Facts About Baptism
Research Paper
Baptism is an important part of all denominations of Christianity. However, despite the importance of Baptism in Christianity there are many different interpretations of baptism, and how it should be done. For example, the Anabaptists believe that children should not be baptized, a basic difference between both the Lutherans, and Catholics. This paper will look at the differences seen in baptism by three different denominations; the Lutherans, Catholics, and Anabaptists. Baptisms are done differently by all denominations; the one thing all denominations have is that baptism is key to salvation.
In the Augsburg confession Lutherans state that the baptizing of Children is a good thing. “Rejected, therefore, are …show more content…
the Anabaptists who teach that the baptism of children is not right.” (Augsburg Confession, IX) The idea of not baptizing children is an idea that was fundamental to the Anabaptists. Anabaptists believe that everyone should be baptized, but not until they have learned about repentance and believe that their sins have been forgiven. Therefore, because a child or infant is unable to understand such ideas, they must wait until they are of age and understand the teachings in order to be baptized. The Anabaptists even baptize people who were already baptized as children. This “re-baptizing” also conflicts Lutheran beliefs on baptism. Similar to any other religious disagreement, Lutherans refer to the scriptures. Ephesians 4:4-5 states that “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Lutherans believe that there is no reason for a “re-baptism, because the baptism was already done and there is no reason for someone to be baptized again. Lutherans encourage the baptism of children, and they do not think they should only be baptized when they have a better understanding of the faith. Lutherans also do not think re-baptism is needed when a baptism is done by a church official who was “evil”. Lutherans reject that ministry of evil people is useless. “A person may use the sacraments even when they are administered by evil people.” (Augsburg Confession, VIII) Lutherans clearly disagree with Anabaptists. “Let the conclusion therefore be that baptism always remains valid and retains its complete substance.” (The Large Catechism, 464-60) Roman Catholics and Lutherans views on baptism are much more closely related. Lutherans and Roman Catholics both believe that infants should be baptized. One Large difference between the two denominations views of Baptism, is how teaching goes along with with baptism. Roman Catholics see baptism as the main sacrament. “Unless a person is baptized, none of the other six sacraments can be received.” (Father William Saunders, 1) Lutherans do not recognize all of the sacraments in the Roman Catholic faith as true sacraments. However, they do not discourage their cogency. Lutherans see Baptism as being of equal importance as Roman Catholics do. However, they do not believe that one must be baptized before really starting their faith. Lutherans believe that the Baptism and teaching coexist. If someone is going to be baptized then the teaching should come. This teaching leads to the transformation from the Holy Spirit. This is different from the Roman Catholic view. According to Roman Catholics someone must be baptized before receiving the teaching.
Lutherans and Roman Catholics both believe that there is not ever a need to be re-baptized.
“The baptismal character is permanent because it is timeless; it is indelible because nothing, not even the loss of faith can remove it.” (Father William Saunders, 2) This is not the only thing that both Lutherans and Catholics agree on when it comes to the sacrament baptism. Both Lutherans and Roman Catholics believe baptism is a rebirth. In the small catechism Lutherans, like on all topics revert to scripture over reason. In Titus chapter 3 Lutherans back up their belief that baptism is a rebirth. They see it as a rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Catholics believe that this rebirth is a birth into a higher form of life. The difference is how important this rebirth is to a person’s salvation. Lutherans do not believe that baptism is absolutely necessary in order to receive salvation. Since baptism is the basic sacrament for the Catholics it is needed for everything else in the Catholic faith. This includes salvation. Baptism is a vital part to the Lutheran faith and the LCMS feels that everyone should be baptized. However it is not absolutely necessary. The LCMS once again looks to the Bible for their explanation. The thief who was crucified next to Jesus received salvation and was saved even though he was never baptized. This belief does not devalue of baptism in any way. Lutherans would not have a member of their church not be baptized just because it is not …show more content…
essential. Lutherans believe that baptism is not the only way for one to come to faith. There are other ways that the Holy Spirit can bring someone to faith. An example of this is seeing or hearing the written word of God. Lutherans understand that baptism is required from the Bible and should be followed. However, they see that there are certain circumstances in which an individual can find salvation without their baptism. This once again differs from the Roman Catholic view of baptism. Roman Catholics believe that the only way for someone to come to faith and be saved is to be baptized first. Another difference the Anabaptists have with both the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans is the water itself. Anabaptists believe that the water used in baptism is just ordinary water. The Anabaptists believe that it is the spirit that is being baptized. This view is very similar view to both Roman Catholics and Lutherans. However, the water is seen in a much different way. Lutherans and Catholics realize that the water was originally just ordinary water. “For