"Christen" redirects here. For the christening of ships, please see The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old. A Babylonian narrative dating from the 3rd millennium BC describes the completion of a ship: Openings to the water I stopped; I searched for cracks and the wanting parts I fixed: Three sari... Ship naming and launching.

Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain Religion, sometimes used interchangeably with faith, is commonly defined as belief concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the practices and institutions associated with such belief. In its broadest sense some have defined it as the sum total of answers given to explain humankinds relationship with the universe. Religion... religions such as For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament... Christianity, Mandaeanism is a pre-Christian religion which has been classified by scholars as Gnostic. Since the 1st century AD the Mandaeans have mainly lived in the borderland areas of Iraq and Iran. Many have fled the region since the 1990s due to the unstable political climate and have immigrated worldwide... Mandaeanism, The Golden Temple is the most important sacred shrine for Sikhs Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which means a strong and able disciple. A Sikh is a person who believes in One God and the teachings of the Ten Gurus, enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book... Sikhism, and some historic sects of For a discussion of Jews as an ethnicity or ethnic group see the article on Jew. Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the earliest recorded monotheistic faiths. The tenets and history of Judaism constitute historical foundations of many other religions, including Christianity and... Judaism. The word baptize derives from the Greek (Ελληνικά) Spoken in: Greece, Cyprus, Albania and surrounding countries Region: The Balkans Total speakers: 12 million Ranking: 74 Genetic classification: Indo-European  Greek   Attic    Modern Greek Official status Official language of: Greece, Cyprus (and the European... Greek word βάπτειν (the infinitive; also listed as the 1st person singular present active indicative βαπτίζω), which loosely means "to dip or bathe", but more precisely means to plunge something entirely into the water, so that the water closes over it.

Today, baptism is most famously identified with For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament... Christianity, where it symbolizes the cleansing (remission) of sins, and the union of the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. The Christian ritual of baptism traces back to John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or John the Dipper) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. According to the Gospel of Luke, he was a relative of Jesus. That he was a prophet is asserted by the Gospels of the... John the Baptist, who the The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. The Old Testament, or... Bible says baptized This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. Jesus of Nazareth (b. about 6–4 BC... Jesus in the This article is about the Jordan River in western Asia. For other meanings, see Jordan River (disambiguation) Northern Part of the Great Rift Valley as seen from space (NASA) The Jordan River is a river in western Asia flowing through the Jordan Rift Valley into the Dead Sea. It arises... Jordan River. Baptism among This article is about the religous people known as Christians. For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). The term Christian means belonging to Christ, and is derived from the Greek noun Χριστός Khristós which means anointed one, which is itself a translation of the... Christians is performed by sprinkling, pouring or full immersion. The choice to be baptized is made by a confessing believer (believer baptism, or Believer Baptism (also called credobaptism) is the Christian ritual of baptism as given only to adults and children who first proclaim to believe in Jesus as their personal savior, resurrected by the power of God the Father. Whereas Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and a number of Protestant churches baptize infant children... credobaptism), regardless of age, as a confession of his faith; or for a child by his or her parents ( Infant baptism (also called paedobaptism and pedobaptism), the baptism of the infant children of believers, is an ancient custom of much of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, to name a few. Churches with the name Baptist in their titles usually practice... paedobaptism) according to the parent's confession of faith. Some churches practice Believer Baptism (also called credobaptism) is the Christian ritual of baptism as given only to adults and children who first proclaim to believe in Jesus as their personal savior, resurrected by the power of God the Father. Whereas Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and a number of Protestant churches baptize infant children... credobaptism and some practice Infant baptism (also called paedobaptism and pedobaptism), the baptism of the infant children of believers, is an ancient custom of much of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, to name a few. Churches with the name Baptist in their titles usually practice... paedobaptism. Some practice immersion, some practice pouring, and some practice sprinkling. There are differences in opinion about the nature and practice of Christian baptism. Some denominations, such as Baptists, practice believer baptism, and believe that baptism does not save, but rather publicly demonstrates that a person has been saved through his union with Christ.

