The difference in shape and size also means that the form in which the baptismal water is used is different. At the Font either the baby’s body (not head) is submerged into the water or the water is poured over the baby’s head. However in adult baptism the candidate is totally immersed beneath the water. This signifies that the candidate dies to their old, sinful life and is buried with Jesus.
The significance of having the water poured over the baby is that the baby has been resurrected to share a new life with Jesus. The resurrection also plays an important part in adult baptism. When the candidate comes up out of the water they share a new life with Jesus, the life after resurrection.
Unlike adult baptism parents and godparent are present. Both the parents and godparents have to give indication of their faith in Jesus and Christianity. The godparents play a significant role in infant baptism. The reason as to why godparents have to be present at the baptism is that they promise to watch over the child and ensure that he or she is brought up in the Christian faith.
In adult baptism neither parents nor godparents are present at the actual baptism to give a declaration of their faith. This is because the candidate is old enough to give indication of their faith in Christianity, it is the candidate who chooses their path and it is the candidate who has to ensure that they apply themselves to the ways of Christianity. Therefore before the candidate is baptised they give a declaration of their faith in Jesus.
Another difference is that in infant baptism the baby is anointed with the ‘oil of gladness’ and is again anointed with oil (chrism) after they have been baptised.
Before the second anointment the baby is dressed in new robes (the robe of righteousness) showing that he or she has become a new person.
In both services a passage from the Bible is read. There is not much of a selection for infant baptism as it was not performed by Jesus however there are many passages in the Bible that tell of adult baptism, as Jesus was baptised as an adult. Many people are baptised as adults as it was an act that Jesus performed.
In conclusion to this essay it is evident that there are more differences than similarities, if the statement- ‘The similarities between infant and adult baptism outweigh the differences’ is interpreted as the outweighing being in numbers. However it could be that the meaning of the similarities outweighing the differences is the significance of similarities. For example the fact that in both infant and adult baptism the candidates are resurrected after being immersed in water shows that they are sharing a new life with Jesus. The significance being that the Christian faith is centred on Jesus, his teachings and God, so baptism is a sign that people are following Jesus and are willing to do as he did.
I agree with the statement as I feel that the differences are physical, different objects are used and the services are conducted differently. For example in infant baptism a font is used however in adult baptism a pool is used for immersion. If we consider the place in which Jesus was baptised neither the font nor the pool are significant to Jesus as he was baptised in the River Jordan. Some may argue that being baptised in the River Jordan is not practical today (due to distance or money) but it shows that being baptised in the pool is not different from being baptised in the font. The difference in the font and the pool is the size; it would be very difficult to immerse an adult in the font, as it is too small.