CHRISTIANITY - baptism

Question 1

What is Baptism

Answer 1

Initiation into the Christian faith wherein the candidate is blessed with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Question 2

Explain the diversity

Answer 2

Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox baptise from infants, its considered a Sacrament and necessary for Salvation
Pentecostal and Protestant they only baptise adults and its NOT considered a sacrament or salvific

Question 3

How does it connect to the belief of the Trinity (4)

Answer 3

• Jesus instructs, ‘go therefore baptising all nations in the name of the Father…’ - Matthew 28:19
• water is poured on the candidate three times to symbolise the three aspects of the Trinity
• the godparents (Catholicism) is asked to reaffirm their faith and beliefs e.g. “Do you believe in God; the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who is seated at the right hand of the Father; the Holy Spirit?”
• before entering the church the candidate is blessed with the Trinity

Question 4

How does it connect to the belief of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus (4)

Answer 4

• death of the former spirit
• Baptismal candle is lit and the flame is drawn from the Easter candle which is a connection to Jesus’ death and resurrection
• takes place on a Sunday as this is the day Jesus resurrected - symbolises rebirth
• Jesus’ baptism signified the start of his ministry and formally marked his rebirth as a servant leader so for Christians it also marks the birth of their servant leadership and responsibility to fulfil the mission

Question 5

How does it connect to the belief of Revelation (3)

Answer 5

• recite the Lord’s prayer
• it is revealed in the scriptures that adherents must do this as Jesus did, ‘Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan…he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove; You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’ - Mark 1:9-11
• all variants incorporate scripture and sermon into their baptismal services

Question 6

How does it connect to the belief of Divinity and Humanity (3)

Answer 6

• because Jesus as a human was baptised, so do adherents
• it marks the candidate’s initiation into the faith and their subsequent responsibilities to carry forth the mission with this, just as for human Jesus this marked his rebirth and beginning of his ministry
• After Jesus’ own Baptism he encountered evil in the wilderness but by the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus performed an exorcism and was able to cast away Satan, he put the desires of the flesh to dead and experience a spiritual rebirth  Prayer of Exorcism (casting out of evil) occurs in Catholic Baptisms where the priest asks God to free the candidate from original sin. E.g. “God, you sent your only Son into the world to cast out the power of Satan, to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness. We pray for this child: set him (her) free from original sin and send your Holy Spirit to dwell with him.”

Question 7

How does it connect to the belief of Salvation (4)

Answer 7

• Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox believe it is necessary to achieve Salvation
• ‘the Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for Salvation’ - CCC
• ‘whoever believes and is baptised will be saved’ - Mark 16:16
• some Protestant denominations don’t practice Baptism at all e.g. Salvation Army states that ‘obedient faith’ is all that is necessary to achieve Salvation

Question 8

Significance for the individual (5)

Answer 8

• filled with the Holy Spirit they are entrusted with the mission and to instruct and promote love which provides them with purpose in their lives
• for Catholics, Anglican and Orthodox it facilitates Salvation - they believe God is personal and loving and that through the HS, faith and baptism they can cultivate eternal life with Him
• they are redeemed and their sins forgiven, spiritually reborn and empowered by the HS to have the potential to attain personal freedom and inner peace
• filled with the HS they have the capacity to emulate Jesus’ eg and cultivate righteous and loving relationships in their own life
• ‘Reborn as children of God, [the baptised] must profess before all people the faith they have received from God through the Church and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the People of God’. – CCC

Question 9

Significance for the community (7)

Answer 9

• provides entire Christian community the opportunity to express and renew their faith, strengthening their own spirituality and reinforce the role of Christianity in their lives to live responsibility
• unites Christians all over the world, especially by the fact that Baptism is rooted in a set of common beliefs about ethics, love, sin, redemption and belonging
• witnesses/spiritual guides/godparents (Catholics) refreshes and reinforces their responsibilities as Christians to love, work for justice and strive for peace
• with many attendants at Baptisms a mass no. of people are refreshed and recharged with their duties as custodians of the mission
• ‘Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all’ - Vatican
• ‘Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn’ - Vatican
• practiced by all mainstream Christian denominations and therefore the one practice they share in common