Other people, including For other people named Martin Luther see: Martin Luther (disambiguation), or here for Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther Luther at age 46 (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529) Born November 10, 1483 Eisleben, Germany Died 18 February 1546 Eisleben, Germany Martin Luther (originally Martin Luder or Martinus Luther) (November 10... Martin Luther, have placed a much greater importance on baptism. Luther states in The Large Catechism of 1529AD,

"To put it most simply, the power, effect, benefit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is to save. No one is baptized in order to become a prince, but as the words say, to 'be saved.' To be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil and to enter into the kingdom of Christ and live with him forever."

For Christians, pouring or washing with water demonstrates being cleansed of one's This page is about sin in the context of religion. For other meanings, see Sin (disambiguation) Sin has always been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by... sins, while immersion demonstrates both cleansing of sin and burial with Christ. Practicing baptism in a public setting is a testimony of the person's This article discusses faith in a religious context. For other uses, see faith (disambiguation). The best starting point, before digging into subjective human associations with the heavily-loaded word, is reviewing the very simple dictionary definitions of faith. The word faith has various uses; its central meaning is equivalent to... faith, and an expression of their covenantal union with Christ.

Background in Jewish ritual

The ritual of baptism is prefigured in the purification rites of Jewish law and tradition. In the 11th century Targum Tanakh [תנ״ך] (also spelt Tanach or Tenach) is an acronym for the three parts of the Hebrew Bible, based upon the initial Hebrew letters of each part: Torah [תורה] (The Law; also: Teaching or Instruction), Chumash [חומש] (The... Tanakh and tradition of the teachers of the Books of the Torah Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Books_of_Torah&action=edit) Torah, (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or especially Law. It primarily refers to the first section of the Tanakh–... Torah, a ritual bath for purification from uncleanness used to be required under specified circumstances in order to be restored to a condition of ritual purity. For example, women after The menstrual cycle is the periodic change in a womans body that occurs every month between puberty and menopause and that relates to reproduction. The average human menstrual cycle, regulated by hormones, takes 28 days, but it can range from 21 to 35 days. Contents // 1 Generalities 2 The... menses, and after a number of blood-free days following child-birth, were washed in a ritual bath, called a A Mikvah (or Mikveh, מקוה) is a Jewish ritual bath used for immersion in a purification ceremony. Its main use nowadays is by women to achieve ritual purity after menstruation or childbirth. Immersion in a mikvah is also required for completion of a traditional conversion to Judaism... mikvah. Those who became ritually defiled by contact with something infectious, would also use the mikveh as part of their healing. Washing was also required for converts. Through practices such as these, immersion in the mikveh came to represent purification and restoration, and qualification for full religious participation in the life of the community. (See Book of Numbers Chapter 19)

Explanation

The Christian explanation of baptism as the definitive rite, by which the baptized person is indicated to wish to become fully qualified for participation in the life of the Church, begins with the career of John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or John the Dipper) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. According to the Gospel of Luke, he was a relative of Jesus. That he was a prophet is asserted by the Gospels of the... John the Baptist, who was the cousin of This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. Jesus of Nazareth (b. about 6–4 BC... Jesus. Those who believe that John was a In numerous religions, including Abrahamic religions, Jah religions, Sikhism, and many forms of Paganism, a prophet is an intermediary with a deity, particularly someone who speaks for the deity or interprets the deitys will or mind. A prophet usually operates through some means of divination, channeling, or extra-sensory... prophet identify baptism with his message concerning repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

"He went into all the country around the This article is about the Jordan River in western Asia. For other meanings, see Jordan River (disambiguation) Northern Part of the Great Rift Valley as seen from space (NASA) The Jordan River is a river in western Asia flowing through the Jordan Rift Valley into the Dead Sea. It arises... Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'" Luke 3:3-6, NIV (http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=Luke+3%3A3-6&x=12&y=8&NIV_version=yes&language=english)

