"Baptising babies is pointless..."

"Baptising babies is pointless..." Some Christians believe that baptising babies is pointless, because they fail to understand the significance of what the Baptism service represents. In other cases, Christians that are against Baptism do not agree with the features involved when being baptised, ie. Promises undertaken by godparents on behalf of the infant. Other Christians believe that baptising babies is essential to a young Christian's life. It magnifies the grace of God. The helplessness and vulnerability of the child is an illustration of our own helplessness before God and inability to save ourselves. Baptism offers a helping hand to save us. Another reason for which some Christians feel so strongly about the Baptism service is the fact that Baptism healthily includes Christian children fully in the life of the church. Most children parents would agree that the ideal is for a child to know and love the Lord Jesus from their earliest years. Many adults who have had a Christian upbringing would say that they have never known the time when they have not believed in Jesus, although of course their knowledge of Jesus and of the implications of following him has grown and matured over the years. It's this concrete evidence which tips the scales in these Christian's favour. Many Christians in all sincerity question the wisdom of baptising babies, even the babies of

  • Word count: 408
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Describe what Baptism is

Baptism I am a fifth year GCSE student and as part of my coursework, I have to describe the sacrament of Baptism. I recently attended a Baptism ceremony and I intend to describe in detail the procedures during the ceremony and the significance of each part. Baptism is the first sacrament received by people in the Catholic church. It usually takes the form of infant baptism - sometimes, if a baby is ill, the ceremony will take place within the first few hours of life, but normally, babies are 2 - 6 weeks old when they are baptised. It is believed that during the Baptismal sacrament, the Holy Spirit enters a person, gives new life, and claims that person is now 'in Christ'. A person 'in Christ' is supposed to grow more like Christ as they grow up. This is made possible by the Holy Spirit. The Ceremony. The Baptismal Ceremony consists of three parts. . The Welcome. 2. The Celebration of God's word. 3. The Celebration of the Sacrament. The Welcome. The family and the child assemble at the back of the church - this represents being 'outside' the church. The priest welcomes them in and asks them what they want of the church, to which they reply 'Baptism'. Godparents are asked if they agree to help and the priest, parents and godparents make a sign of the cross on the child's forehead. The Celebration of God's word. During this part of the ceremony, a reading from the

  • Word count: 1084
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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An Infant Baptismal service

R.E. Coursework Baptism My family and I are members of a Presbyterian Church. Nearly all of the baptism services that I have witnessed have been infant baptisms. An Infant Baptismal service This part of the service (in my church) usually occurs just before the children's address. The children don't leave for Sunday school, until after the baptism has been carried out. The minister welcomes the parents and their family to the church. Usually all of the baby's relatives would come to this service, and they have the front few rows reserved for them. The relatives being present is important, as the family is taking vows on behalf of the baby, about the family-thus being the family of the church, or the world wide family of Christians. The minister explains the importance, meaning and the significance of this sacrament: - "This is a sign of god's promises towards those who trust in him. Through baptism a person becomes a member of the church. Baptism is a sign of God's love and special relationship with the church in the New Testament". Two of the baby's relative's normally read appropriate scripture lessons. These will remind us of the covenant that God made with his people in the Old Testament, when he spoke to Abraham. The New Testament readings will make a link between the initial covenant, and the one through Jesus in the New Testament. It is into the New

  • Word count: 974
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Baptism all started due to the baptism of Jesus.

PART 1 Baptism all started due to the baptism of Jesus. Jesus was immersed in water, which leads to water being used in Infant and Believers' baptism. Jesus received the Holy Spirit and began his mission, so other people give up their old life and gain a new life to, in a way, start their own mission. This gaining of new life would be symbolised as dying to sin and rising to new life in Christ. In an infant's baptism the person is baptised on the basis of the faith of the parents and godparents. In a believer's baptism, the person already believes in God. The sacrament of baptism unites the majority of the Christian churches. It acts as a solid foundation in the seeking of unity between all Christians. Some Christian churches such as the Catholic Church practise both while other churches only recognise adult baptism. This is because it is the original form and was used by Jesus. Infant baptism is the most common in the Christian Church today. Infant baptism was first used in the third century. Parents want to put their children through Infant baptism so that they will be raised as Christians. Babies are usually baptised at this age because baptism is the sacrament of initiation and it seems natural.1 The baby receives the sign of new life by depending on adults. When a person comes to be baptised they will have water poured over their head by the priests

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Infants should be baptised, discuss.

RELIGION COURSEWORK C) DO YOU THINK INFANTS SHOULD BE BAPTISED? Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation where new life is celebrated. It comes after a period of preparation, after some time is spent considering what the sacrament will mean to the catechumen being baptised. The sacrament also grants the new Christian all the rights and responsibilities as a member of God's kingdom. I personally disagree that infants should be baptised! The baptising of infants is common practice in the church today but its seems to have become "the thing to do". People are concentrating more on the celebration end of things rather than the receiving of the sacrament itself! In the early church, adult baptism was a common practice. Before the ceremony was carried out there was a forty-day period of prayer and instruction on the faith. Baptism then was seen as a big commitment and was taken a lot more seriously than today. There was also community involvement as well, as members of the community had to make sure the new Christian was living out his faith. This individual had a personal choice to become a Christian. He/she chose to take on the responsibilities of being a follower of Christ. But in infant Baptism the choice is being made by the child's parents who wish for their child to be a follower of Christ. Therefore the child is not being given the choice and is maybe being forced

