Significant+Practice+-+Baptism

Baptism of Jesus

> baptised?
 * Questions**
 * 1) Find the Baptism of Jesus in the Gospels. Write out the main points of the narrative.
 * 2) Who was John the Baptist?
 * 3) What was the main message of his prophesy?
 * 4) Why was he arrested, tortured and beheaded?
 * 5) What was he doing differently to ‘regular’ Jews?
 * 6) How would this event have been understood by the witnesses to Jesus’ Baptism in the River Jordan?
 * 7) The River Jordan is a powerfully symbolic location for the Baptism of Jesus. Why?
 * 8) Find out if Baptism was a ritual before the time of Jesus. Go to [|www.religioustolerance.org] and search for Baptism
 * 9) Did Jews get baptised?
 * 10) If Jesus was the Son of God, why did he need to be



Infant Baptism Adult Baptism Baptism in the New Testament

Baptism Assessment


 * Multiple Choice**

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 * 1) 1. The religion which practiced a form of Baptism before Jesus’ time was:
 * 2) a. Christianity
 * 3) b. Islam
 * 4) c. The Hebrews
 * 5) d. Judaism
 * 1) 2. The three most important symbols in Catholic Baptism are:
 * 2) a. The Church, the priest, the water
 * 3) b. The font, the priest the water
 * 4) c. The candle, the oil, the water
 * 5) d. The Priest, the oil the water
 * 1) 3. “All you must do is turn away from sin and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ”. This quote is from:
 * 2) a. Exodus 27
 * 3) b. John 3
 * 4) c. St Paul’s letter to the Callathumpians
 * 5) d. The Acts of the Apostles
 * 1) 4. The symbol of water combines the following beliefs:
 * 2) a. Life, cleansing, refreshment
 * 3) b. Birth, cleansing, renewal
 * 4) c. Resurrection, the Holy Spirit, Cleansing Original Sin
 * 5) d. The church as mother, the Holy Spirit, life
 * 1) 5. The stages in a Rite include:
 * 2) a. Entry, Preparation, Symbolic Action, Desacralisation
 * 3) b. Entry, Induction, Crescendo, Denoument
 * 4) c. Entry, Education, Sacrament, Symbolic Action
 * 5) d. Entry, Desacralisation, Sacrament, Denoument
 * 1) 6. Define exorcism in the rite of Baptism
 * 2) a. The casting out of demons from the child
 * 3) b. The acknowledgement of human perfection
 * 4) c. The prayer to strengthen the candidate in the face of sin
 * 5) d. The renunciation of the devil and all evil
 * 1) 7. Which variant is most likely to perform adult Baptism as the norm
 * 2) a. Catholic
 * 3) b. Maronite
 * 4) c. Orthodox
 * 5) d. Protestant
 * 1) 8. What sect did John the Baptist belong to?
 * 2) a. Essene
 * 3) b. Pharisee
 * 4) c. Zealot
 * 5) d. Macabee
 * 1) 9. Why did Jesus need to be Baptised?
 * 2) a. To remove his original sin
 * 3) b. To fulfill the prophesy
 * 4) c. To institute the full meaning of Baptism
 * 5) d. To acknowledge John the Baptist as a prophet
 * 1) 10. What is a sacrament?
 * 2) a. A rite that makes present that which it symbolizes
 * 3) b. A feature of Catholicism
 * 4) c. A rite of passage in a religion
 * 5) d. A ritual that initiates a person into an organisation


 * Writing Task**


 * 3 part answer**

a) Describe the significance of water in Baptism. (5 marks)

Since the moment of creation, in the book of Genesis, water has been used as a symbol of both life and death. In Baptism, the ritual evokes all of this ancient understanding that water works both as the nourishing, life-giving gift which flows from God, as referred to by the Psalmist (23), and the chaos and destruction such as that which befell the Egyptians who followed th fleeing Israelites into the Red Sea.

In Baptism, the water calls to mind the creative power of God’s Spirit which called forth dry land from the sea, the awesome punitive power of God that flooded the world to wash away sin. It is also reminiscent of the waters of the Jordan, crossed by the Israelites as they enter the promised land.

