Volume 11, Issue 3, October 1998

The sacrament of confirmation has been for some time the subject of much theological debate and diverse pastoral practice. Across the Christian spectrum, and within individual churches, there has been little agreement on the meaning of the rite, on its sacramental status, on its minister, on the appropriate age and preparation of the subject, and so on. While some of this confusion is gradually yielding to increased awareness of the history and evolution of the rite, there is evidence that the problem has been exacerbated by common logical fallacies, an understanding of which may clarify the issue.