Why do Anglicans "confirm" ex-Catholics who have already received the sacrament?

[HomeschoolDad]

I have heard of this being done. I’m sure they recognize our confirmation as a valid sacrament. Why, then, do it over?

I hope nobody will read this as an endorsement of Roman Catholics becoming Anglicans. It is a mortal sin against faith to depart willingly from the Catholic Church.

 

[Bithynian]

I have heard of this being done. I’m sure they recognize our confirmation as a valid sacrament. Why, then, do it over?

Generally the rite is termed ‘Reception [into communion]’ and takes place together with others who are receiving Confirmation. Some Anglicans might conflate the two, but they are otherwise distinct.

Note: Canonically, most Anglican churches (particularly of the evangelical variety) recognise only two sacraments: Baptism and Communion.

Edit: My comment is based on the assumption that some Anglicans might just be using the word ‘Confirmation’ to refer to ‘Reception’ as well. It would be very unusual (practically unheard of) for an Anglican diocese to conduct again Confirmation for an already confirmed Catholic.

 

[GKMotley]

I’ve never heard of any Anglican referring to confirmation in the sacramental sense, and performing it on a previously validly confirmed RC.

Anglicans be found affirming 7 or 2 sacraments and/or making the distinction between 2 Dominical and 5 additional Sacraments.

 

[GKMotley]

Edit: My comment is based on the assumption that some Anglicans might just be using the word ‘Confirmation’ to refer to ‘Reception’ as well. It would be very unusual (practically unheard of) for an Anglican diocese to conduct again Confirmation for an already confirmed Catholic.

Indeed…

 

[Symphorian]

I can perhaps see where confusion might have arisen in the case of a Catholic who had received Presbyteral Confirmation. In the Church of England, Confirmation must be carried out by a Bishop through the laying on of hands. (Canons B27 & B28 and the Rite of Confirmation BCP 1662.) The Catholic Church however permits Presbyteral Confirmation (Canons 880 & 882.) Presbyteral Confirmation is not permitted in the Church of England.

The question of the validity of Catholic Presbyteral Confirmation and Orthodox Chrismation has been fairly recently addressed by the Church of England in a paper put forward by the Legal Advisory Commission of the General Synod in regard to requirements for CofE Ordinands coming from the Catholic or Orthodox traditions. It deemed that Catholic Presbyteral Confirmation and Orthodox Chrismation were forms of Episcopal Confirmation within the meaning of the relevant CofE Canons and so Confirmation in the CofE was not required.

 

[GKMotley]

While this was what I was thinking of, in referring to validly confirmed (episcopal), this also addresses the point of presbyteral confirmation, which I hadn’t thought of. Thank you.

 

[Padres1969]

They don’t. Anglicans will “receive” confirmed ex-Catholics if the ex-Catholic so desires. But they don’t do-over the sacrament as they consider the Catholic sacrament valid.

Among those Anglicans that recognize the 5 additional sacraments beyond Baptism and Eucharist (ie: Anglo-Catholics and High Church Anglicans mainly)

 

[GKMotley]

Yep, as to number of sacraments. Them’s the folks mostly likely to say seven.