Meaning Of Baptism Research Articles

The Pedagogical and Religious Dimensions of the Rites of the Sacrament of Children’s Baptism

The topic of the article “The Pedagogical and Religious Dimensions of the Rites of the Sacrament of Baptism for Children” deals with the sacraments in the Catholic Church, particularly baptism as the first of the seven sacraments. As signs, sacraments are also meant to instruct, and indeed they do, for the meaning and grace of baptism are made clear in the rites of its celebration Union with Christ leads to confession of faith in the One God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The profession of faith, closely related to baptism, is eminently Trinitarian. The Church baptises: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28,19), the Triune God to whom the Christian entrusts his life.The basis for analyzing the rites of baptism will be the Order of Baptism for Children during mass, which contains very important instructions that can be grouped into three points: (1) instructions about God the Father, (2) instructions about the essence of baptism and its importance for the parish and the baptized, (3) instructions about the duties of the baptized and their parents and godparents. In the sacraments God occupies the central place, and the sacrament of baptism, by instructing about God the Father, the first issue, brings closer three fundamental truths about God: (a) God’s initiative in the salvation for man, (b) God’s omnipotence (universal, loving and mysterious), and (c) God’s goodness. The second issue deals with: (a) the essence of baptism based on the terms given in the Rite of Receiving the Children (baptism, faith, the grace of Christ, admission to the Church, and eternal life); (b) the meaning of infant baptism for the parish community; and (c) the meaning of baptism for the child. Likewise, the third issue is also divided into two parts, with an instruction (a) on the duties of the baptized and (b) the duties of baptized children, parents and godparents.

Infant Baptism: God’s Promise or Ours?

This article examines the baptism liturgies of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC). It argues that parental promises eclipse the promise of God in the practice of baptism in the CRC. A discernible shift from an emphasis on God’s promise in the CRC’s oldest liturgy to an increasing emphasis on parental promises in the new liturgies adopted by Synods 1976 and 1994 is observed. Ambiguity about the meaning of baptism is evident in the CRC’s newest baptism liturgies, adopted by Synods 2013 and 2016. This article concludes that the denomination should adopt a new baptism liturgy in which parental promises are made only after the administration of their child’s baptism.

Are Children Qualified Subjects for Baptism?

The origin and development of the New Testament baptism is considered in determining themeaning of the rite of baptism. This theological study concentrated on the common practiceof child baptism. It compared the biblical meaning of and qualification for baptism to thelevel of maturity among children to determine whether they are qualified subjects forbaptism. The study (a) connected “accountability” and “true repentance” as manifestations ofa believer and major factors for qualification and (b) examined Jewish traditions as well aslegal treatment of children with regards to these concepts.Combined with theologies derived from the meaning of baptism, this paper utilized asystematic review of findings from various researches and sources about moral developmentin children to determine an age range when children transition from childhood toconsiderable adulthood and be qualified for baptism. Historical, theological, andpsychological approaches were considered.The findings presented in this study indicate that children need to be capable of building aninternal moral code, a “spiritual coming of age” before their salvation turns to be at jeopardyand be required to make their decision for baptism. In a general sense, this age appears to be12 to 13 years old.When children come to age where they are aware or conscious of what is right and wrong,then, it indicates that they are capable of responding in the criteria of believer‟s baptism.Baptism requires maturity and ability to make independent, decision for which one can beheld accountable for. It appears that between the ages 12 to 14 a child experienced a majorchange in spiritual and moral perception. For that reason, pastors should consider delayingbaptism at this age and give room for maturing.

‘Dipping Is God’s Appointment’: The Mode of Baptism Among the Early Particular Baptists, with Special Reference to John Norcott (d. 1676)

ABSTRACTCentral to the challenge of being Baptist in seventeenth-century England was the then-controversial practice of immersion of believers. John Norcott’s defence of immersion in his influential and oft-reprinted Baptism Discovered Plainly & Faithfully According to the Word of God (1672) provides an excellent avenue of reflection on how Baptists of this era defended their convictions. Norcott’s defence ran along four lines: an etymological discussion of baptizō, an enquiry into the meaning of baptism through such Pauline texts as Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12, a brief investigation of Galatians 3:27, and an appeal to the New Testament command to baptise, that is, immerse. All of these led Norcott to argue that ‘dipping is God’s appointment’.

Infant Baptism and Korean Methodism

No one is born as a Christian. One needs a mark to become part of a Christian community. The mark happens by sacraments that declare “what God is doing to bring us to faith.” Christian Baptism is a means to experience and understand the ways “God acts to initiate us into the community of the faithful.” There are variety of stages and sign-acts in Baptism. And they inevitably involve the love of God and the way of expressing it theologically. Many Christian denominations in Korea have their own theology of Christian baptism. Korean Christians seem outwardly to follow their Protestant position in theology. But we sometimes encounter the fact that they used to confuse the nature of Christian baptism. In fact, it is not easy for Korean Protestants to refuse this criticism. Many baptized christians seems not to feel and realize how important their baptism is in their journey as believers. In addition, even though many Christian leaders insist they follows the baptismal theology of the Protestant reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin, they practically seem to receive Zwingli’s theological concept. Zwingli made some strong points in favor of infant baptism by considering it to be a New Testament ‘covenant sign,’ but, precisely speaking, he merely regarded baptism as a dedicatory sign. In fact, the meaning of baptism is very lightly understood and treated today. In this situation, the theological understanding of infant baptism seems not to be dealt seriously and meaningfully. Furthermore, infant baptism is still a troubling issue today. In this article, it is explored what an infant baptism is and what Korean Methodist Church teaches in terms of infant baptism through analyzing its liturgical documents.

