Describe and Explain the Central Features of Infant and Believers Baptism.

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Describe and Explain the Central Features of Infant and Believers Baptism.

Infant baptism has been around since the 4th century and it is one of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church sees baptism as a rite of initiation into the Catholic community.

The service of infant baptism can be broken into four main sections, The Door, The Book, Catechumens and The Font. In these four sections there are many different symbols.  At the door the priest meets the child, parents and sponsors. Here he asks the intentions of the parents he then makes the sign of the cross on the child’s forehead and invites the parents and sponsors to do the same. This is a symbol that the child now belongs to God. The service now moves up to the front of the church.

The Book is the next part of the service. There is a short reading from the bible and its usually about baptism example Jesus being baptised. Next there are prayers of the faithful. In these the child, parents and God parents are prayed for that they will bring the child up in a Christian way. The word of God is quite an important part of the ceremony because it is from this the child will be nourished spiritually. After this he exorcises the child. This is when he calls on God to free the child from the power and control of Satan and from original sin. He now anoints the child on the chest with the oil of catechumens. This is a symbol of strength and healing.  

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The priest asks the parents and Godparents the baptismal promises and they answer on behalf of the child. In these promises they reject all sin and declare the basic Christian teaching. The priest pours water over the child’s head three times saying ‘I baptise you in the Name of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit. This represents the importance of the Holy trinity in our faith. Also the use of water is very symbolic because without water there would be no life, but it can also kill example rough seas. This symbolises death to sin and the new ...

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