Baptism

Author: Kirsten Laurel Guidero
Publisher: CBE International

Evangelicalism can find a foothold in renewed practices of reading Scripture. This article first illustrates the larger problems haunting evangelical patterns of reading Scripture by analyzing as a test case two prevalent evangelical interpretations of Gal 3:26–29.2 Next, I offer a better interpretive method and spell out how it treats this passage. We will see that, far from viewing the biblical texts too reverently, with a proposed correction of qualifying textual authority—an approach some evangelicals who struggle with difficult elements of Scripture have adopted—both of the earlier approaches may fail to respect the text enough.

From a close analysis of the idea of baptism in Pauline literature, one can identify the following conclusions: Paul nowhere identifies baptism in water as a work of merit that cannot save. Paul abundantly describes burial in water as best fulfilling his own description of baptism in Romans 6:4 and in Colossians 2:12. Paul describes baptism as a personal death of the one who is baptized, being "crucified with Him." This is similar to Peter's description of baptism as salvific and simultaneously, a pledge or promise to give up sin in ! Peter 3:21, as if it's a contract or agreement in which one agrees to give up sin while God in Christ forgives our past sins that He bore in his body on the cross in I Peter 2:24. Paul describes baptism as being buried and rising and being made alive with Christ. Hence, one is forgiven of past sins, circumcised not made with hands, include both male and female, performed by divine arrangement, and the Spirit is given as a gift, at that moment. Baptism is a personal conscious choice by the one baptized to enter a relationship with or being united with Christ. One is baptized into Christ and his death and in that moment one is forgiven, receives the Spirit as a gift, and is raised with Christ and made alive. So Paul who champions grace, nowhere describes baptism in water as a good work to be eschewed, relegated to a work of personal human merit. Let each party bring forth its prooftexts, and we shall conclude that there is no systematic or consistent theology in the Bible. Some think the Mashiach was to be a political or military leader but how does this view fit with the gentle, humble Yeshua who dies and is made aiive? Is there consistency in sacred scripture?

Abstract: The God of the Bible is an incarnate God: A God who speaks in and through the embodied human experience. Thus, for all of the theological significance of baptism, it is also incumbent for Christians to recognize the vital sociological role baptism plays as a rite of passage, as well as the ways in which baptism serves as an embodied pedagogy, that is, as a learning experience that has lasting effects in the life of the believer. This has implications for baptismal practice, specifically having to do with the timing in which baptism is undertaken. I argue in this essay for a recognition that baptism serves both sociological and pedagogical functions in the life of Christians and the church, and that perhaps a third category—a “liminal” category—should be envisioned for those on their way toward baptism.

In this study, we will explore how the baptismal elements present in the historiography of the Earliest Church offer a theological perspective that can be used ethnographically to understand the way in which the different ecclesial traditions have it regarding baptism. Thus, in some ecclesial traditions, baptism has sacramental values, while other Christian denominations prefer a non-sacramental approach by assigning a symbolic role to baptism. Our approach will diachronically summarize how the understanding of baptism influenced the two ways of relating to the act itself. We will identify how the Primary Church related to baptism and what were those specific practices and elements that were reconsidered over time, maintained or abandoned. The first category includes the transition from a binitarian to a Trinitarian formula. From the category of practices that have been maintained, we refer here, among others, to the universality of this act within the Christian Church. And in the case of practices that have been abandoned by the Church, we refer to the baptism of catechumens in the absence of any item of clothing. We note throughout history a significant liturgical evolution of the act as we move away from the praxiology of the first century described in the Didache. The theology of the first centuries obviously contributed to the amplitude of this liturgical act, which through personal contributions increased the sacramental value of baptism and to which Baptist theologians were in dissonance, considering baptism a symbolic act.

Here's my chapter contribution entitled "Is Virtual Baptism a 'Real' Baptism?" in Technology and Theology ed. William Anderson (Wilmington, DE: Vernon Press, 2020), 149-167. (for educational purposes e-copy email: jparceno@gmail.com)
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Virtual baptism is a new mode of baptism that is both immersive and interactive. This chapter will present the essence and relevance of technology, virtual reality, and digital culture in Christianity and its ordinance of baptism. In the first part, I will trace the historical roots of the meaning of believer’s baptism, its mode, and the development of its theological meaning. The second part will describe the church in the virtual world, techno-culture society, and virtual reality. The third part will discuss the integration of virtual reality as immersion applied to believer’s baptism. I will argue that virtual baptism is a viable, valid mode of baptism both theologically sound and culturally relevant.

