Chapter 7 Review Questions Flashcards
Describe what happens when a person goes through Baptism.
By Baptism a person’s relationship with God is forever changed: freed from sin and reborn as a son or daughter of God, the baptized person is given grace and thus shares in the very life of God.
What five realities for the Christian are celebrated in Baptism?
The five realities for the Christian that are celebrated in Baptism are (1) being welcomed into the community of Jesus, the church; (2) beginning a lifelong conversion, turning away from sin to embrace the Christian way of life; (3) being reborn to a new identity as a son or daughter of God; (4)sharing in the mission of Jesus and adopting it as one’s own life purpose; (5) receiving the gift of the Spirit of Jesus that enables the Christian to share in God’s life of love.
What is meant by original sin? How does Baptism affect original sin?
Original sin is the condition we inherit of tending to choose sin; Baptism offers the abundance of God’s grace to overcome that tendency.
What does it mean to say that Baptism is necessary for salvation? How can non-Christians be saved?
The Catholic church teaches that Baptism is necessary for salvation and is the fullest means of salvation. Jesus himself taught, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (3:5). To non-Christians, however, the church teaches that because Christ died for all humankind, all are offered salvation through the paschal mystery, in ways that are known to God.
What are the essential actions and words in the sacrament of Baptism?
At the core of the sacrament of Baptism are the action and words of the water rite. This essential rite consists of the minister’s pouring water over the person’s head or immersing the person in water, while pronouncing the Trinitarian Formula, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
List three symbolic mentions of water in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, in the very beginning of the Book of Genesis, God breathes on the waters to bring order to Creation. Later, in the story of Noah, the world of sin is destroyed and washed clean through the waters of a flood. And in the Book of Exodus, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt by guiding them, with God’s power, through the great Red Sea.
What do the two anointings with oil during Baptism signify?
In the baptismal rite, anointing with oil one the breast or on both hands occurs before the water ritual of Baptism. This anointing is associated with asking God for strength for the person. The anointing of the new Christian on the crown of the head with chrism, which takes place after the water ritual, signifies being chosen and anointed as Christ was chosen, to share in his risen life and to receive the Spirit through him.
What is the significance of the white garment worn in Baptism?
To symbolize the radical newness of life in Christ, of being “clothes in Christ,” the baptized individual receives a white (or new) garment or a white cloth to wear after the water ritual.
Why is a lighted candle given to a newly baptized person?
At Baptism the newly baptized person is given a lighted candle to hold. In this way the newly baptized person shares in the light of Christ, the hope and warmth of the world, and is encouraged to always walk as a child of the light.
Who may be baptized? Who is the usual minister of the sacrament?
Anyone who has not been baptized before may be baptized by an ordained person; a priest, bishop, or deacon is the minister of the sacrament.
Briefly describe the process called the catechumenate in the early church.
The catechumenate is the process of baptismal preparation. A person desiring to become a Christian needed to find a Christian who would be a sponsor. To help the person during the two- to three-year preparation for Baptism. About forty days before the person was to be baptized, he or she entered a period of deep preparation that involved instruction, prayer, fasting, and liturgies. The final step was the Eater Vigil—the only time Baptisms were performed.
