The Thirty-Nine Articles on the Two Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper

Article XXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles declares that Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which He doth work invisibly in us. The Articles then identify two sacraments ordained by Christ: Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Five other rites commonly called sacraments are not reckoned among the Gospel Sacraments.

Baptism: Article XXVII

Article XXVII describes baptism as a sign of regeneration or new birth, whereby those who receive it are ingrafted into the Church. It defends the baptism of infants as most agreeable with the institution of Christ. The article maintains that baptism is an effective sign while carefully not claiming that every baptized person is necessarily regenerate, preserving the need for faith.

The Lord's Supper: Article XXVIII

Article XXVIII explicitly rejects transubstantiation, calling it overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions. It also rejects reservation and adoration of the consecrated elements. The article teaches that the body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten only after an heavenly and spiritual manner, aligning with a Reformed understanding of Christ's spiritual presence in the Supper received by faith.

The Thirty-Nine Articles' treatment of the sacraments steers a middle course that is decidedly Protestant. The rejection of transubstantiation and the five additional Roman sacraments places Anglicanism unmistakably in the Reformation tradition while maintaining a high regard for the two dominical sacraments as genuine means of grace.