Ordinance (Christianity)
An ordinance is a religious ritual whose intent is to demonstrate an adherent's faith. Examples include baptism and the Lord's Supper, as practiced in the Christian traditions such as Anabaptists, all Baptist churches, Churches of Christ groups, and Pentecostal churches.
Depending on the denomination, some churches also practice headcovering and footwashing as ordinances.Distinctions
Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and many historic Protestant traditions prefer the use of the term "sacrament" because this term is associated with being a means of grace.
While a sacrament is seen as a means of grace from God, an ordinance is a practice that rather demonstrates the participants' faith. For example, some Christian traditions, such as Baptists, Churches of Christ, Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Mennonites, do not call them "sacraments" because they believe these rituals are outward expressions of faith, rather than impartations of God's grace. The ordinances are often observed in remembrance of Jesus—primarily his baptism and the Last Supper.