Baptism and the Kingdom: lessons from Luke-Acts for a post-Christendom Church

Attempts to reform baptismal practice are characteristic of both dual-practice and credobaptist churches. Such reforms of baptism are frequently discussed within contours shaped by the concept of sacrament and the discourse it has generated. This article proposes, with reference to Luke-Acts, that the meaning of baptism can be illuminated in alternative ways by reference to its relationship to the kingdom of God. Whilst not an anti-sacramental argument, it proposes that elements of the theology of baptism can be constructively pursued by reference to the explicit and implicit links Luke makes between baptism and the kingdom. By so drawing on Luke-Acts, the agency of the Church (in addition to that of the baptisand and God) can be given particular attention. This leads, in turn, to a proposal for an ecclesial posture of both intentionality and vulnerability to attend baptismal practice.

세례의 신학적 의미와 케노시스적 해석

세례의 신학적 의미와 케노시스적 해석

The meaning of baptism for the community of Jesus Christ. A declaration of the Theological Commission

The meaning of baptism for the community of Jesus Christ. A declaration of the Theological Commission

Kindertaufe und Elternwille zwischen Sakrament und Selbstbestimmung Erkenntnisse aus einer Taufelternbefragung

Abstract This contribution starts with a standardized poll among protestant parents of non-baptized children in the southern German city of Stuttgart. Its results convey the opinions of parents on the appropriate time and meaning of baptism. The deliberate decision of their child is a decisive factor for parents. Important obstacles are lacking opportunities, the feeling of alienation from the church, the difficulty to find godparents, as well as denominationally heterogeneous constellations within the family. Finally the essay makes suggestions for follow-up with these findings in a theoretical and practical-theological perspective.

The Rediscovery of the Meaning of Baptism—Its Contribution to a Public Theology

AbstractIn this contribution, I emphasize the potential public—and here that means 'societal'—impact of one of the main sacraments of the church; namely, the sacrament of baptism. I shall focus especially on the ethical implications of the sacrament of baptism as a sacrament that marks the transition to a new way of life. The thesis to be elaborated is that the sacrament of baptism, including its doctrine of original sin and its expectation of the kingdom of God, comprises the indispensable framework of a sound public theology understood as a theology of societal renewal.

The foundation, value and meaning of baptism in the New Testament

In the symbolical and social world of the first Christians, baptism functioned as a “cultural symbol”. Ensuing from Gerd Theissen’s (1999) work, A theory of primitive Christian religion, the paper explains the opinion that religion, defined as a system of cultural symbols, consists of sacred mythical narratives conveying ritual values which can be internalized through participation. Theoretically argued, there is a historical reason why a specific symbol/rite fits the social context. Behind the contextualized rite lies an idea which communicates values and provides meaning. From the textual evidence in the New Testament, this article demonstrates the historical foundation, the value and meaning of being baptized.

The Meaning of Baptism. By Raymond Burnish. London, Alcuin Club (SPCK), 1986. Pp. xv + 240. £10·50.

The Meaning of Baptism. By Raymond Burnish. London, Alcuin Club (SPCK), 1986. Pp. xv + 240. £10·50.

Book Review: The Meaning of Baptism

Book Review: The Meaning of Baptism

Calvin's Doctrine of Baptism

John Calvin succeeds in stating his position on baptism in such a way that it becomes not only an integral part of his entire system of theological thought, but also an occasion for a very lucid exposition of the central themes characteristic of his theology. Calvin achieves this by carefully delineating the proper manner of approach to the discussion of the doctrine of baptism. Specifically, Calvin insists that the meaning of baptism cannot be genuinely understood if we take the external ceremonies as the point of departure for our discussion. Instead, it is of basic importance first and foremost to be concerned with the promises of God offered in baptism, never forgetting that these are the inward mysteries for whose sake the outward signs are present. Such an approach is possible and even necessary because of the relationship which exists between the word and the sacramental sign. The sacrament never exists autonomously; it is, as we shall soon discuss in more detail, rather like an appendix that is attached for the purpose of confirmation and ratification to an already clearly given divine word of promise.

Book Review: The Meaning of Baptism

Book Review: The Meaning of Baptism

Book Review: II. Historical Studies: The Meaning of Baptism

Book Review: II. Historical Studies: The Meaning of Baptism

Baptism — Is Missionary Practice Inconsistent?

In his booklet The Teaching of the Church regarding Baptism, p. 46, Karl Barth discusses a curious Lutheran view ‘that baptism effects something quite different in children and in adults’. He adds, in a footnote: ‘Is it clear in present day missionary work, where there seems to be agreement in a double practice of baptism, that such presupposes a double teaching regarding the meaning of baptism?’ As a missionary, I should like to answer emphatically ‘No!’ When we are baptising a convert from another faith after careful preparation, and when we are baptising the infant child of believing parents, we are doing essentially the same thing.

The Origin and Meaning of Baptism

(1945). The Origin and Meaning of Baptism. Baptist Quarterly: Vol. 11, No. 12-13, pp. 309-320.

The Meaning of Jesus' Baptism

Why did Jesus present himself for baptism by John? The answer to this question has usually been made on the basis of dogmatic presuppositions concerning the nature of Jesus and concerning the meaning of baptism. The present article considers it on the basis of a critical study of the sources, indicating the conceptions which the different evangelists held, and indicating how such a study clears the way for a more accurate understanding of Jesus' own attitude.

The Meaning of Baptism

The Meaning of Baptism