Religion Coursework: Christian Initiation

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    Religion Coursework: Christian Initiation

        Throughout this coursework, I intend to cover in fully detail on what initiation is as well as how people join the church.  I will also be stating the differences in baptism for both adults and children.  The second part of the coursework will explain the affects and differences that Baptism can have upon a person throughout their life, as well as the changes that occur too.  This will be done via the aid of examples.  The last part of the coursework will show ideas comparing or weighing up of what people think about Baptism.  

        Joining a community, an organization or even a gang usually involves an initiation ceremony where a person must go through a process set by that group to be able to become a member.  An example of an initiation ceremony is of Nelson Mandela who had to go through a process of having a ‘live’ circumcision before shouting in front of other members, ‘‘I am a man!’’.  Only after doing this was he able to join and be considered a member of the ‘Xhosa’ tribe.  

        The rite of initiation I have chosen to do is baptism.  Roman Catholics celebrate this rite of initiation by usually baptizing the child when they are an infant.  Parents are accompanied by chosen Godparents at the ceremony where together, they agree and promise to provide the child with a Christian upbringing. The priest will usually pour ‘blessed water’ over the child’s head which signals that the ‘original sin’ in which that child was born with, has been washed away. The priest continues by saying, ‘‘(child’s name)…I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  He marks the child’s head with the sign of the cross with special oils such as chrism as a sign of being chosen as well as a sign of strength. A white garment is put on the child as a candle is lit from the paschal candle which is given to the parents.  The paschal candle represents the death and resurrection of Jesus.          The Orthodox Church celebrates this rite of initiation by ‘fully immersing’ the child into water.  A service of chrismation immediately follows on after the immersion where the child will be confirmed as a full member of the church.  Chrism is placed on the child’s head, lips, chest, eyes, ears, hands and feet which symbolically represents the ‘seal of the holy spirit on the life of that child’.  

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        Pentecostal and Baptist churches don not agree in baptizing children when they are infants.  They believe that a person must be old enough to understand the commitments that they are taking before being baptize.  They believe in believers’ baptism where a person around the age of 13 upwards can be baptized.  During the ceremony, the minister will give a sermon that explains the importance of baptism as an outward sign that a person’s life has been changed by the Holy Spirit.  The candidates that wish to be baptized usually wear light or white clothing as a symbol of ‘forgiveness and ...

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