  • Word count: 904
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Christianity in rime of the Ancient Mariner

Steve Peter Coming Full Circle The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, penned by Samuel Coleridge, and published for the first time in 1798 in the co-authored "Lyrical Ballads" with William Wordsworth, is a poem in which an old sailor recounts his tales to a young wedding guest. The tale of the old seafarer was so unbelievable and supernatural, that the wedding guest and all others who hear the tale are captivated and, as Coleridge suggests, listen "like a three years' child" (15). Embedded through the Mariner's tale is a story that resembles the Christianesque path from sin to salvation. Throughout his poem, Coleridge uses the Albatross as a Christ-like figure to illustrate the stages of the Mariner's sin, repentance, salvation, and prostelization. Before the Albatross finds the sailors, they are frozen in the sea in the Antarctic Circle. When the sailors spot the bird, they believe it will bring them good fortune as Coleridge illustrates in lines 63-66: At length did cross an Albatross Through the fog it came; As if it had been a Christian soul, We hail'd it in God's name (63-66). Sure enough, the Albatross saves the sailors by breaking up the ice surrounding their ship and allowing them to float freely in the water. The bird saved the sailors as Jesus Christ saved mankind from a sinful destruction. Coleridge uses words of religious significance like "Christian soul"

  • Word count: 1095
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Baptising babies is pointless, Do you agree with this statement?

"Baptising babies is pointless," - Do you agree with this statement? I agree with this statement. The fact that so many people are baptised at a young age these days comes from the fact that people used to believe that if a child wasn't baptised they couldn't enter heaven and infant mortality also would have been lower in years past. Currently infant mortality has risen and the church has said that it is possible for children to enter heaven even if they are not baptised but people continue to get their children baptised young, even if they themselves sometimes have little or no faith, because of superstition or purely tradition. Many people would argue that this is very wrong and people should make their own choices about religion once they are old enough. However if someone is not baptised they can not fully take part in their religion. Baptism opens doors to the other sacraments so without being baptised the child can't receive communion or tell their confessions. Also, baptism is a welcoming into the community so although the parents may not have much, or any, faith it is also up to the child's parish to bring it up religiously. Though, personally, I don't think that is reason enough to baptise people as babies rather than adults. I believe that people should be baptised as adults so they can make their own decision on their faith. Even if a child is not baptised they

  • Word count: 694
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Explain the practical importance of baptism from a biblical perspective

R.S 1 - " Explain the practical importance of baptism from a biblical perspective" Baptism is extremely important in the Christian religion. This is because Jesus, the founder of the religion was baptised and Christians believe what ever he did was right so they will do what he did, and get baptised whether they be old or young. In John 3:5 it says that Baptism signifies and brings about spiritual washing and rebirth, which are vital if you want to enter the kingdom of God. In Romans 6:4 it says " By our Baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new live", this shows that by being Baptised you die from your old and sinful life and are reborn into a new sinless life (metanoia). This is symbolized in the Baptism when the person enters the water and goes underneath - dieing from their old life and then rising from the water into a new life. In John 19:34 it says " One of the soldiers, however, plunged his spear into Jesus' side and at once blood and water poured out", this represents Eucharist and Baptism. A bible verse showing the importance of Baptism is 1 Peter 3:20 - 21 " These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat (eight In all) were saved by the water, which

  • Word count: 484
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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AQA Baptism Coursework

R.E. Coursework: Baptism Skill AO1 Explain how the story of Jesus' Baptism in St Marks Gospel helps Christians to understand why baptism is important in the church today. Select and explain the most important feature of infant and believers baptism. Then story of Jesus' baptism is told in Mark 1:9-11, and it is: "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."" This passage helps Christians to understand why Baptism is important in the Church today as Jesus deemed himself worthy to be baptised, and show his faith in God. Jesus' baptism was also the first time God spoke to Jesus, and when He received the Holy Spirit. From that moment on, Jesus devoted the rest of his life to preaching the word of God, and he was given the strength to do this, even though He new it would cause people to resent him. Just like how Baptism was the start of a life closer to God for Jesus; it is the same for Christians today, especially the case of the Baptist Church, where it is a way of expressing their faith in Jesus, and also it is the beginning of a new way of life, where they will try and do all they can to follow God's word. While the

  • Word count: 1573
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Infant Baptism verses Adult Baptism.

Infant Baptism verses Adult Baptism According to the bible everyone (adult or child) who recognizes Jesus and his works and try to follow him should be baptized. But in the bible there is no record of infants being baptized. Though many say this is because they are not able to understand the need of a saviour. Yet God places children as a high priority, when asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of God, Jesus responded, " Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). Also I think it is fair to say that if to enter the kingdom of God you have to be rid of original sin and cleansed then this can only be done by Baptism. What if a baby died without being baptized, where would it go? The bible also clearly tells us that the Kingdom of God belongs to little children (mark 10:14). Churches who practice infant baptism use such scriptures as Psalms to claim that we are born with sin and are unsaved. But others tend to disagree and say, we are born with sinful nature, but not with sin, which a baby could not repent of. Jesus himself was born of a woman; if we were born with sin then Jesus would have been sinless. In Matthew 11:25 Jesus says that things have been revealed to the little children, which are hidden from the wise and learned. My interpretation of this is that as children grow older, their hearts harden to the

  • Word count: 406
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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