Anglican Confirmation as a sponsor

01 Before you say yes

The Anglican and Episcopal Confirmation sponsor is expected to be a baptized Christian who can serve as an ongoing example of faith to the candidate. There are no canonical specifications analogous to the Catholic requirements (16+, confirmed, in regular sacramental life); the BCP rubric is lighter and more pastoral in its expectations.

Baptized non-Anglican Christians can typically serve as Confirmation sponsors at TEC and many ACNA parishes. The priest at the parish is the source for any specific local expectations.

02 Preparation

There is normally no formal preparation expected of the sponsor. The candidate's catechesis is between the candidate and the parish; the sponsor's role is the relational one of standing with the candidate.

03 The day of the Confirmation

The Confirmation service is celebrated within a parish Eucharist with the bishop presiding. The sponsor sits with the candidate, presents the candidate to the bishop, stands with the candidate during the laying on of hands, and signs the parish register after the rite.

04 After the Confirmation

The Anglican understanding of the Confirmation sponsor role is similar to the baptismal sponsor role: a lifelong commitment to support the candidate's ongoing Christian growth. The relationship continues across the years through prayer, presence at later significant moments, and the support of an adult standing alongside the candidate.

05 Common questions