Significant Practices in the Life of Adherents - Baptism

Extended response of 20 marks.

Significant Practices in the Life of Adherents - Baptism

Introductio • Baptism is widely-practiced, sacramental rite of initiation to admit

Topic candidate into Christian community 1
n
• Greek origin meaning ‘to dip, to immerse’

• Statement of one’s belief in Christian tradition -> salvation only

with faith; ‘Simon himself believed as was baptised … saw miracles’
(Acts 8:13)
• Share in death and resurrection of Christ -> cleansing of sins ->
Describe ‘Receive gift of Holy Spirit’ (Acts 2:38)
Featur
• Majority of Christians baptise when infants -> pedobaptism 4
Practice es
• Parents / Godparents make commitments on behalf of child ->
reinforces beliefs
• Jesus said, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter to the kingdom
of God without being born of water and spirit’ (John 3:3) ->
essential for Heaven

Demonstra • Initiates individual into the whole Christian life, to be guided by

Aspect the Holy Spirit and access to rites and sacraments of their Church.
te How It 2
1 • -> Freedom from sin and reborn as a child of God; members of
Expresses Christ and share its mission.
Beliefs
• Roman Catholic baptism involves Eucharist -> baptism is a
Exampl
AND communal ritual that all involved in - > ‘belief of Christians in the 1
e
Church as the body of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 12:!3)
Analyse
•Individual shares in the heritage of baptismal scripture texts -
Significanc understands rich symbolism of water, oil, new garment and candle.
Aspect
e for 2 • -> The candle is lit from the Easter / Paschal candle; reminds that 2
Christ has enlightened them and they are ‘the light of the world’
Individual (Matthew 5:14)
and
• Greek Orthodox -> candle is brought to church on feast days, or
Christian Exampl anniversary of one’s baptism, or at Easter liturgy. Relit at person’s
1
Communit e wedding ceremony -> constant reminder that Christians live and
die by the light of Christ.
y
• Symbolic of saving action of God forming a Christian community
Aspect • Assurance we receive forgiveness of sins
2
3 • Calls to mind images of the waters of chaos from the Genesis
accounts of creation (Genesis 1:2) and the story of Noah

• Roman Catholic -> removal of original sin inherited from

Exampl
ancestors -> cleansed 1
e
• Greek Orthodox -> exorcism renounces Satan -> cleansed

•The community, already baptised, witness the introduction of a

new adherent.
Aspect
• -> Baptism is sacrament of faith and helps it grow stronger. 2
4
• -> Baptismal promises -> usually renewed with Creed ->
community gathering.

• Roman Catholic -> Nicene Creed at Easter ensures our faith is

Exampl
shared -> Jesus gave instructions to his followers to baptise people 1
e
in his name (Matthew 28:19)

Aspect • Challenges communities to reflect on vocation as Christians -> 2

5 own actions
• Images of death and new life -> calls to mind death / resurrection
of Jesus.
Significant Practices in the Life of Adherents - Baptism

• Greek Orthodox -> like others dresses candidate in new clothes

• -> represents entirely new life that we receive after being ‘buried
Exampl
with Jesus in His death’ 1
e
• Similar to what is worn during Easter Holy Week services -> purity
of the soul -> Christ appeared in at the Transfiguration.