Infant Baptism and beleivers baptism.

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Infant Baptism

Baptism is a ceremony that symbolizes the welcoming of a person into God's house. There are two different ways which baptism is practiced; these are known as infant baptism and believers baptism. I will explore how infant baptism takes place in a Roman Catholic Church and believer's baptism in a Baptist church. You will find out how the ceremonies take place, the people who are involved, and what their roles are. You will see why ceremonies differ, and why it is also important to get baptised as an infant or to have a confirmation. You will also realise the significance of baptism for Christians in the world today. As well as see a number of arguments in favour for infant baptism or arguments against it.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, having membership of the church is done by a ceremony called Baptism. Infants are baptised because many Christians believe that at the Baptism the child is born again as a child of God, it marks a new beginning. Parents and Godparents are present at the ceremony to help guide the child through the journey of faith. There is a specific procedure all Roman Catholic churches follow.

Firstly the family all present the child for baptism, they are welcomed at the church door by the priest. The priest, parents and Godparents then make the sign of the cross on the baby's forehead. This is to claim the child for Christ. Bible readings are then followed by a sermon from the priest who explains the meaning of baptism. The priest will then anoint the baby with special oil called oil of Catechumens. It is used to signify the child becoming a member of the Christian community and, to represent the strength and courage the child will need in his or her life in Christianity. The parents and Godparents affirm their faith by renewing baptismal promises. They say that they reject evil, also the words of the Nicene Creed on the child's behalf. Water that has been blessed is then poured over the child's head, to cleanse it of original sin. As the priest does this he says " I baptise you (name) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen". The water used is a symbolic of the fact that the child has died to a life of sin, and been given new life in Jesus. The child is often named after a saint of the church this provides a positive role model for the infant. Then the child is anointed with oil of Chrism, which is a symbol of a special calling and used to anoint kings. All Catholics believe that they are called to be a priest, prophet or king, just as Christ was. The child is clothed in white garment (baptismal shawl) as a symbol of purity.
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Throughout the child's life the parents and Godparents play an important role. They make a commitment during the Baptism, promising to raise the child, in a Christian environment, to pass down important teachings of the church, also to ensure that the attends child Church on a regular basis. They also promise to teach the child the importance of God and how to worship him, as well setting an example of a good Christian life and lastly, to encourage the child to have a confirmation at a later date. Finally the parents are given a candle that has been ...

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