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Luke 3:8, NIV (http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=Luke+3%3A8&x=12&y=8&NIV_version=yes&language=english)

John declared that Repentance is the feeling and act in which one recognizes and tries to right a wrong, or gain forgiveness from someone that they wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to repenting for a sin against God. It always includes an admission of guilt, and also includes at least one... repentance was necessary, prior to forgiveness. There must be a return to God. This implies that the stain of sin is not ineradicable, but can be removed by putting off polluting acts and returning to the way of the Lord, all of which was symbolized in his baptism.

Christians believe that John also taught that his baptism was not finally sufficient, and that repentance would not attain to its goal of separation from sin, apart from a greater baptism which it was not in his power to give. According to the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... Gospel of Luke, John taught, "I baptize you with water; but one comes who is stronger than I, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire; his winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire." ( New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... Luke 3,16-17) Christians believe that John's baptism shows that the effort to make oneself acceptable to God by repentance would be superseded, made complete by the coming of the Lamb of God that takes away sins.

According to the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... Gospel of John, after John baptized Jesus, he testified concerning him,

"I have seen the Spirit coming down as a dove from heaven, and it remained upon him. And I had not known him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water, that one said to me, On whomever you see the Spirit coming down and remaining upon him,this is the one baptizing with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and I have testified that this is the son of God." ( New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... John 1,32-34)

"Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world."

From this point on, water baptism became identified with the followers of Jesus, who preached "Repent, for the kingdom of God is near."

At the end of his recorded ministry, Jesus charged the Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the... Apostles to baptize "in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit" in the The Great Commission is to evangelical Christians the basis for their worldview and activities arising from it. It is also more generally the primary basis for Christian missionary activity in general. It is given most explicitly in Mark 16:15-16: Go ye into all the world and preach the... Great Commission (Matthew 28:19 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=Matthew+28:19)), which has become the common formula for baptizing. It should be noted, however, that the Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the... Apostles are recorded baptizing only in the name of Jesus in the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... Book of Acts (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=acts+2:38;acts+8:16;acts+10:48;acts+19:5)).

Ecumenical statement

One The word ecumenism is derived from the Greek oikoumene, which means the inhabited world. The term is usually used with regard to movements toward religious unity. In its most broad meaning therefore, ecumenism is the religious initiative towards world-wide unity. As a minimum, ecumenism is the promotion of unity... ecumenical statement prepared by representatives across a spectrum of Christians, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestants traditions of Christianity, attempts to express a common understanding of baptism, as it is derived from the New Testament.

" ... according to Acts 2:38, baptisms follow from Peter's preaching baptism in the name of Jesus and lead those baptized to the receiving of Christ's Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and life in the community: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (2:42) as well as to the distribution of goods to those in need (2:45). Those who heard, who were baptized and entered the community's life, were already made witnesses of and partakers in the promises of God for the last days: the forgiveness of sins through baptism in the name of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on all flesh (2:38). Similarly, in what may well be a baptismal pattern, 1 Peter testifies that proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and teaching about new life (1:3-21) lead to purification and new birth (1:22-23). This, in turn, is followed by eating and drinking God's food (2:2-3), by participation in the life of the community - the royal priesthood, the new temple, the people of God (2:4-10) - and by further moral formation (2:11 ff.). At the beginning of 1 Peter the writer sets this baptism in the context of obedience to Christ and sanctification by the Spirit (1:2). So baptism into Christ is seen as baptism into the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13). In the fourth gospel Jesus' discourse with Nicodemus indicates that birth by water and Spirit becomes the gracious means of entry into the place where God rules (John 3:5)." [1] (http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/faverg.html)

The most commonly cited reference for the command justifying the continuing practice of baptism by Christians, is the "Great Commission," found in the book of St. Luke chapter 24, verses 47-49. It is typically viewed as a means by which a person is joined to Jesus and his body, the Church, after which the newly baptized person receives the Holy Ghost and is considered to be a Christian.

Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox baptism

The From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may be refer to, or include, an elaborate... liturgy of baptism in the This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. See Catholicism (disambiguation) for alternative meanings Catholicism has two main ecclesiastical meanings, described in Websters Dictionary as: a) the whole orthodox christian church, or adherence thereto; and b) the doctrines or faith of the Roman Catholic church, or adherence thereto... Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. During the first millennium of Christendom, differences developed between the Christian East and West. By the 11th century, this had culminated in a Great Schism, separating the Roman Catholic Church... Eastern Orthodox tradition makes clear reference to baptism as not only a symbolic burial and resurrection, but an actual supernatural transformation, one that draws parallels to the experience of Noah or Nóach (Rest, Standard Hebrew נוֹחַ Nóaḥ, Tiberian Hebrew נֹחַ Nōªḥ; Arabic نوح Nūḥ) is a character from the Book of Genesis who builds an ark to save his family and the world... Noah and the passage of the An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Biblical patriarch Jacob who was renamed Israel by God in the book of Genesis, 32:28 The Israelites were a group of Hebrews, as described in the Bible. There are modern historical... Israelites through the (Red Sea is also the name of a state in Sudan) Conshelf II in the Red Sea (Sudan) The Red Sea (Arabic البحر الأحمر Baḥr al-Aḥmar, al-Baḥru l-’Aḥmar; Hebrew... Red Sea divided by (See also Exodus) Moses or Móshe (מֹשֶׁה Drawn, Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh , Arabic موسى), son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. Legendary Hebrew liberator, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian. If he is... Moses. Thus baptism is literally and symbolically not only cleansing, but also dying and rising again with Jesus. Catholics believe that baptism is necessary for the cleansing of the taint of Essentially, original sin is the doctrine, shared in one form or another by most Christian churches, that the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden changed or damaged human nature, such that all human beings since then are innately predisposed to sin, and are powerless to overcome... original sin, and for that reason infant baptism is a common practice for them. The Orthodox also practice infant baptism on the basis of various texts such as New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... Matthew 9:14 which are interpreted to condone full Church membership for children, and so baptism is immediately followed by Chrismation is the name given in Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern_rite Catholic churches to the sacrament known as confirmation in the Latin Rite Catholic churches. It is so called because of the holy oil, or chrism, which has been consecrated by a bishop and with which the recipient of the... Chrismation and The Eucharist is either the Christian sacrament of consecrated bread and wine or the ritual surrounding it. The term Eucharist is used mainly in Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran traditions, and is based upon the Greek word ευχαριστω, eucharisto, meaning to... Communion at the next The Divine Liturgy is the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern-Rite Catholic eucharistic service. It consists of three interrelated parts: Prayers of Preparation; the Liturgy of the Catechumens, so called because in ancient times catechumens were allowed to attend, also called the Liturgy of the Word; and the Liturgy... Divine Liturgy regardless of age. Catholics generally baptize by pouring; Orthodox by immersion. Both practice a triple baptism in the name of the Holy This article concerns the holy Trinity of Christianity. For other uses of trinity, see disambiguation. The Blessed Trinity is God according to the doctrine of most branches of Christianity. The doctrine says that though God is one God, He exists in three distinct persons, usually referred to as God the... Trinity.

Baptist baptism

A Baptist baptism in Minsk, Belarus File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or see the image uploaded on that date. (del) (cur) 20:40, 10 Dec 2004 . . Drew roe...

A Baptist baptism in Minsk, Belarus File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or see the image uploaded on that date. (del) (cur) 20:40, 10 Dec 2004 . . Drew roe...

