pretence that the same is done to the example of the

Apostles,µ which is not only as they suppose á manifest untruthµ69 (for all the world doth

know that the Apostles did never after baptism lay hands on any, and therefore St. Luke

which saith they did was much deceived70) but farther also we thereby teach men to think impo s i t ion o f hands a sacrament, belike because it is a principle engrafted by common light of

nature in the minds of men that all things done by apostolic example must needs be

sacraments.

The second high point of danger is, that by ´tying confirmation to the bishop alone there is

great cause of suspicion given to think that baptism is not so precious a thing as

confirmation:µ for will any man think that a velvet coat is of more price than a linen coif,knowing the one to be an ordinary garment, the other an ornament which only sergeants atlaw do wear?

Finally, to draw to an end of perils, the last and the weightiest hazard is where the book itself doth say that children by impo s i t ion of hands and prayer may receive str eng th against all

above baptism is confirmed. For whilst baptism may be ministered of the minister, and not confirmation butonly of the bishop, there is great cause of suspicion given to think that baptism is not so precious a thing asconfirmation, seeing this was one of the principal reasons whereby that wicked opinion was established inpopery. I do not here speak of the inconvenience, that men are constrained with charges to bring their childrenoftentimes half a score miles for that which if it were needful might be as well done at home in their own

parishes. The third is for that the book saith a cause of using confirmation is that by imposition of hands andprayer the children may receive strength and defence against all temptations, whereas there is no promise that by the laying on of hands upon children any such gift shall be given; and it maintaineth the popish distinction,that the Spirit of God is given at baptism unto remission of sins, and in confirmation unto strength.µ [Comp.Whitg. Def. 785; T. C. iii.232; Learned Disc.ap. Bridges, Def. of Gov. p. 806.]

68 Heb. vi. 2.

69So 2 Adm. 42. Ít hath no ground out of the Scriptures at all.µ

70 Acts viii. 15, 17.



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temptation: which speech as a two-edged sword doth both ways dangerously wound; partly

because it ascribeth grace to imposition of hands, whereby we are able no more to assureourselves in the warrant of any pr omi s e fr om G od that his heavenly grace shall be given, than

the Apostle was that himself should obtain grace by the bowing of his knees to God;71 andpartly because by using the very word str eng th in this matter, a word so apt to spread

infection, we ´maintainµ with ´popishµ evangelists an old forlorn ´distinctionµ of the HolyGhost bestowed upon Christ·s Apostles before his ascension into heaven,72 andáugmentedµ upon them afterwards,73 a distinction of g rac e infused into Christian men by

degrees,planted in them at the f i rst by baptism, aft e r cherished, watered, and (be it spoken

without offence) str eng thene d as by other virtuous offices which piety and true religion

teacheth, even so by this very special benediction whereof we speak, the rite or ceremony of

Confirmation.

71 Ephes. iii. 14.

72 John xx. 22.

73 Acts i. 8.



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Appendix III ² Questionnaire For Confirmation Presentation

At Network Retreat

Confirmation Breakout Session Questionnaire P le as e an sw e r the s e que st ion s acc ord ing t o your minds e t fr om the t ime be f or e the s e ss ion start e d. Al s o ,

c omments about the s e ss ion , the le ad e r, or the mat e r i al ar e w el c ome at the bott om.

1. Are you clergy _____ or lay _____?

2. How long have you been an Episcopalian / Anglican?

a. 0 to 2 year _____

b. 3 to 7 years _____

c. 7 to 11 years _____

d. 12 to 20 years _____

e. nearly forever _____

3. Is Confirmation practiced in your church at present; yes _____, no _____, unknown

_____?

4. Is Confirmation required before anyone may take Communion; yes _____, no _____,

unknown _____?

5. Would you say that your church has a well-ordered system of catechesis for children

and adults; yes _____, no _____, unknown _____?

6. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have (with a means to

contact you with the answers), or any other input you believe might be helpful.



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37

Bibliography

Baxter, Richard. The Re f or me d Past or. .../books/baxter/reformed_pastor/.

http://reformed.org, 1655.Griffith-Thomas, W.H. DD. The Pr inc iple s o f Theology (An I ntr od uct ion t o the 39 Art i c le s).

London: Vine Books, Ltd., 7 Wine Office Court, EC4A 3DA, 1978.

Hooker, Richard. The W or k s o f that Le ar ne d and J ud i c iou s D ivine Mr. Ri chard H ooke r w i th an

Acc ount o f H i s Li f e and D e ath b y I saac Wal t on. 7th Edition, 1888, revised by the Very Rev.

R.W. Church and the Rev. F. Paget. Edited by Arranged by the Rev. John Keble MA. 3vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1594-97.

³. The W or k s Of That Le ar ne d And J ud i c iou s D ivine , Mr. Ri chard H ooke r. Edited by Izaak

Walton. Vol. I. II vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1875.

Packer, JI, and Parrett, GA. Gr ound e d in the G o s pel: B uil d ing B elieve rs the O l d-Fashione d Wa y .

Baker Publishing Group, 2010.

Sutton, Ray R., Rt. Rev. Dr. That Y ou Ma y Pr o s pe r : D ominion B y C ovenant. PO Box 8000,

Tyler, 75711, TX: Institute For Christian Economics, 1992.

Sykes, Stephen and John Booty. The St ud y o f Angli cani s m. Philadelphia, PA: SPCK/Fortress

Press, 2900 Queen Lane, 1988.

Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge. C on f i r mat ion Or The La ying O n Of Hands.

Accessed on books.google.com. Edited by Various Writers. Vols. Volume I, Historical AndDoctrinal. II vols. London: Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1936.

SPCK/Fortress Press. The Angli can Trad i t ion - A Handbook o f S ourc e s. Edited by G.R. and J.

Robert Wright Evans. Philadelphia, PA: SPCK/Fortress Press, 1991.

The Reformed Episcopal Publication Society. The B ook o f C ommon Pra ye r (Acc ord ing t o the

Us e o f The Re f or me d E pi sc opal Church in the U ni t e d Stat e s o f Ame r i ca). Philadelphia, PA: The

Reformed Episcopal Publication Society, 1932.



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The g ra phi c on the c ove r pa ge was cr e at ively ac qui r e d fr om www.sjbcathe dral .or g/ind ex .as p?inc lud e =ccdC on f i r mat ionhandbook .ht m.



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