Last week we kicked off the Angli-whaat?! class at Christ Our Hope, the overview of Anglicanism that I teach every year which was the starting point for this blog. The class also serves as the only Confirmation/Reception class that we offer at Christ Our Hope. So while the class is open to anyone, those seeking Confirmation are required to attend.
Well, last week a very important question arose before I got into any of my prepared material. What is Confirmation anyway? So here is a brief posting on the foundation and practice of Confirmation. I will talk about Confirmation in three senses.
First and foremost Confirmation arose out of a pastoral need. As you likely know, in Anglicanism we baptize infants and young children of believing parents. But just because one was baptized as a child does not mean that as they grow and mature they will continue to walk in the faith. We all know plenty of "lapsed" or "backsliding" Christians. So, speaking into this need the Church in Her wisdom developed this service as an opportunity for those who were baptized at an early age to confirm their faith by making a mature profession of it. Thus the first act of Confirmation is an examination by the bishop who asks, "Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil? Do you renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?" In this way the candidate is able to confirm their faith in the Lord Jesus.
But there is a second sense to confirmation which comes with the laying on of hands by the bishop. It is a Confirmation of the Spirit's Power and Presence. We know of course that all those who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. But we also know that the Spirit grants gifts and riches that take a lifetime to receive and learn. We are, all of us commanded to be baptized (the Greek, baptizo meaning to be immersed) with the Spirit. Confirmation is just another opportunity for the bishop as a minister of Christ to pray that the flame of the Spirit would be kindled and rise up in the heart, life and ministry of the individual who is being confirmed. It is a confirmation and a calling forth of the Spirit's Power.
And finally, along with this Spirit-kindling comes an empowering and a commissioning of the individual as a member and therefore a minister of the Body of Christ. All of us are ministers. All who have the Spirit have received gifts that need to be shared with the Body and with the World. So Confirmation in this third sense means the bishop is confirming the candidate as a qualified minister of Christ's Gospel.
So there you go. Confirmation in three senses. It was a good question. Are there any others?
