Baptism is the ceremony in which a person becomes a member of the Family of Jesus Christ and God;
Sharan Punny
R.S. Coursework- Baptism AO1
Baptism is the ceremony in which a person becomes a member of the Family of Jesus Christ and God; so it is seen as a sacrament. A Sacrament is an outward sign of the giving of God’s grace and salvation to a person. Baptism is one of the seven sacraments in some Christian Churches. Many Christian traditions believe in Baptism however only The Salvation Army and The Society of Friends (Quakers) do not accept Baptism or the Eucharist as they feel there is no need to show any outward signs of personal beliefs.
I will now describe an Infant Baptismal ceremony which is from the Roman Catholic tradition. Other Churches that practise this type of Baptism are: The Anglican Church, Methodist, Orthodox and United Reform Church.
The Baptism ceremony takes place at a Church at a font during a service of Holy Communion and begins with the Priest waiting at the door to welcome the Parents, Godparents and the child which signifies a Christian’s entry into the church. The priest may breathe upon the child’s face and exorcise the evil spirit. It was said St. Augustine makes use of this apostolic practice of exorcising to prove the existence of original sin. Then the infant's forehead and breast are signed with the cross, the symbol of redemption which is the Salvation from sin through Jesus' sacrifice for His people (The New Covenant). A few Bible readings are read by a homily from the priest, whilst the meaning of Baptism is explained. The child is anointed with oil. The Parents and Godparents will profess their faith and say the words of The Creed on behalf of the child.