A young man about to be baptized in For things named after Minsk, see Minsk (disambiguation) The Mariinsky Cathedral, 1732 Minsk (Belarusian: Менск, Мінск; Russian: Минск) (population 1.8 million) is the capital of Belarus and headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States. During 1919–... Minsk, Belarus

The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. Please see its entry on Wikipedia:Templates for deletion for comments and voting. Articles related to Christianity Jesus Teachings of Jesus History of Christianity Bible New Testament Apocrypha Christian denominations Christianity and World Religions Judaism Baptist... Baptist groups derive their name either from the restrictions that they traditionally place on the mode and subjects of the ordinance of baptism or from a shortening of the term Anabaptists (re-baptizers, from Greek ana and baptizo; in German: Wiedertäufer) are Christians of the so-called radical wing of the Protestant Reformation. The term was coined by critics, who objected to the practice of performing baptism for adults whose previous baptism, as infants, the Anabaptists claimed was not... Anabaptist which means to rebaptize. Anabaptists were labeled such because they rebaptized people who had received infant baptism or sprinkling by another denomination. Immersion of confessing believers is regarded as the only legitimate, biblical baptism. People of other faiths often assume that baptism is not administered to children, but this is an error. Baptists instead require that a person make a credible confession of saving faith in Christ prior to being baptized, regardless of the confessor's age. Such a person is understood to be Born again is a term used originally and mainly in Christianity, where it is associated with salvation, conversion and spiritual rebirth. By extension it is applied in other areas, including a transcending personal experience — or the experience of being spiritually reborn as a new human being. Contents // 1 Christian... born again (John 3:1-8). Baptists believe that salvation is an actual event both at the cross of Christ in history, and in the confessing believer's life, whether or not an actual conversion experience can be discerned.

Those who hold views influenced by the Baptists, may perform the ceremony indoors in a baptismal, a swimming pool, or bathtub, or outdoors in a creek or river: as long as there is water, nothing prevents the performance of Baptism. Protestant groups influenced by these convictions usually emphasize that it memorializes the death, burial and resurrection of This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. Jesus of Nazareth (b. about 6–4 BC... Jesus (Romans 6), which according to the grace of God has become the basis of repentance and new life for those who have professed belief in Him, symbolizing spiritual death with regard to sin and a new life of faith in God. They typically teach that baptism does not accomplish anything in itself, but is an outward sign or testimony, a personal act, indicating the invisible reality that the person's sins have already been washed away by the cross of Christ, and applied to their life according to their profession of faith. It is also understood to be a covenantal act, signifying entrance into the The New Covenant was what President Bill Clinton called for in 1993 to symbolize the new type relationship that he was claiming to establish between the United States Government and its citizens. Clintons call for a New Covenant was seen as saying that the 12 previous years under Presidents... New Covenant of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-12, Romans 6). For Baptists, baptism is a requirement for church membership, rather than a necessary requirement for salvation.

Latter-day Saint baptism

In Mormonism, priesthood is considered to be the power or authority to act in the name of God. There are three types (called orders) of Mormon priesthood: (1) the Aaronic Priesthood, which is considered to be a lesser, preparatory priesthood tracing its roots to the Old Testament, (2) the Melchizedek... Priesthood authorities in Download high resolution version (453x650, 50 KB)Picture of the Temple, Temple Square, Salt Lake City. Taken by me in 2002. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also For other uses, see Mormon (disambiguation). The term Mormon is a colloquial name, most-often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The name Mormon (also Mormonite) was first used in the 1830s for followers of Joseph Smith, Jr. who... Mormon) baptize only by immersion. The earliest age at which a person may be baptized is eight years, which is considered the age at which children know right from wrong and become accountable for their actions. A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and should not to be confused with the different, though similar term Latter Day Saint. The term Latter-day Saint, as spelled with a hyphen and a lower-case d, has... Latter-day Saints (LDS) believe that baptism is only the first of several In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious ritual of special significance, often involving a covenant with God. Ordinances are usually performed by members of the priesthood. There are numerous Mormon ordinances, many of which are also practiced by other Christian denominations. For example, many Mormons practice: Baptism Confirmation Sacrament (the... ordinances required for For the term exalt, see exalt. Exaltation is the theological word for trance; although it is practiced by many Christian religious groups nowadays it was seen as an alliance with the devil earlier in history. Exaltation or Eternal Progression is a seminal doctrinal belief among devout members of The Church... exaltation and that faith and repentance precede baptism. Typically soon after a person is baptized into the LDS Church a Priesthood authority lays their hands on the head of the newly baptized person and confirms the person a member of the Church and confers upon the person the "gift of the Holy Ghost". Furthermore, LDS believe that: legitimate baptism can only be performed by one with legitimate Priesthood authority; only baptism by immersion is legitimate; and infant baptism is seen as a corruption. See Latter-day Saint condemnation of infant baptism.