--- Link: https://vernonpress.com/book/1154 ---
VR Baptism Youtube link: https://youtu.be/wJhOSzH4NaM

The round painting known as the Doni tondo, now in the Uffizi Gallery, is the only existing panel painting completed by Michelangelo, whose authorship has never been questioned. There is also a general consensus that Michelangelo painted it for a friend, Agnolo Doni. The tondo is, nevertheless, controversial in many other respects. Michelangelo is thought to have painted it when he was in Florence in either or , but the dates of both the commission and the execution of the work are, so far, undocumented. Furthermore, its iconography presents some decided novelties, namely the unusual pose of the Virgin and the even stranger presence of five nude figures in the background. These and other details have been subjected to many interpretations. The painting, however, still lacks an explanation which brings all its elements together and which is fully consistent with both its genre and its function. This article is based on the assumption that a closer investigation of the personal and devotional context in which the painting was produced, and of Doni family history, might shed new light on the making of the tondo, and perhaps also on its controversial date. Several scholars have indeed already insisted on both the private character and the devotional function of this work. Nevertheless, they have not really questioned the traditional reading of the painting, which (as we shall see) is not entirely consistent with the function of a painting of this kind—that is, a Marian tondo. Following this line of enquiry, I propose that the study of other pictures which are possibly related to the Doni tondo, in genre or iconography, may prove fruitful.

Scholars have traditionally read John Chrysostom's baptismal instructions, preached in Antioch, as examples of a new, post-Constantinian paradigm in liturgical theology: the Romans 6 notion of baptism as death and resurrection with Christ. This article argues that the metaphor of "putting on Christ" from Galatians 3:27 is the more dominant metaphor for Chrysostom. He connected the "putting on" of Christ in baptism to the martyrs' imitation of Christ in death. To reinforce this connection, he brought the newly-baptized to the tombs of martyrs on the outskirts of Antioch, where he preached some of the baptismal instructions. He kept their memory of martyrdom alive by allowing martyred bodies to "speak" to a new generation of Christians.

This paper addresses the issue of the use of the term "regenerate" in the baptismal service, and originally was submitted to the Prayer Book Task Force of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in 2012, during the ACNA's prayer book revision process. Because this issue has held a prominent place in the history of the Reformed Episcopal Church (a founding member of the Anglican Church in North America in 2009) from its earliest days until the last revision of its prayer book in 2003,  it was appropriate to provide a summary of the REC‟s experience with its baptismal liturgy and the reasons for the most recent revision of the REC liturgy in which the word “regeneration” is restored.

Resumo: Este artigo procura entender o batismo como um rito de iniciação e sua relevância na vida das pessoas em tempos de fragmentação, descontinuidade e desinstitucionalização. Mais do que nunca é importante para a Teologia Prática se perguntar pelo papel dos ritos de iniciação na atualidade, os tradicionais e os novos, bem como refl etir, a partir de tendências da cultura, a prática e a vivência do batismo e sua relevância ética na igreja e no mundo. Palavras-chave: Batismo. Iniciação cristã. Desinstitucionalização e desregulação religiosa. Abstract: This article aims to understand the Baptism as an initiation rite and its importance inpeoplès life in an age of fragmentation, discontinuity and deinstitutionalization. More than ever it is important for the practical theology to ask itself about the role of the initiation rites nowadays – the traditional and the new ones – as well as to refl ect, based on the cultural tendencies, the practice and the experience of the Baptism and its ethical relevance to the Church and to the world. Introdução Pretende-se neste artigo refl etir sobre a prática do batismo como rito de inicia-ção cristã e sua relevância na vida das pessoas, principalmente das novas gerações, frente à realidade de desinstitucionalização e desregulação religiosa que vivemos. Entende-se por desregulação religiosa as mudanças que estão ocorrendo no campo religioso atual e que modifi cam a prática e compreensão, neste caso, do batismo. A de-sinstitucionalização é parte desse movimento e signifi ca o afrouxamento dos vínculos 1 O artigo foi recebido em 02 de março de 2012 e aprovado em 24 de abril de 2012 com base nas avaliações dos pareceristas ad hoc.

