Sacrament (vs. ordinance)
A visible sign of grace; called an ordinance in Baptist and evangelical tradition.
A sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace, instituted by Christ and conferring grace through the rite itself, in the understanding of the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions. The Catholic and Orthodox traditions recognize seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation (or chrismation in Orthodox tradition), the Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, marriage, and holy orders. Anglican tradition affirms baptism and the Eucharist as the two principal sacraments instituted by Christ in the Gospels, with the other five recognized as "sacramental rites" with sacramental character. Baptist, evangelical, and most Pentecostal traditions prefer the term "ordinance" for baptism and the Lord's Supper, holding that they are commanded by Christ as symbolic acts of obedience rather than channels of grace. The distinction reflects a substantive theological difference about how God acts through visible rites.