Figure 1.-- Here is a Baptism at an Evangelical Texan Church in the 1990s. Before World War II, Texas baptisms would have been done in rivers. In modern America, backyard swimming pools can substitute nicely for rivers.

Most Christian denominations accept Baptism as a sacrament. Some churches call it Christening. The Baptists are even named after this sacrament. Basptism is mentioned in the New Testament when interestingly John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Biblical scholars debate the relationship between John and Jesus. The word Baptism come from the Greek báptisma, meaning immersion. Despite the obvious references in the New Testament, the Latin Church only in the Middle Ages adopted the baptism by pouring as a general rite. The Eastern Churches kept the immersion, as well the ritual nakedness. Baptismmnis also an Anglican rite. Baptism in most churches occurs sometime after birth when a baby is symbolically washed with holy water. This symolizes the washing away of all sins and being reborn a Christian. The sins involved with babies are the original sins of mankind. Babies of course are not old enough to make any promise for themselves so God parents are chosen to represent the child. Some churches perform baptism with total emersion. This also represents being born again, burying the old self under water. These ceremonies are normally conducted when the person is older, a youth or adult. The holy water used in a Baptism ceremony is normally held in a font. These vary widely. Some are small and essentially functional. Others are large and elaborately decorated.

Etemology

The word Baptism come from the Greek báptisma, meaning immersion. Despite the obvious references in the New Testament, the Latin Church only in the Middle Ages adopted the baptism by pouring as a general rite.

Denominations

Most Christian denominations accept Baptism as a sacrament. For many Christians it is a core belief. Some churches call it Christening. The Baptists are even named after the sacrament.

Theology

The theology of baptism varies substantially asmong the various demominastios. Catholics believe that it necessary to wash away original sin and without Baptism a person, including babies, can not enter Heaven. Other denomintions focus on older individuals and see Baptism as a kind of right of passage into the family of God.

Origin

Baptism almost certainly originted in ancient Egypt. The immediate origins was the Jewish purification ritual performed by priests at the temple. We do not know precisely when Jews adopted purification rituals, but it is likely that it was during their time in Egypt. The Jewish ritual made someone who was unclean for various reason clean and presentable in the eyes of God. A person could become ritually unclean by touching an unclean person, dealing with the dead or diseased, having contact with a woman during menstruation, or many oher actions deliniated in the Torah as ‘unclean’. The priests required the person being cleansed to make an offering of doves, lambs, or even grain. The priest would then say the required words to God and proceed to ‘wash’ the unclean person in the waters, oils, and/or perfumes at the temple. This procedure was symbolic with the water washig away the 'uncleanliness. Once cleansed, the person could enter the Temple for worship on Saturday. Basptism is mentioned in the New Testament when interestingly John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Biblical scholars debate the relationship between John and Jesus.

Early Baptisms

The early Jesus Movement was a small Jewish cult. They thus practiced mostly Jewish rituals. One was the practice of washing away sins through the symbolic cleansing. Here they took John's Baptism of Jesus as the model and no offering was given to priests, only a vow and oath of belief. There are few images surviving of gthese early baptisms. Early Christians also performed baptisms in rivers as John had done. These were commonly large numbers of believers rather than individuals. The groups varied from 25-to 50 people up to thousands of converts. Age was not a factor. Whole families were included from infants to the elderly. The standard prodedure was for the converts to undress. Two priests who assist them enter the water. Two more priests were ready in the middle, emersing them as ritualistic words wwre recited to God. Two more priests would await the newly baptised on the far side and wrap them in a whie white robe which symbolized the white light of the Holy Spirit that had entered them. The water not only cleansed them, but represented the waters of child birth.

Medieval Trends

Christianity was recognized by the Emperor Constatine and became the state religion (3rd century). Roman emperors began demanding that the Church standadize theology and rites. At first the only major change was that the converts be clothed. Gradually as mass conversions became less common and churches became more plentiful, priests began using rivers less and churches more. It meant tht batisms could be conducted at any time. River batisms cold not be codycted during winter. And the logistics of river baptisms were nuch more complicated. Emersion was a strongly helds belief. And many early medieval churches had separate baptimals to provide a pool in which converts could be emersed. This change from using rivers took place over a very extended period. The Catholic Church finally ruled at the Council of Ravenna that full immersion was not necessary (1311). It meant that baptim could be done in churhes. ‘Pouring’ was the new method of performing Baptism. After the Reformation (1519), many Protestants decided that full immersion was more in keeping with Biblical teachings.

Emersion and Clothing

The Eastern Churches kept the immersion, as well the ritual nakedness. The meaning of that was explained by some ancient theologians. Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386) writes: "As soon, then, as you entered, you put off your tunic; and this was an image of putting off the old man with his deeds. [Colossians 3:9] Having stripped yourselves, you were naked; in this also imitating Christ, who was stripped naked on the Cross, and by His nakedness put off from Himself the principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them on the tree. For since the adverse powers made their lair in your members, you may no longer wear that old garment; I do not at all mean this visible one, but the old man, which waxes corrupt in the lusts of deceit. [Ephesians 4:22] May the soul which has once put him off, never again put him on, but say with the Spouse of Christ in the Song of Songs, I have put off my garment, how shall I put it on? [Song of Songs 5:3] O wondrous thing! You were naked in the sight of all, and were not ashamed ; for truly ye bore the likeness of the first-formed Adam, who was naked in the garden, and was not ashamed." [Catechesis]

Age

Baptism in most churches occurs sometime after birth when a baby is symbolically washed with holy water. This symolizes the washing away of all sins and being reborn a Christian. The sins involved with babies are the original sins of mankind. Babies of course are not old enough to make any promise for themselves so God parents are chosen to represent the child. Some churches perform baptism with total emersion. This also represents being born again, burying the old self under water. These ceremonies are normally conducted when the person is older, a youth or adult. The holy water used in a Baptism ceremony is normally held in a font. These vary widely. Some are small and essentially functional. Others are large and elaborately decorated. The Catholic, the Orthodox and some Evangelical Churches have both adult and babies Baptism. Some Evangelical Churches, as the Baptists, have only adult Baptism. Some believe that the Baptism by immersion shows better the meaning of the sacrament that is the immersion in Christ, not only the washing of sins.

Created: 8:37 PM 2/2/2010
Last updated: 1:43 PM 7/25/2023