Describe and explain the central features of infant and believers' baptism.

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Religious Studies                            Baptism

Describe and explain the central features of infant and believers’ baptism   -  AO1

Many people of many religions practice baptism. The word baptism originates from a Greek verb meaning to plunge under water, Baptizien.

John the Baptist may have been influenced by the Essenes, who were a group of Jews, based in Qumran, from the first century who wanted to remain ritually pure, so practiced ritual bathing. Baptism may well have roots in the Jewish ritual bath, or Mikvah.

John also used the Jewish ritual bath, but they had different meanings, for john it was to forgive the sins of people and for a sign of repentance. When Jesus was baptised, a new meaning of baptism was seen. The father chose Jesus and the Holy Spirit anointed him for his role as messiah, this was a theophany. Jesus according to the end of Matthew’s gospel instructed his disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and the holy spirit,” (Matthew 28:19) even though according to the gospels Jesus never baptised anyone.

In the new testament there follows a series of baptisms: Pentecost 3,000 baptised (acts 2:37-41); Paul (acts 9:18); the Ethiopian eunuch (acts 8:26-40); Cornelius and his household (acts 10:47-48); Lyndia and her household (acts 16:15); Paul’s jailer and his entire family (acts 10:33).

It is from the roots of 2,000 years ago that our rites of baptism in the Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Baptist churches today have developed.

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The focus of this essay is some of the more developed rites of baptism as celebrated today and the most important features and working down.

Water

There are two methods of baptizing in every church: immersion and pouring. Each is used three times on each person. This symbolizes the three days Jesus was in the dead. Immersion is les frequent but more faithful to Jesus’ intention, because technically baptism means to plunge under water. After the plunging the minister will say, “I baptize you in the name of the father, and of the son and the Holy ...

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