"Our words indicate our thoughts, but our thoughts don't make anything happen…. It's not the same with God." In Speaking the Love of God: An Introduction to the Sacraments, Dr. Jacob W. Wood shows how Christ gives his Church the power to speak with God's voice in the seven sacraments. In this foundational guide to the sacraments, discover the power of the signs and words that transform us by grace and prepare us for glory.

In order to map out the extent to which the interplay between professional creationist and anti-creationist organizations in the United States determines the state of the creation/evolution debates, I shall proceed in three steps. First, I will present an example that characterizes the way in which professional creationism works in the United States. Second, I will review some key aspects of the history of professional creationism and anti-creationism in America. Third, I will present a sociological model that helps explain why creationism in the United States has developed in the way it has. This model is based upon the theory of social fields as developed by Pierre Bourdieu. Its main function is to make visible the way in which professional creationists and anti-creationists are attuned to each other with regard to their arguments, strategies, and the concepts they apply to Interpret their own actions and those of their opponents.

La recherche sur les origines de symboles déclaratoires et synodales suppose que ces symboles ne sont pas liés à la liturgie baptismale, au motif que les premiers symboles baptismaux sont interrogatifs plutôt que déclaratoires.
Cet article se appuie sur des travaux antérieurs suggèrent qu'il peut y avoir eu des déclarations de foi dans les premières liturgies en examinant l’ensemble de preuve pour la liturgie baptismale Alexandrienne. Il conclut que l'élément credal à cette liturgie était d'un type distinct, et que même se il était une interrogation, le candidat a également fait une declaration de foi.
Ainsi, il ne peut pas dire que les premiers symboles baptismaux sont seulement interrogatifs. Cela signifie que la relation entre les symboles baptismaux et les symboles synodaux déclaratoires est possible. L'article conclut en suggérant qu'ils ont été tous deux dérivés d'une tradition catéchétique.

This research aims to highlight the changed view within the swedish pentecostal movement on the
subject of baptism as being the main entry into church fellowship. This essay tries to make clear
whether or not the importance of baptism as an entry into fellowship has been given a lower priority
in favor of a higher regard to discipleship as an entry into fellowship. Our question is how and why
the view might have changed, and also whether or not today’s ongoing discussion on the subject is
relevant. There is currently a vibrant discussion taking place within the movement and our hope is
to help you as the reader of this research to understand and gain a better insight into the different
views. The scope of our research is limited to the swedish pentecostal movement from the 20th to
the 21st century. We are be using both primary and secondary sources. The main conclusion of the
research is that discipleship as an entry into fellowship as a matter of fact has been given a higher
priority within the movement today, and the root of this appears to be the ecumenical mobility.

Il presente studio si propone di sottolineare la necessità che la teologia spirituale – anche sull’impulso dato da papa Francesco in Evangelii gaudium –, oltre che sui percorsi proposti dai grandi mistici, dia grande valore ai principi evangelici come tali. Se, infatti, si vuole che la chiamata universale alla santità, cioè la possibilità di poter arrivare a sperimentare, con Paolo e tutti i santi, che una vera vita di fede è una vita in Cristo, non solo questa (la santità) deve poter realizzarsi nei «distinti generi di vita» (LG 41), ma anche in ogni semplice esistenza, fatta di gioie e sofferenza, e non unicamente nelle grandi esperienze di fede o di grandi “notti oscure”, come nella vita di alcuni santi eccezionali. In altre parole, anche le santificazioni “feriali” (vedi alcuni santi semplici o semplicemente santi) devono essere prese in seria considerazione, oltre che dalla predicazione, anche dalla teologia della vita spirituale che – sempre più – dovrà divenire semplicemente teologia della vita cristiana. In pienezza, certo!, come auspicava Giovanni Paolo II nella Novo millennio ineunte, ma anche “semplicemente” cristiana. In concreto, ci sembra che la santità come vocazione di tutti non sia ancora stata studiata guardando alla santità anonima (§ 3) o valorizzando il comune denominatore (§ 4)

(English Summary: Baptism and Baptismal Vessels in Post-Reformation Saaremaa pp. 126-136).

