The fourth and final part of the baptism service involves prayers. At this point of the service, the minister carries the child to the front of the church, allowing the entire congregation to see him or her. The sign of the cross is then made on the child’s head while the minister reads some words which include “I sign you with the sign of the cross, to show that you must not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ”, and that the child should be “ Christ’s faithful soldier and servant until your [the child’s] life’s end”.
The whole congregation now says the child’s ‘welcoming’ prayer. Lastly, the Lord’ prayer and prayers for the baby and it’s family are said, and the blessing is made. If the baptism includes more than one child, the service is repeated from The Ministry of the Sacrament onwards.
Part B – Explanation of Symbolism and Vows Involved in the Baptism Service
There are two main types of baptism- infant and believer’s. These two types of baptism are very different indeed. Infant baptism occurs when a child is very young, and the child is then confirmed on a later date when they are old enough to make their own decisions. Believer’s baptism, on the other hand, occurs on teenagers or adults and doe not require confirmation on a later date.
- Firstly I shall concentrate on Infant baptism. As described in part A, the sponsors are initially questioned about how they will bring up the child as a Christian. These questions are important both to the child and the sponsors. Firstly, the child must be able to confide in the sponsors when they are older, so it is important that the sponsors chosen are responsible Christians. Secondly, the sponsors must be fully committed to the child as it is a great burden and responsibility to sponsor a child.
Several readings are now made on the subject of baptism. This is important as it helps to teach the sponsors and the congregation that God cares about children and wants them to be baptised. Readings such as Jesus saying “Let the children come to me” help to reassure parents that the child will be accepted and welcomed by the church.
The sponsors are now questioned on the subject of their own faith. These questions are important because they prove to the congregation that the sponsors are Christians and the child will be brought up in a Christian household. It is significant that the sponsors reply “I will, by God’s help”. This shows that the sponsor is admitting he or she cannot “…renounce the devil and all his works” without the help of God.
The water in the font is now blessed. Christians believe that this, while not changing the water physically, causes the Holy Spirit to enter the water and turn it into something much more special. Now that the water is blessed, the child is named and the baptism ceremony occurs. The Holy water is poured onto the head of the baby. This represents cleansing, but because the water has been blessed it does not just clean dirt, it also cleanses the baby of all sins. This use of water dates back to the very first days of Christianity, when John the Baptist baptised people in the River Jordan (although that ceremony is much more similar to believer’s baptism). The use of water also represents life and revival.
As the minister carries the child up the church, he makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child. This shows that the child has been marked as belonging to God, and is important because every other member of the church bears the same mark. It is almost like the logo of a club or society, and the child has just become the latest member. The prayer is now said by all to welcome the child to the family of the church. This shows to the parents and godparents that the child has been accepted as a member of the church. The Lord’s prayer is said because the child is seen as the adopted child of God.
The child normally wears a white baptismal robe. The colour of the robe shows the purity and innocence of the child. This garment reminds us that the baby has ‘put on’ Christ and the colour we associate with the Messiah is white.
- Now I will investigate the symbolism in believer’s baptism. The people to be baptised or ‘candidates’ traditionally wear white. This colour, unlike in infant baptism, does not represent innocence, but rather the fact that the sponsor has turned away from his or her old life and has ‘put on’ a totally new kind of life.
The candidate now professes their faith. In response to “Do you now confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?” they say, “I do”. This shows that the candidate has submitted to God completely, and that they are putting their lives into the hands of Jesus.
The beginning of the use of a baptismal tank or pool can be traced back to John the Baptist also. Unlike the small amount of water put on the head of an infant, this tank or pool is much more similar to the River Jordan. This is important to Baptists and other groups who practice believer’s baptism because Jesus himself was baptised in the same way. The candidate is gently plunged into the water for a short time. The water not only represents cleansing, but the plunge into the water can be interpreted as a graphic representation of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The candidate must be fully immersed in water because it must be a complete change from the previous life to the new one.
The pastor now says “On profession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and at your own request, I now baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.” and it is significant that the baptism is at the candidate’s ‘own request’. Unlike infant baptism, the candidate chooses when he or she wishes to be baptised, and approaches the pastor. This shows that the decision to be baptised was entirely the choice of the candidate and under no pressure.
Part C – A Letter to a Friend
Dear Jane,
I received your letter yesterday concerning the baptism (or possibly not) of young Jimmy. It is a very big decision to make when deciding whether or not to baptise your child and I’m honoured that you asked for my advice, but don’t assume my advice is right for you. Just do what you think would be best for you and Jimmy. However, you wanted my advice so I’ll give it to you. I think Jimmy should be baptised and here’s the reasoning behind that decision
Firstly, I know you want Jimmy to grow up to be a responsible and successful adult, and the church will help to keep him on the straight and narrow. Christian values will help him to be a helpful and constructive member of society.
Secondly, I know you yourself attend church regularly and have been baptised, so you know how special a day it is to your family and how significant it is that the church accepts you as a member. Many people may argue that baptism is pointless, that it’s all in the mind of the parents and nothing happens to the child, but I believe that the baptism of a child is a very important moment in their life when the Holy Spirit enters them and Jesus forgives their sins.
Other people may argue that believer’s baptism is the best for everyone, because it allows the sponsor to make the decision whether or not to be baptised, not the parents. However, I disagree, because even if Jimmy is baptised at an early age, he can make the decision later in his life whether or not to be confirmed and become a full member of the church.
So, the choice is yours Jane, but I strongly recommend that Jimmy be baptised. However, if you don’t want him baptised then don’t do it, there’s no pressure on you. Do whatever you think will be best for Jimmy.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Knipe
