Sacrament
A ritual Christians believe carries God's grace through a physical sign — water, bread and wine, oil. Catholics and Orthodox count seven; most Protestants count two.
What they actually mean
“"A church ritual where something physical carries something spiritual."”
Heard in the wild
“Marriage is a sacrament in the Catholic Church.”
“We only recognize two sacraments — baptism and the Lord's Supper.”
The Lighter Side
Seven for Catholics, two for Protestants, and a very long conversation if you get them in the same room.
The longer version
What it means
A sacrament is a rite in which God acts through something physical: water in baptism, bread and wine in communion, oil in anointing. Christians disagree about how much the rite itself does, but the word always points to the same idea — that God meets people through ordinary stuff, and that these particular acts are ones Christ gave the church.
The count is the famous difference. Catholics and Orthodox hold seven: baptism, confirmation (chrismation), Eucharist, confession (reconciliation), anointing of the sick, holy orders (ordination), and marriage. Most Protestants hold two — baptism and the Lord's Supper — as the only ones Jesus directly commanded. Anglicans split the difference: two "sacraments of the gospel" and five lesser "sacramental rites."
Why people say it
Christians use "sacrament" to say that these rituals aren't just symbols or ceremonies but places where grace is actually given. The word sets them apart from everything else a church does. For Catholics and Orthodox, the sacraments are the Christian life — birth, growth, feeding, healing, forgiveness, vocation, death all have a sacrament attached. For Protestants the two sacraments are the visible gospel, the Word made touchable.
How to respond
If a Catholic tells you something is a sacrament, they're telling you it's central and sacred — marriage, for instance, which is why they'll want a church wedding. If a Protestant tells you their church has two sacraments, or "ordinances," they're telling you what they consider Jesus' own commands. If you're asked whether you've received a sacrament (baptism, usually), it's a factual question. If the conversation turns to counting, settle in; it's been going on since 1520.
If you hear it in different churches
Catholics: seven sacraments, central to everything. Orthodox: the same seven, called "mysteries," with less insistence on the number. Anglicans: two plus five. Lutherans: two (sometimes three, counting confession), with a high view of what they do. Reformed and Presbyterians: two, as "signs and seals." Baptists and most evangelicals: two "ordinances," understood as obedience and symbol. Pentecostals similarly; Quakers and the Salvation Army, distinctively, have none.
Where does “Sacrament” come from?
The Latin sacramentum was a soldier's oath of allegiance; Tertullian applied it to baptism around AD 200. The Greek word behind it, mysterion, is Paul's, and the Orthodox kept it. Augustine's definition — a visible sign of invisible grace — shaped the West. Peter Lombard fixed the number at seven in the 1150s, confirmed by the Council of Florence (1439) and Trent (1547). Luther's Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520) reduced the count to two (or three), and the Reformed confessions settled on two. Baptists adopted "ordinance" in the 1600s to mark their symbolic understanding.
Good to know
The classic definition (Augustine's): "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace." Baptists and many evangelicals prefer the word "ordinance" — something Jesus ordered — to avoid implying the ritual itself does anything. Orthodox say "mysteries." If someone says a church is "sacramental," they mean it puts these rites at the center of its life.
You might also hear
Lord's Supper
Worship & MusicThe ritual of sharing bread and wine (or juice) in memory of Jesus' last meal with His disciples. The name, the meaning, and who may take it vary by tradition.
“"The bread-and-cup ritual. Every church does it; every church explains it a little differently."”
Baptism
Worship & MusicThe water ceremony marking a person's entry into the Christian faith and the church. Some traditions baptize infants by sprinkling or pouring; others baptize believers by full immersion.
“"The water ritual that officially makes you part of the church."”
Confession
Catholic & OrthodoxTelling one's sins to a priest and receiving God's forgiveness through him — a sacrament in Catholic and Orthodox practice, also available in Anglican and Lutheran churches.
“"You tell the priest what you did wrong; he tells you God forgives you."”
Denomination
Ministry & LeadershipA named branch of Christianity with its own structure, beliefs, and churches (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian). A non-denominational church is one that declines to belong to any of them.
“"The brand of church. 'Non-denominational' means 'no brand — just Christian.' Usually."”
Go deeper on the network
Common questions
What are the seven sacraments?+
Baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, confession, anointing of the sick, holy orders, and marriage — in Catholic and Orthodox teaching.
Why do Protestants only have two?+
They hold that only baptism and the Lord's Supper were directly instituted by Christ with a physical sign and a promise. The others are honored but not counted as sacraments.
What's the difference between a sacrament and an ordinance?+
Mostly emphasis. "Sacrament" suggests grace is given through the rite; "ordinance" (Baptist usage) suggests an act of obedience Jesus ordered. The rituals are the same.
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.