Editing Infant baptism (section)

== Confirmation ==

For Catholic, Methodist Christians, and [[Wesleyan theology|Wesleyan]], Confirmation "strengthens" (the original meaning of the word "confirm")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/19/C0561900.html|title=Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and hundreds more|website=www.bartleby.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417193920/http://www.bartleby.com/61/19/C0561900.html|archive-date=17 April 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="MCGB">{{cite web|url=http://www.methodist.org.uk/who-we-are/baptisms-weddings-and-funerals/baptism-and-confirmation|title=Baptism and Confirmation|year=2014|publisher=The Methodist Church in Britain|access-date=23 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707201151/http://www.methodist.org.uk/who-we-are/baptisms-weddings-and-funerals/baptism-and-confirmation|archive-date=7 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> the grace of [[Baptism]], by conferring an increase and deepening of that grace.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2.htm|title=Catechism|website=www.usccb.org}}</ref><ref name="MCGB"/>

In [[Eastern Christianity]], including the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred immediately after baptism, and there is no renewal of baptismal promises. In the [[Latin Church]] and its [[Latin liturgical rites]] of the Catholic Church, the [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|sacrament]] is to be conferred at about the age of discretion (generally taken to be about 7), unless the [[Episcopal Conference]] has decided on a different age, or there is danger of death or, in the judgment of the minister, a grave reason suggests otherwise ([https://web.archive.org/web/20060718135812/http://www.deacons.net/Canon_Law/book_4.htm canon 891 of the Code of Canon Law]). The renewal of baptismal promises by those receiving the sacrament in the Western Catholic Church is incidental to the rite and not essentially different from the solemn renewal of their baptismal promises that is asked of all members of this church each year at the [[Easter Vigil]] service. Only in French-speaking countries has there been a development of ceremonies, quite distinct from the sacrament of Confirmation, for young Catholics to profess their faith publicly, in line with their age.<ref>cf. [http://bru.daniel.over-blog.com/ article] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224130336/http://bru.daniel.over-blog.com/ |date=24 December 2007 }} entitled ''Redonner tout son sens à l'initiation chrétienne : un défi à relever'' in ''Lumière et Vie'' 270 (June 2006), proposing the establishment of as many as seven such occasions.</ref>

Within [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], [[Confirmation (Latter Day Saints)|confirmation]] or "the laying on of hands" is an essential part of the baptismal ordinance, and to receive baptism without confirmation is to leave the ordinance incomplete.<ref name="EoM Confirmation">{{cite encyclopedia |last= Craven |first= Rulon G. |contribution= Confirmation |contribution-url= http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/5626 |pages= 310–311 |editor1-last= Ludlow |editor1-first= Daniel H |editor1-link= Daniel H. Ludlow |title= [[Encyclopedia of Mormonism]] |location= New York |publisher= [[Macmillan Publishing]] |year= 1992 |isbn= 0-02-879602-0 |oclc= 24502140 }}</ref> Confirmation is the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost as a constant companion.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last= Porter |first= Bruce Douglas |author-link= Bruce D. Porter |contribution= Gift of the Holy Ghost |contribution-url= http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/3729 |pages= 543–544 |editor1-last= Ludlow |editor1-first= Daniel H |editor1-link= Daniel H. Ludlow |title= [[Encyclopedia of Mormonism]] |location= New York |publisher= [[Macmillan Publishing]] |year= 1992 |isbn= 0-02-879602-0 |oclc= 24502140 }}</ref> To confirm means to "make more sure" and the ordinance of confirmation stands as a witness of the individual becoming a member of the LDS Church and not just an acceptance of Jesus.<ref name="EoM Confirmation" />