The Sacraments
What Christians mean by a sacrament: an outward sign of inward grace, the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, the two kept by most Protestant Churches, and the meaning of baptism and the Eucharist.
Use it, the way the marks are given
Free interactive practice at using the material, which is what the marks are for.
Start revising freeWhat you'll cover
Signs of grace
Many Christians mark important moments with a sacrament, which they describe as an outward sign of an inward blessing, or grace, from God. Different Christian groups recognise different numbers of sacraments. This module looks at what a sacrament is and at the two that are most often studied, baptism and the Eucharist.
Sacrament terms
Learn these four terms before you study the sacraments.
How many sacraments?
Christian denominations do not agree on how many sacraments there are.
Why denominations differ
A top answer explains why denominations differ, not just the numbers. Many Protestants keep only baptism and the Eucharist because they believe these two were clearly given by Jesus in the Bible, while Catholics accept seven from the tradition of the Church. Always link a practice to the belief behind it.
Match the sacrament
- baptism
- confirmation
- matrimony
- anointing of the sick
- welcoming a person into the Christian Church
- confirming for yourself the faith given at baptism
- the Christian marriage of two people
- comforting a person who is seriously ill
Match the term
- sacrament
- grace
- transubstantiation
- the Eucharist
- an outward sign of inward grace
- the free gift of love and help from God
- the Catholic belief that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ
- sharing bread and wine to remember the Last Supper
What is a sacrament?
What do Christians mean by a sacrament?
- An outward sign of an inward blessing or grace.
- A book of Christian prayers.
- A building where Christians worship.
- A rule Christians must obey.
The two kept by most
Select the TWO sacraments that most Protestant Churches keep.
- Baptism.
- The Eucharist.
- Confirmation.
- Matrimony.
Sacraments across a life
Put these Catholic sacraments in the order they usually happen across a life, earliest first.
- Baptism as a baby
- Confirmation as a young person
- Matrimony at marriage
- Anointing of the sick in serious illness
Summarise the sacraments
A _____ is an outward sign of inward grace. _____ welcomes a person into the Christian Church, often as a baby. The _____ shares bread and wine to remember the Last Supper. The Catholic Church recognises seven sacraments, but most Protestant Churches keep only _____, because these are shown in the Bible. The free gift of love and help from God is called _____.
Count the sacraments
How many sacraments do the Catholic and Orthodox Churches recognise?
Find the two
Tap the TWO sacraments that most Protestant Churches recognise.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- The Eucharist
- Holy orders
- Matrimony
Which sacrament?
Decide which sacrament each description is.
- A baby is welcomed into the Church with water and the sign of the cross
- Christians share bread and wine to remember the Last Supper
- A young person confirms for themselves the faith given to them as a baby
Explain the sacraments
Explain what Christians mean by a sacrament, and explain why different denominations disagree about how many sacraments there are.
- Explain what a sacrament is
- Give an example of a sacrament and its meaning
- Explain why denominations differ on the number