Describe and explain the essential features of infant baptism and believers' baptism.

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Describe and explain the essential features of infant baptism and believers' baptism

Although called 'infant' baptism, churches that celebrate this ritual also baptise adults. However, there is a very distinct difference between infant baptism, which baptises children and adults, and believers' baptism, which baptises only adults.

Churches that celebrate believers' baptism criticise infant baptism. They say it is wrong to baptise children when they aren't old enough to choose the path of God themselves. Also, Baptism gives us the grace to fight original sin, the tendency to sin, and cleanses us from sin. Those who follow the ways of believers' baptism believe that babies won't be old enough to have committed any sin purposefully, so this will be a pointless ritual on a child. Also, they realise that God will still love any child that has not been baptised, so they can choose not to baptise until the person is old enough to decide for themselves, and they will still have the love of God. Also, they believe only adults should be baptised as they did during the time of Jesus, so they decide to follow the way of Jesus himself. They themselves baptise adults once they are over 16 and can choose to commit themselves to God's family. Once they are baptised there is no more initiation ceremonies; baptism is all three ceremonies in one. Whereas, those who choose infant baptism, must go through communion and confirmation aswel.
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Infant baptism originated in 313 AD, when the Roman Empire, Constantine, converted to Christianity. The entire Roman Empire followed his example, and families would baptise their children to bring them into the world as part of God's family. By 500 AD, churches would baptise babies at the consent of their parents, and this tradition has continued since.

In baptism there are very important symbols and signs, these vary in the two types of baptism. Signs include the words 'The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit', and the sign of the cross. In most churches that celebrate ...

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