Membership into the LDS Church is granted only by baptism whether a person has been raised in the Church or not. The LDS Church also practices Baptism for the dead by proxy (or vicarious baptism) is an ordinance practiced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and splinter churches), the Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran, some of the Neo-Apostolic congregations of Europe, and some Native American religions. Although all the... baptism for the dead along with all other Church ordinances members of the LDS Church perform "vicariously" or "by proxy" in their Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. The new temple shares the same site and appearance as the original Nauvoo Temple that the early Latter Day Saints were forced to abandon. In Mormonism, a temple is a building designed as a house of God... temples for everyone who has not received these ordinances while living.

Baptisms inside and outside the temples are usually done in a font although they can be perfomed in any large body of water. In the temples the fonts are usually laid out on the sculptures of twelve oxen representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Great care is taken in the execution of the baptism; if the baptism is not executed properly it must be redone. The person administering the baptism calling the baptisee by name and must state these words exactly: "Having been commissioned of This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. Jesus of Nazareth (b. about 6–4 BC... Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." Every part, limb, hair and clothing of the baptisee must then be fully submersed into the water or the baptism must be redone. Two Priesthood authorities stand by as witnesses in part to make sure that the baptism is conducted properly.

The LDS Church also believes that through repentance and baptism a baptisee is cleansed of all previous This page is about sin in the context of religion. For other meanings, see Sin (disambiguation) Sin has always been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by... sin. The process of repentance and sanctification continues by partaking of the Sacrament every Sunday which Latter Day Saints consider to be a renewing of the baptismal covenant. They also believe that baptism is symbolic both of Jesus's death, burial and resurrection and of the baptisee's death and burial of the natural or sinful man and rebirth as a disciple of Jesus.

Baptism in Churches of Christ

Claiming to date back to the establishment of the Church in the first century on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), Alternate meanings: see Church of Christ (disambiguation). The Churches of Christ are a body of autonomous Christian congregations that have their roots in the American Restoration Movement of the 19th century. The Churches of Christ have the following distinctive traits: the refusal to hold to any creeds other than those... Churches of Christ believe they are following the exact practice as established in the first century Church and as commanded in the New Testament. They teach the following about baptism:

• Baptism, as commanded in the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is a full immersion in water (Acts 8:38) and is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
• Baptism is valid only after the belief and confession that "Jesus is the Son of God" and repentance of sin.
• As stated in Acts 2:38, baptism is performed in the name of "The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit".
• Upon baptism the believer receives the "Gift of the Holy Spirit."
• When one is baptized he or she is saved and added by the Lord to the church.

According to Church of Christ interpretation, Acts 2:38 teaches that repentance and baptism precede the remission of sins. This belief is further explained by 1 Peter 3:21 in which Peter says that "Baptism doth also now save us", seemingly indicating that it is essential to salvation. Romans 6:3 also states that baptism puts one "into Christ". Valid baptism may be administered by any member of the Church as long as it is administered according to the scriptures and church teaching.

Members of the Churches of Christ believe the Bible makes a distinction between Christian baptism (Acts 2:38) and John's baptism (Matt 3:13-16). People baptized with John's baptism are required to fulfill the command of Christian baptism in order to be added to the Church (Acts 2:38).

