I have chosen to compare a Church of England and a Baptist church.

In the Baptist church there is a communion table, or ‘Lord’s table’. Holy Communion is only celebrated once or twice a month here. The communion table has a central position, usually in front of the pulpit. It is called the communion table because these traditions stress the idea of communion as a shared meal – shared with one’s fellow Christians bonding them with Jesus himself. The wine is distributed in separate glasses . The Baptist church doesn’t believe that God should be a mystery that is detached from us. They emphasize that God is all around and close to the congregation.

Another feature of the Church of England is the Font. It is used for infant baptism. In traditional churches the font is found at the entrance of the church to symbolise entering the church as being spiritually cleansed. In more modern churches it is positioned at the front of the church and is often portable. This is so that the whole congregation may witness the baptism and welcome the child into the Christian family. The priest blesses the water in the font, and pours water on the child’s head. Parents and godparents of the infant promise to raise it in the Christian faith.

The most important feature of the Baptist church is the Baptistery. It is a small pool half-filled with water that is used in the Believer’s Baptism. The Baptist church only allows people who are old enough to know that they believe in God to be baptised, but sometimes they give certificates to infants. The believers are immersed in the water and their sin is ‘washed away’. They emerge as a new person who has accepted God into their life. Baptists recognise that Jesus was baptised as an adult. The baptistery is found at the front of the church, behind the pulpit.

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