Baptism

Question 1

Practice definition

Answer 1

• Baptism is a rite of passage in which an individual is anointed, wetted or fully immersed to be cleansed and welcomed into a Christian community and the Kingdom of God
• Based on the baptism of Jesus in scripture (Mark 1:9)
• Baptism is a commitment of faith which acknowledges their acceptance of God’s invitation to enter into a new covenant with Christ

Question 2

Roman Catholic view of Baptism

Answer 2

• Necessary for the infusion of the sanctifying power that starts one on the path of grace and is necessary to cleanse original sin
• Infants are baptised and baptism is an initiation into spiritual life
• The ritual is deemed a sacrament → an experience of God’s grace given freely to a child

Question 3

Baptist Church view of Baptism

Answer 3

• Baptists believe that salvation occurs at the moment a person accepts Christ as their Lord and Saviour and that Baptism is not transformative due to Sola Fide
• Relies on adults making their own decision to be ‘born again’ Christians, believing that only those who have made a conscious decision to believe in Jesus should be baptised

Question 4

Death and resurrection in Baptism

Answer 4

• Through Baptism, Christians are baptised in Jesus’ death and resurrection, is freed from original sin and become a new person in Christ
• While humans are still inclined to sin, Baptism gives them strength and grace to live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus and participate in building the Kingdom of God

Question 5

The application of water and the death and resurrection

Answer 5

When a candidate rises from the water it is symbolic of a person being ‘reborn’ into a new life with Christ, free from original sin

Question 6

Wearing a white garment and the death and resurrection

Answer 6

• Symbolic of the purity of the baptised person and how they have been cleansed of original sin
• Represents the belief of being clothed in the righteousness of Christ

Question 7

God and the Trinity in Baptism

Answer 7

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the baby will be cleansed from sin to a new birth in innocence

Question 8

The application of water and the Trinity

Answer 8

• The three persons of the Trinity are denoted by the three distinct applications of water
• Aspersion: Simple sprinkling of water over the head (Catholic)
• Affusion: The more extensive pouring of water over the head
• Immersion: The complete lowering of the entire body into a pool of water (Orthodox)

Question 9

Anointing and the Trinity

Answer 9

• Anointing with the Chrism oil highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying and empowering the believer, reinforcing the interconnectedness of the Trinity
• The anointing symbolises healing, strength and being chosen by God to share in Jesus’ ministry

Question 10

Salvation in Baptism

Answer 10

Baptism is a public confession that a person has been saved through faith in Christ as an act of God’s grace, reflecting this belief that Christians achieve salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross

Question 11

Revelation in Baptism

Answer 11

• Christians know that revelation involves God communicating with the world, but revelation also relies that Christians respond to it with a commitment to a relationship with God
• This begins through participation in Baptism, which is an expression of faith in God

Question 12

Significance for the individual

Answer 12

• Initiates the new adherent into the Church community as a follower of Christ and develops a sense of meaning
• Baptism bestows the gift of grace and allows them to have a relationship with God which can be lived out through actions
• Reborn as Children of Christ, believers are given the responsibility of professing the faith and actively participating in the life of their worship community and in the mission of the Church

Question 13

Significance of rituals for the individual

Answer 13

• The parents and godparents are asked to keep the light of faith burning in the child’s life so that they can participate in the Kingdom of God (symbolised in the lighted candle)
• The anointing with the oil of Chrism is a sign of of their mandate to to share in the ministry of Jesus and the belief of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
• The wearing of the white garment symbolises the purity of the adherent as they are washed away from sin

Question 14

Significance for the community - common, united identity

Answer 14

• Christians are united by the fact that Baptism is rooted in a set of common beliefs about sin, redemption and salvation and belonging to a family of God
• Maintains stability and cohesion within each denomination as well as within the worldwide Christian community
• Baptism negates previous distinctions of gender, culture or wealth and instead marks the incorporation of all members into the community of Christ

Question 15

Significance for the community - living tradition

Answer 15

• Illustrates that Christianity is a living religion, as the Trinity is ever present in the minds and hearts of the adherent and the community
• Strengthens the liturgical life of the Church and ensures that all community members are bound by a common set of values
• The community helps to keep the religion alive for adherents, strengthening the Body of Christ

Question 16

General significance for the community

Answer 16

• Builds up Church community by introducing new adherents
• The community is united and called to support the individual in their quest for relationship with God and provide an example to the initiate on how to live