Confirmation: A Blessed and Valued Tradition of the Church

Last week I posted here about the need to have rigorous catechesis in confirmation instruction. Today I am confessing my growing love for the rite of Confirmation and the goodness of the tradition that we have received.

I have always described the confirmation rite as a rite of initiation. I still think this is the best understanding. A child becomes an adult in the eyes of the Church by confirming that he has examined and accepted for himself the faith into which he was baptized. In order to do that the child needs to be instructed and to examine the catechism and Scriptures closely. Frankly, we probably do it too young. This is part of why I think it is vastly preferable to not tie confirmation to first communion. I think it is rather obvious that a man can examine himself as a sinner in need of repentance and grace and the Verba’s promise long before he can examine the catechism according to the Scriptures. Therefore he meets the Scriptural requirements for a worthy communion long before he can make a confirmation vow.

Nonetheless, even with the rite separated from first communion, with the understanding above, and with an oft repeated emphasis that confirmation is a man-made rite and tradition and is no sacrament, I have still found myself a little uncomfortable with all of the pomp and circumstances around it. The lowest of low churchmen seem to engage at Confirmation in their highest of ceremonies. That witness is troubling. So it is that even with a rigorous training before it and with a thorough recitation of the catechism required, neither of which can be taken for granted or assumed, the confirmation rite has sometimes appeared to be more significant than the actual sacraments, worthy of more attention, more preparation, more ceremony than the Lord’s Supper.

Still, despite that, I am coming around. I still think it is dangerous. I think all of the above has to be stated but I also think that this tradition of our fathers is more venerable than I have thought and I am glad that I wasn’t allowed to get rid of it just because it isn’t in the Bible and has often been either a sham or been greatly abused.

I was awakened recently to confirmation’s potential in the account of David’s re-anointing in 1 Chronicles 11. God made David king and anointed him through Samuel. Nonetheless, after the death of Saul, all of Israel comes to Hebron. They confess the historical reality moving from lesser to greater reasons for his fitness. First he is one of their own, their flesh and blood. They need a ruler who is like them. S also he has led them successfully in battle with the Lord’s blessing. He is competent. Finally, and most significantly, God said that he is their king. He is to shepherd and rule them. Then they re-anoint him who is already anointed and already acting as their king.

The point of their anointing wasn’t to make him king. Rather it was an exercise of joyful will after the fact, a grateful recognition and joining themselves to what God had already done. It was not completely unlike a teen-age girl coming to a deeper awareness of her mothers sacrifices and wisdom who goes to her and says sincerely: “I am really glad that you are my mother. God has blessed me through you and I love you. I will serve and honor you all of my days.” A teen-age girl is capable of that, an 8 year girl is not. A teen-age girl will likely have to be led into that understanding and will likely struggle still to serve and honor her mother when her mother’s will contradicts her own, either rightly or wrongly. Such a vow does not make her the mother’s daughter or place the 4th commandment into play. God already did those things. But such a vow could and should be taken sincerely and in love.

So it is with confirmation. It can be a truly joyous and sincere confession. We ought to work toward making it so. While it is not child’s play children should be led into it and encouraged in it. When they do make such a confession it ought to be celebrated and taken seriously. Once again I find that the tradition of the Church has better understood the faith than I have. I thank God for where He has constrained me by it.

Photo: Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Dakota Dunes, SD