This article examines the changes that occured in the use and location of baptismal vessels and fonts in Saaremaa during the Early Modern Period. It also discusses the alteration of the sacrament and rites of baptism on island during the 16th and 17th centuries. The questions and alterations pertaining to the place of baptism and baptismal fonts are connected with the rest of the ecclesiastical space and church furnishings. The conversion of Catholic churches into Lutheran ecclesiastical space was a complex process and the changes were carried out gradually. Saaremaa is one of the few, if not the only area, in Estonia today were the changes that took place in the process of conversion from Catholicism to Lutheranism can be viewed in rural churches. Information about the church furnishings in Saaremaa during the 16th-17th centuries (Danish and Swedish Period) is available from practically every local church.

Kreuzzeichen und Katechumensalbung; Taufe; Salbung mit Chrisam; Bekleidung mit dem weißen Taufgewand; Taufkerze
The Signs of Baptism for Children: Sign of the cross; Anointing with the oil of catechumens - Baptism - Anointing with Chrisam - Clothing with the white garment - Baptismal Candle

Mission Round Table 15:1 (Jan-Apr 2020): 42-43.

In this insightful interview, Scott Callaham highlights key challenges issued in World Mission: Theology, Strategy, and Current Issues. The book was written not only for mission practitioners, mission agencies, and seminaries, but for all biblically- and theologically-engaged Christians. Covering themes not seen in contemporary books on mission, the contributors to the book are not merely advocating returning to the Bible as a guide for the theology and practice of mission (although these aspects of mission clearly need to be reformed) but are aiming for a complete rethinking of world mission that takes us back to the source—the Bible.

Holy water can help lay people in their pursuit of sainthood. It reminds them about the sacrament of baptism and encourages to be grateful to God for such a great gift, to feel joy and pride in being Christian. It helps to prepare for the Eucharist and raises awareness God’s presence. Through holy
water God absolves the venial sins when we use it in the spirit of remorse. This water constitutes an element of the blessing which is given by parents to their children on the basis of priesthood arising from the mystery of
baptism. It plays an important role in the Christian customs related to burial, indicating the exceptional meaning of human death, the dignity of the human
body, the mystery of the purgatory and the significance of the prayer for the dead. Holy water is used in blessings and shows the need to sanctify the
whole human life, the everyday existence, the various dimensions of human labour and activity. Sometimes it is kept in the houses of the believers to
which they can resort to in moments of temptation. Many saints talks of the importance of holy water as protection from the evil spirit. Furthermore, it provides consolation, reassurance in spiritual struggle and internal renewal. There is also the danger of abuse: mechanical use, giving up the spiritual struggle with venial sins, neglecting everyday duties, magical thinking.

the fragmented book from the Nag Hammadi library, is here renumbered into 300 verses and 11 sub-chapters.

Turned out real nice. 

The book appears to kick off a series of advanced Gnostic teachings based on the Untitled Coptic  text from the Bruce Codex, that is actually a Pythagorean text from 500-400 BC, if not from 700 BC. 

The book of Melchizedek therefore places at around AD 150. 

Among other things, the text talks of the ritual of indoctrination into the order of the Melchizedek priesthood.

See also the Book of Lamech, a book I've restored in a similar fashion from one of the Dead Sea scrolls.

