Baptism and Christening

Some "brands" of christianity believe that one needs to be baptized as a baby. Meaning becoming a christian from a VERY young age.

However... the word "baptism" means to immerse, to plunge under water, to completely submerge. It does NOT mean "to sprinkle the head". Now who is going to completely submerge a baby? Nobody in their right mind.

Baptism is to represent being "buried with Jesus"...thus the plunging underwater. And then coming out of the water is parallel to Jesus' being raised to life again.

So, clearly baptism is a decision to be made by a young person or adult. A baby can not make the decison to become a christian or not. While it is a noble thing for parents to want the best for their baby, this one is a bit off the mark.

In the NT, the word "baptize" (from the Greek baptizo) specifically means "to immerse, to submerge." When it is understood that baptism symbolizes a burial and a resurrection corresponding to Christ's own (Colossians 2:12), the necessity for full immersion can be appreciated. When a living thing dies, you can't bury it by covering only its head with dirt; likewise, sprinkling or pouring water on one's head doesn't conform to the New Testament meaning or example of baptism.

no

Any baptism that is forced upon someone else who is in opposition to the baptism is invalid, as the person's dispensation of will is to not receive the sacrament. Sacraments require that the recipient has the explicit or implicit intention to receive them, and if this is missing, the sacrament is either invalid or its graces are impeded from being transmitted. The exact circumstances of the baptism would have to be reviewed, as children are often not in full possession of the faculty of reason until around 7 or 8 years old, which is why infant baptism has the intention supplied by the godparents.

If the baptism was valid (say the child was young and just didn't want to be there, etc.) after the above investigation, the Church would receive it as such. The Catholic Church receives any baptism as valid, no matter who the minister, provided the baptism is performed using the proper form and matter (words and materials). This is because the Church recognizes only one baptism, Her own, given to Her by Christ. Throughout the centuries many groups have split from the Church but have taken the sacrament, retaining the matter and form. Because of this they are performing baptismal rites that join their members to the Church of Christ, the Catholic Church, until such a time that these members can reason and personally choose the heretical or schismatic group they have grown up in. Because of this valid baptism, however, when a person of one of these denominations desires to convert to the Catholic Church they do not need to be baptized again, as they have already been implicitly baptized a Catholic. If there is any doubt in regards to the validity of a baptism, the Church through a priest can administer baptism conditionally to remove all doubt.

The priest, of course, the god parents, the parents, the baby getting baptised, other family and that's about it unless you're do it during a regular mass then you have all people in the church.

"I Baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Only when referring to the religious sacrament or rite: "Sacrament of Holy Baptism". In referring to the event (e.g. "my child's baptism), it is not.

They went to various countries to preach the Gospel

i know there r 9 but i need more then that

UPDATE...

Nope, just one step: you get wet! The water of baptism is a symbol of being washed clean of our sins by Christ. (The actual spiritual 'washing' doesn't happen on the day you're baptised, because it was accomplished by Christ's death on the cross, and becomes true of you when you put your trust in him).

The Church of England baptises believers, and children of believers, and if you're a believer the best thing is to talk to your minister who can arrange it for you.

Putting the baby in water

Rituals shows tradition and belief it is the same with drama.... :P

* Being baptised is simply an act of splashing water over a child. It has declined in popularity over the last hundred years and now not many people are baptised.

* However, most Christians would believe it is necessary and do become baptized, but beliefs differ on its importance in the role of actual salvation.

The Bible doesn't say that we HAVE to completely submerge a person in baptism, but it was the way that Jesus was baptized, in a river, and it is easier to see the symbolism of the complete death to the former life, and beginning of new life, with complete submersion. But there is no commandment given about it. If a person is more comfortable without being submerged, or if enough water isn't available, I'm sure that God can certainly understand.

That's an interesting question especially since there is no mention of any oils in connection with Christian baptism in the Bible. What I think you will find is that some person or church council created the use of oils in connection with baptism. After the church began (Pentecost after the crucifixion), oils in connection with religious services are found one time. In James 5:14 it is mentioned but not in connection with baptism. In fact its use in James is likely a reference to a cultural medical treatment of the day.

Biblical baptism is immersion in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).

Bryant

Not usually... In some areas, they would introduce their children to the gods, either by the father lifting the child to the heavens and asking the gods to recognise the child and giving them the child's name... or by having a formal ritual to do the same thing.

As most pagans were, by definition "dwellers in rural areas," the first form was most likely the more common form.

in the orthodox church

There is no christening cup in a baptism. Christening cups, as far as I know, were popular presents at a baptism, beginning in the 19th century. I have never heard of one actuallyl being used in a baptism, Catholic or otherwise.

Child's parents or whoever is hosting it for them.

There are many differences between the two religions in general. While Christians celebrate the sacrament of baptism, pagans (very broad term) celebrate birth with a blessing. Christians believe God had placed original sin on his children and water from a church will erase that sin. Pagans (very broad term) may believe that with birth a blessing will give them a good start toward their future. They mainly believe this because they don't believe there is any sin to forgive in a newly born child.

The Gospels do not say much about Jesus baptizing his followers. The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke) are silent about this subject. It is the Gospel of John that mentions what little is said about this issue, and it is inconsistent about the answer. It would seem from John 3:22 that he did: "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea, and there he tarried with them, and baptized." This is reiterated in John 3: 25 - 26: "Then there arose a question between {some} of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all (men) come to him. " But John 4: 1 - 3 also states that Jesus did not baptize anyone: "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. " Scholars disagree on how to interpret this apparent contradiction. The prevalent theory is that Jesus baptized people at one point in his ministry, but ceased to do so after a time. This theory is consistent with the Jewish expectation that the Messiah would indeed baptize people, which the Gospel of John mentions in 1:25: "And they (the Pharisees) asked him (John), and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?" It is probable then, to conclude that Jesus did baptize people at some point in his ministry.

The two baptisms are the same, except that an adult being baptised answers for himself. The parents answer for an infant.

Baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus by being plunged under water, being under water, and being risen out of the water.