Sakramenten

Sakramenten, in German-language Christian theology, refers to sacraments—the central rites through which believers understand God’s grace and the presence of the divine in the life of the church. The concept comes from Latin sacramentum and Greek mysterion and is typically described as an outward sign that communicates or signifies spiritual realities.

A common feature across traditions is that sacraments involve a specific matter (such as water, bread, wine, oil) and a prescribed form (the accompanying prayers or words), performed by an authorized minister within a liturgical setting. While views on grace and efficacy vary, they are generally regarded as meaningful means by which God works in the lives of individuals and communities.

Catholic theology identifies seven sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist (the Lord’s Supper), Confirmation, Penance (Reconciliation), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Each is described with its own matter, form, and pastoral purpose, and is typically administered by ordained clergy within the church’s worship life.

Other Christian traditions differ in the number and interpretation of sacraments. Many Protestant churches recognize Baptism and the Eucharist as the only sacraments they deem to have been instituted directly by Christ, while some groups also count additional rites as sacraments or distinguish them as ordinances. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, a sevenfold framework is also used, though the theological emphasis and liturgical understanding differ from Western practices, with the rites often termed mysteries.

Sakramenten thus function as integral elements of worship, initiation, healing, and moral life, interpreted within each tradition as signs of divine grace enacted through communal worship and Scripture.