У статті проводиться аналіз текстів донікейських Отців, які показують сприйняття ними водного хрещення. Зокрема, розглядаються праці чотирьох видатних богословів, що писали свої праці в III ст. – Орігена, Іполита Римського, Тертуліана і Кипріяна. На підставі їхніх текстів, що відбивають розуміння водного хрещення в різних регіонах Римської імперії (Грецький Схід – Олександрія, латинська Африка – Карфаген та Рим), проводиться вивчення процесу формування дитячого хрещення (педохрещення), який активно проходив у цей період.
Автор визначає фактори, що зробили значний вплив на заміну кредохрещення (хрещення дорослих по сповіданню віри) на педохрещення. Провідну роль в появі дитячого хрещення зіграли ситуації екстремального хрещення (хвороба з можливістю летального випадку та ін.), за умов якого суворі правила входження в громаду могли ігноруватися. Богословською підставою таких дій було уявлення про роль хрещення як очищення гріхів, яке поступово трансформувалося з прощення гріхів по вірі кандидата на хрещення на прощення гріхів ex opera operato. Так як в богослов’ї цієї епохи відсутнє поняття первородного гріха, то для пояснення хрещення невинних немовлят стало розвиватися орігенівське уявлення про так звану «пляму гріха».

When Christians meet together, we sing. Music is essential to our experience of faith, and many of us will be able to tell of times where singing or being present to music has shaped our sense of vocation and calling. 1 Music not an ephemeral add-on to our worship: it is one of our most direct ways of accessing the divine. Liturgical music is vital to how we connect our worship to daily life because it invites us to inscribe the meaning of Christ's saving work on ourselves. Liturgical music gives us important resources for entering into participation in the mystery of God, and helps us to nurture and deepen our baptismal living. In this article we will explore liturgical music from two perspectives. The first is the ways in which music establishes ritual time, which will be discussed through three pieces of music. The second perspective is the role of cultural inheritance and social context in our experience of liturgical music. Music and Time: Marrkapmirr Music shapes our experience of time because it moves in a distinctive way. We often respond by shaping our physical movements to the rhythms of the music we hear. Liturgical music creates ritual time. This is a sense of time that has a more layered aspect, where actions in the present have continuity with events in the past, and the promise of fulfilment in the future. This is a richer and more complex experience than everyday linear time, and we are invited to shape our lives in response to the access to the divine established in liturgy. Here I am going to explore two examples of music that embody this idea of time.

Questo studio dimostra che la teologia del battesimo di Ratzinger è nel quadro di una prospettiva storica e cosmologica sulla liturgia. Storicamente, il battesimo non può essere compreso se non riusciamo a vedere e comprendere la sua ombra nell’An- tico Testamento dove ha la sua «origine». Allo stesso tempo, il battesimo contempo- raneo indica il presente di Cristo nella liturgia della Chiesa. Il battesimo è più di un semplice rituale cristiano che avvia uno nella religione del cristianesimo; ha luogo nella creazione e usa contemporanei creati della morte e della risurrezione storica di Cristo. Infine, l’indicazione della partecipazione del credente all’opera di Cristo me- diante il Battesimo prescrive l’imperativo della nuova vita.


This study demonstrates that Ratzinger’s theology of Baptism is situated in the framework of a historical and cosmological perspective on the Liturgy. Historically, Baptism cannot be truly understood if we fail to see and comprehend its shadow in the Old Testament where it has its «origin». At the same time, contemporary Baptism points as image to the reality of the crucified and resurrected Christ present in the Liturgy of the Church. Baptism is more than just a Christian ritual that initiates one into the religion of Christianity; it takes place in creation and uses created matter so as to make us contemporaries of Christ’s historical death and resurrection. Finally, the in- dicative of the believer’s participation in Christ’s work by way of Baptism prescribes the imperative of the new life.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate standard exegetical practice that helps to determine the meaning of Biblical text.  The text (1 Cor 15:29) chosen for this demonstration presents a number of difficulties that require proper hermeneutical analysis. The researcher thus follows a prescribed procedure in which he does the following: 1) peruses the manuscript textual evidence and other language translations; 2) looks at various English translations; 3) uses syntactic analysis, concordances  and theological dictionaries to help with determination of meaning; 4) investigates literary interactions; 5) sets the text in its historical and geographical context; 6) focuses on the original theoretical meaning; and finally 7) explores possible contemporary applications.

Discussion des enjeux œcuméniques du baptême : Le baptême nous rend responsables dans notre Eglise et envers toutes les Eglises. Quelles conséquences tirer de la communion baptismale pour l'ecclésiologie et la reconnaissance des ministères ? Un enjeu oecuménique : les implications éthiques du baptême. Le dialogue avec les Eglises de type « baptiste ». Quel chemin vers une reconnaissance mutuelle ?