Baptism is therefore a salvific ordinance in the Churches of Christ, though no mention is made of "baptismal regeneration" as is known in the The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. Members generally prefer the term Catholic Church, but this term has multiple meanings (see Catholicism); the term Roman Catholic Church is used in this article to avoid... Roman Catholic Church.

Non-Christian baptism

Although the rite is usually associated with Christianity, evidence of forms of baptism has appeared in many cultures, including ancient For other uses, see Egypt (disambiguation). The Arab Republic of Egypt, commonly known as Egypt, (in Arabic: مصر, romanized Mişr or Maşr, in Egyptian dialect) is a republic mostly located in northeastern Africa. Covering an area of about 1,020,000 km², it includes... Egyptian, Hebrew, Jewish, Ancient Mesopotamia Euphrates – Tigris Assyriology Cities / Empires Sumer: Uruk – Ur – Eridu Kish – Lagash – Nippur Akkadian Empire: Agade Babylon – Isin – Susa Assyria: Assur – Nineveh Nuzi – Nimrud Babylonia – Chaldea – Elam – Amorites Hurrians – Mitanni – Kassites Chronology Kings of Sumer... Babylonian, This article is about the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. See Maya people for a discussion of the modern Maya. The Maya are a people of southern Mexico and northern Central America (Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras, and El Salvador) with some 3,000 years of rich history. The Maya were part... Maya and For other uses, see Japan (disambiguation). 日本国 (Nippon/Nihon-koku) Dual status seal. See National and Imperial Seal for more of this issue. (Flag of Japan) Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377... Japanese cultures, although such evidence is typically Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes... archaeological and descriptive in nature, rather than currently performed.

• Mandaeanism is a pre-Christian religion which has been classified by scholars as Gnostic. Since the 1st century AD the Mandaeans have mainly lived in the borderland areas of Iraq and Iran. Many have fled the region since the 1990s due to the unstable political climate and have immigrated worldwide... Mandaeans, who abhor Jesus and Moses as false prophets, revere John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or John the Dipper) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. According to the Gospel of Luke, he was a relative of Jesus. That he was a prophet is asserted by the Gospels of the... John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism.

• The A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a religious faith originating in the Punjab. The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word shishya which means disciple or student. In the Punjabi language the word Sikh also means to learn. So a Sikh is a disciple of the Ten Gurus... Sikh baptism ceremony, dating to Years: 1696 1697 1698 - 1699 - 1700 1701 1702 Decades: 1660s 1670s 1680s - 1690s - 1700s 1710s 1720s Centuries: 16th century - 17th century - 18th century 1699 in literature 1699 in music 1699 in science List of state leaders in 1699 List of religious leaders in 1699 Events January 26 - Treaty of Karlowitz... 1699, was established when the religion's tenth leader ( Guru Gobind Singh Ji (December 22, 1666 in Patna, Bihar, India - October 7, 1708) was the tenth and last of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on November 11, 1675 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. Before Guru Ji died, he nominated Sri... Guru Gobind Singh) baptised 5 followers of his faith and then was baptised himself by his followers, similar to This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. Jesus of Nazareth (b. about 6–4 BC... Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or John the Dipper) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. According to the Gospel of Luke, he was a relative of Jesus. That he was a prophet is asserted by the Gospels of the... John the Baptist. The Sikh baptism ceremony is called Amrit Sanskar or Amrit Sanchar. The Sikh is said to have taken In Sikhism the word Amrit means ambrosial nectar. It is also a word used for the holy water used in the baptism ceremony by the Sikhs. It is believed that this word is derived from the Sanskrit word Amrita. Categories: Stub ... Amrit once they have been baptised. In The Golden Temple is the most important sacred shrine for Sikhs Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which means a strong and able disciple. A Sikh is a person who believes in One God and the teachings of the Ten Gurus, enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book... Sikhism, the baptised Sikh is also called an Amritdhari literally meaning Amrit Taker or one who has Taken on Amrit.

