Historical Development
‘The history of Confirmation really begins with the early Church’s process of bringing converts into full community membership’ (Holy Trinity, nd).
· Interested individuals journeyed with the community in a process now known as the Catechumenate
· The Catechumenate encouraged the individual to examine the professed beliefs of the Church while
experiencing its lived faith
· Community supported the candidates
· At the Easter vigil the candidate was initiated into the community
· A similar process occurs with adults today
‘From apostolic times until about the 5th century, the church celebrated the sacraments of Baptism and confirmation in one continuous rite of initiation which culminated in a Christian’s admission to the Eucharist’ (Aquila, nd)
· Confirmation was seen as a natural extension of Baptism
· Confirmation was seen as the sealing of the Holy Spirit
‘By the 3rd century the custom was to follow the water emersion by the priest for Baptism with a laying- on-of-hands and anointing by the Bishop’ (Osborne, 1985)
· Anointing with Chrism is still part of the rite of Confirmation
‘The separation of Baptism and Confirmation as a unified rite of initiation occurred in the 5th century’ (Holy Trinity, nd).
· A change occurred in the social structure of ancient society
· The Bishop performed all the duties in the ancient world
· Confirmation by the Bishop, following Baptism, was an invitation to the candidate to share in the Eucharist
· Increase in the Christian population presented new challenges in how to administer to the community
· Priests were appointed to share the ministry and allowed to administer Confirmation
· Augustine’s teaching on original sin influenced the decision so Baptism became more focused towards the forgiveness of sin/washing away of original sin than a focus on adult initiation
· There was a growing emphasis on infant Baptism
· The anointing and imposition of hands were associated with the calling down of the Holy Spirit on the Baptised person. However, the separation of Confirmation from Baptism gave the impression that the Holy Spirit was removed from Baptism.
· Theologians began to speak ‘of the Holy Spirits completion in Confirmation with begun in Baptism’ (Holy Spirit, nd)
· Interested individuals journeyed with the community in a process now known as the Catechumenate
· The Catechumenate encouraged the individual to examine the professed beliefs of the Church while
experiencing its lived faith
· Community supported the candidates
· At the Easter vigil the candidate was initiated into the community
· A similar process occurs with adults today
‘From apostolic times until about the 5th century, the church celebrated the sacraments of Baptism and confirmation in one continuous rite of initiation which culminated in a Christian’s admission to the Eucharist’ (Aquila, nd)
· Confirmation was seen as a natural extension of Baptism
· Confirmation was seen as the sealing of the Holy Spirit
‘By the 3rd century the custom was to follow the water emersion by the priest for Baptism with a laying- on-of-hands and anointing by the Bishop’ (Osborne, 1985)
· Anointing with Chrism is still part of the rite of Confirmation
‘The separation of Baptism and Confirmation as a unified rite of initiation occurred in the 5th century’ (Holy Trinity, nd).
· A change occurred in the social structure of ancient society
· The Bishop performed all the duties in the ancient world
· Confirmation by the Bishop, following Baptism, was an invitation to the candidate to share in the Eucharist
· Increase in the Christian population presented new challenges in how to administer to the community
· Priests were appointed to share the ministry and allowed to administer Confirmation
· Augustine’s teaching on original sin influenced the decision so Baptism became more focused towards the forgiveness of sin/washing away of original sin than a focus on adult initiation
· There was a growing emphasis on infant Baptism
· The anointing and imposition of hands were associated with the calling down of the Holy Spirit on the Baptised person. However, the separation of Confirmation from Baptism gave the impression that the Holy Spirit was removed from Baptism.
· Theologians began to speak ‘of the Holy Spirits completion in Confirmation with begun in Baptism’ (Holy Spirit, nd)