It is a common symbol, and reminds the Christian of their frailty and their reliance upon God’s power. This frailty is particularly poignant as we call to mind the pierced Jesus from whose wound flowed blood and water.

In Baptism, then, these meanings combine to create symbol rich in meaning and depth as understood in Scripture, in history and on the Christian’s shared humanity with Jesus.

b) Explain how Baptism transforms both the individual and the community (6 Marks)

In most variants, Baptism marks the initiation of the faithful person into the community of believers; whether as an infant, represented by their parents and godparents, or as adults in their own right.

The transformation created by the ritual begins long before the ceremony itself as a deliberate decision is made to follow the way of Christianity. This decision begins a process of preparation and education in the beliefs, practices and ethics of Christianity. The Baptism ceremony is the culmination of this period of preparation.

In the ceremony itself, three particular transformations take place, as understood by the Orthodox and Catholic variants (as well as by some Protestants).

The first is the renunciation of sin. Since John the Baptist, the ritual of Baptism has ritualized the idea of conversion or metanoia. This change of heart is a transformation that is expressed in the Catholic variant through the ceremony of exorcism and the application of the oil of Catechumens. The priest uses the words which call to mind Jesus’ own baptism in the waters of the River Jordan. In the Catholic variant, the priest says “Make him / her a temple of your glory and send your Holy Spirit to dwell within him / her”.

The second is the moment of Baptism itself – the pouring with water. In this ritual action, the symbols, words and gestures make present that which they represent: namely the initiation into the Church and the candidate receiving the spirit and grace of God. This transformation is the central moment in the ritual.

The third transformation is the anointing as priest, prophet and king with the oil of Chrism. In this ritual action the candidate is blessed with oil which is a replica of the coronation of the ancient Jewish kings. This anointing prepares the candidate for their mission of proclaiming the Good News and ultimately “sharing everlasting life”.

The community is also transformed through this ritual. For those variants where Baptism marks initiation, the community grows in number with each Baptism. The identity of community and the sense of belonging that each member experiences is enhanced through the ritual of Baptism. This ritual action, because of its repetitive and traditional nature, recalls for each person present, their own Baptism.

The community is further affected by its collective acceptance of the candidate, and by its exposure to the Scriptures which, Christians believe, are the real presence of God in the community. Through these rituals, the faith of the members of the community is strengthened and deepened. In this way the ritual of Baptism transforms all those who participate in it.


 * c)** **Analyse how the practice of Baptism makes present the central beliefs of Christianity (9 Marks)**

Baptism rests on the central belief of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and on salvation through God’s limitless mercy. Christians believe their mission is to live in relationship with Jesus and with the community of the faithful, following his example and uniting with God at the end of a virtuous life. These and other Christian beliefs are made present in the following ways:

The gathering represents the community of the faithful, led by the priest or minister. In coming together Christians proclaim a common faith and common purpose. This is further enhanced by the ritual actions that take place in unison: singing, prayers, the Our Father etc.

The Liturgy of the Word, especially the Gospel, makes present the person of Jesus in the Word. Christians believe that the proclamation of the Scripture is a sacramental act which makes God present to those who hear it read. The stories chosen for the Baptism ritual are usually about rebirth, conversion, Baptism or resurrection, further emphasising the central beliefs.

The two rituals of anointing are physical reminders of Jesus as the new covenant. The oil, which symbolises strengthening, as well as coronation, makes present the belief that initiated Christians receive God’s grace through their faith, and are “Baptised in Christ” joining in with this sacred mission.

The pouring with water, or immersion in some traditions is the mystical climax of the ritual, wherein the water symbolising the Holy Spirit, makes present the belief in salvation through Christ and the journey from the slavery of sin to the perfection of grace.

The priest or minister asks the parents and godparents to respond to the Baptismal promises: a declaration of faith in the elements of the Christian or Apostles Creed. These promises cover all of the central beliefs of Christianity and ensure that all present take responsibility for their own faith and for the faith of the candidate.

Baptism marks the first step in a Christian’s journey of grace. The community, as an expression of that grace, makes present God’s love by its welcoming of the candidate and its affirmation of the Church’s belief.