Ristimiskivi oli keskaegses kihelkonnakirikus üks tähtsamaid liturgilisi esemeid, mida kasutati esimese ehk ristimise sakramendi läbi viimisel. Sageli on keskaegsed ristimisnõud ka vanimateks säilinud kirikukunsti teosteks meie pühakodades. Kuigi keskajal oli ristimiskivi olemas peaaegu kõigis kihelkonnakirikutes, on neid tänaseni alles väga vähe. Käesolevasse raamatusse on koondatud andmestik rohkem kui 20 keskaegse ristimiskivi või nende fragmentide kohta. Uurimus annab ülevaate nii tänaseni säilinud kui ka fotode põhjal teadaolevatest, kuid hävinud või kaduma läinud ristimisnõudest. Raamatus käsitletakse ristimiskivi ajaloolist arengut, selle asukoha muutusi kirikuruumis, ristimise juures tarvitatud esemeid ja keskaegsete ristimiskivide kasutamist reformatsioonijärgsetel sajanditel. Lisaks tutvustatakse ristimise ajaloolist arengut ja ristimise läbiviimist keskaegsel Liivimaal.

This article maintained that the historicity of Jesus’ baptism was intended to flesh out the righteousness of God that was well-documented in the Hebrew Scriptures. Furthermore, the historical event initiated the ontological emphasis on the relationship of baptism to righteousness. To support this proposal, this article focused on Matthew’s fulfilment statement in Matthew 3:15. Looking specifically at this verse within its context, the article examines what Matthew may have intended for his community to grasp regarding the Christian tradition of righteousness. The article is divided into four sections that are intended to examine Matthew’s intentions. Firstly, the immediate context is examined, showing the influences and setting for the fulfilment statement. The following section explores the fulfilment statement within this context. The third section uncovers some of the theological traditions in Paul and the church fathers. Finally, the baptismal statement of Matthew 3:15 will be tied directly to the relationship of the law and righteousness in Matthew’s ἦλθον statement of Matthew 5:17.

There is no dispute that Jesus' command to baptize is sufficient for his church to obey. But when it comes to explaining the meaning of baptism, the fact of Jesus' command is insufficient. Since sacraments and covenants go together, an inferential case can be made that sees baptism as the sacrament of initiation into the New Covenant.

This essay exposes the ideological biases characterizing recent research into the origin of "Christian baptism" as scholars variously root its origin in their preferred religion (Greco-Roman, Jewish, or sui generis Christianity). This is made possible in part through the constructed categories of various types of “baptisms” and a preference for "Christian baptism," which controls comparison. To remedy the distortion of sources, I propose that a robust implementation of comparative method is necessary, including clarification on what, why, and how we compare. This will shed clearer light on the origin of the religious ritual of baptism in, of, and around the Bible.

1. Einleitung
2. Martin Luther Kings Wurzeln in der afroamerikanischen-baptistischen Spiritualität der "Black Churches"
3. Kings Vorstellung der "Beloved Community" und die Reich-Gottes-Theologie der Social-Gospel-Bewegung
4. Kings Vorstellung der "Beloved Community" und die Tradition des aktiven gewaltfreien Widerstands
5. Träumer sind Kämpfer - zur eschatologisch-visionären Aufgabe der Christenheit

This article focuses on infanticide prosecution in sixteenth-century Spain, and the judicial fate of women suspected of violating both criminal law and Christian precepts in the era of Tridentine reform. Through court records from the Kingdom of Navarre (annexed by the Castilian crown in 1515), the author explores how women on trial for the suspicious death of their infants co-opted language of Christian maternity and Catholic sacramental morality to craft their defense against prosecutorial allegations of murder and sacrilege. The article argues that accused infanticidal mothers used performative public piety and doctrinal ambiguity surrounding the post-mortem fate of the unbaptized to their legal advantage, not only to plead their innocence but also to assert their reproductive agency before the early modern Spanish court.

A scripture guide with links, to bring an individual to the point of deciding to be baptized in order to become a Christian. All photos were personally taken by the author. Permission is granted to freely print and distribute this publication.