See also

• Prevenient Grace
• A godparent, in Christianity, is someone who sponsors a childs baptism. A male godparent is a godfather and a female godparent is a godmother. Traditionally, the godparents were counted informally responsible for ensuring that the childs religious education was carried out, and for caring for the child should... Godfather
• Consolamentum, known as heretication to its critics, was the baptismal sacrament of the Albigensians. Unlike standard Christianity the Baptism did not involve water, only words; according to the Cathars, the consolamentum was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. With no central authority over the religion the ritual took many forms... Consolamentum
• Believer Baptism (also called credobaptism) is the Christian ritual of baptism as given only to adults and children who first proclaim to believe in Jesus as their personal savior, resurrected by the power of God the Father. Whereas Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and a number of Protestant churches baptize infant children... Believers Baptism
• Infant baptism (also called paedobaptism and pedobaptism), the baptism of the infant children of believers, is an ancient custom of much of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, to name a few. Churches with the name Baptist in their titles usually practice... Infant baptism
• Chrismation is the name given in Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern_rite Catholic churches to the sacrament known as confirmation in the Latin Rite Catholic churches. It is so called because of the holy oil, or chrism, which has been consecrated by a bishop and with which the recipient of the... Chrismation
• John the Baptist baptizes Jesus in The Baptism of Christ by Leonardo da Vinci. A theophany is a visible manifestation of God to humans. For example, in the Bible in Isaiah 6, the story of Isaiah seeing the Lord sitting upon a throne is called a theophany. According to the... Theophany
• In Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, holy water is water which is holy, having been blessed by a priest or bishop. A font is a vessel for holy water in a church Contents // 1 Roman Catholic holy water 1.1 Varieties of holy water 1.2 Rituals and uses of... Holy water
• This article is about the Christian buildings of worship. For other uses of the word, see Church (disambiguation). The Memorial Church at Stanford University. A church building is a building used in Christian worship. See also altar, altar rails, confessional, dome, nave, pew, pulpit, sanctuary, lych gate. Contents // 1 Etymology... Church
• For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament... Christianity
• Roman Catholic dogma holds that it is a grave sin to baptize a person who has already been baptized. In case of uncertainty about whether a person has been baptized, that person may be baptized conditionally. Such uncertainty may result from questions about whether a church from which someone is... Conditional baptism
• Anabaptists (re-baptizers, from Greek ana and baptizo; in German: Wiedertäufer) are Christians of the so-called radical wing of the Protestant Reformation. The term was coined by critics, who objected to the practice of performing baptism for adults whose previous baptism, as infants, the Anabaptists claimed was not... Anabaptist
• The term Whitsunday may refer to: The Sunday of the feast of Whitsun or Pentecost in the Christian calendar, observed 50 days after Easter. One of the Scottish quarter days, always falling on 15 May. A shire in Queensland, Australia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which... Whitsunday

References

• Ware, Timothy (Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia). (1993) The Orthodox Church (2nd ed.) pp 277-278. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-014656-3.

External links

• By Water & the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism (http://www.gbod.org/worship/articles/water_spirit/)
• John Wesley's Evangelical Theology of Infant Baptism (http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyan_theology/theojrnl/31-35/31-2-9.htm) by G. Stephen Blakemore
• Lots of articles on Baptism from a Reformed and Protestant Perspective (http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/babtism.html)
• Many articles on Baptism from the Catholic perspective (http://www.aboutcatholics.com/)
• Baptism - Catholic Sacrament of Initiation - Christening (http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Sacraments/Baptism.asp)
• Baptism (http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/baptism.html) (Catholic)
• Traditional Catholic Rite of Baptism (http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/baptism2.html)
• Catechism of the Catholic Church on Baptism (http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/baptism.html)
• UPCI Baptism (http://www.upci.org/doctrin/baptism.asp)
• ALJC Articles of faith, including doctine of baptism (http://http://www.aljc.org/art-faith.htm)