without the Word of God the water is plain water and not a baptism, but with the Word of God it is a baptism.” (Small Catechism, 359) They believe however, that the water is transformed by the Word of God. They state that it is no longer ordinary water. It becomes filled with grace, and is the water that washes and cleanses them. This prepares them for their new life in Christ. Between the three denominations there are many different ideas on baptism. Some groups baptize by submersion, some pour water, and others just sprinkle water. Despite these differences, all of these baptisms are seen as valid forms of baptism. The only exclusion is That of the Anabaptists and Baptists. The Anabaptists basically disappeared today due to the extreme persecution they faced. The Baptists share many views of the original Anabaptists. They still believe that rebaptism is needed for those who were baptized as infants. The reason they do not recognize the original baptism does not come down to the fact that they were baptized incorrectly. The Baptists simply believe that a person needs to choose a life of faith before they can be baptized. Lutherans disagree on this subject because they use scripture alone to guide them in their practices. Re-baptism is not mentioned in the Bible. The only possible scripture that mentions it is Acts: 19. In the chapter it is not a clear rebaptism. Even if it was mentioned as a re-baptism, it took place for different reasons than the reasons Baptists and Anabaptists believe. When people study baptism between denominations, the many differences and conflicts can leave them confused.
This comes down to the fact that there are no distinct directions of how to baptize someone within the Bible. This leaves a lot up to interpretation. Explicit directions of how to baptize somebody may not be found in the Bible, but the call for all Christians to be baptized is clear. Whether someone is submerged, or simply have water poured on them, all denominations see baptism as a rebirth in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. “We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.” (Nicene Creed, 9-10) The Nicene Creed states that all baptisms are recognized as valid. The symbolic gestures that vary from across denominations do not make the baptism any less valid. Baptisms may be diverse and different, but the Holy Spirit is involved in every one of
them.
Bibliography
"Baptism and the Anabaptists." LifeWithChrist.org. N.p., 2007. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
Father William Saunders. "RECENT ARTICLES." Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? Catholic Education Resource Center, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Augsburg Confession." The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 27-106. Print.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Large Catechism." 2000. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 377+. Print.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Small Catechism." The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 345+. Print.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Three Ecumenical Creeds." The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 19-26. Print.
Baptism is an important part of all denominations of Christianity. However, despite the importance of Baptism in Christianity there are many different interpretations of baptism, and how it should be done. For example, the Anabaptists believe that children should not be baptized, a basic difference between both the Lutherans, and Catholics. This paper will look at the differences seen in baptism by three different denominations; the Lutherans, Catholics, and Anabaptists. Baptisms are done differently by all denominations; the one thing all denominations have is that baptism is key to salvation.
In the Augsburg confession Lutherans state that the baptizing of Children is a good thing. “Rejected, therefore, are …show more content…
the Anabaptists who teach that the baptism of children is not right.” (Augsburg Confession, IX) The idea of not baptizing children is an idea that was fundamental to the Anabaptists. Anabaptists believe that everyone should be baptized, but not until they have learned about repentance and believe that their sins have been forgiven. Therefore, because a child or infant is unable to understand such ideas, they must wait until they are of age and understand the teachings in order to be baptized. The Anabaptists even baptize people who were already baptized as children. This “re-baptizing” also conflicts Lutheran beliefs on baptism. Similar to any other religious disagreement, Lutherans refer to the scriptures. Ephesians 4:4-5 states that “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Lutherans believe that there is no reason for a “re-baptism, because the baptism was already done and there is no reason for someone to be baptized again. Lutherans encourage the baptism of children, and they do not think they should only be baptized when they have a better understanding of the faith. Lutherans also do not think re-baptism is needed when a baptism is done by a church official who was “evil”. Lutherans reject that ministry of evil people is useless. “A person may use the sacraments even when they are administered by evil people.” (Augsburg Confession, VIII) Lutherans clearly disagree with Anabaptists. “Let the conclusion therefore be that baptism always remains valid and retains its complete substance.” (The Large Catechism, 464-60) Roman Catholics and Lutherans views on baptism are much more closely related. Lutherans and Roman Catholics both believe that infants should be baptized. One Large difference between the two denominations views of Baptism, is how teaching goes along with with baptism. Roman Catholics see baptism as the main sacrament. “Unless a person is baptized, none of the other six sacraments can be received.” (Father William Saunders, 1) Lutherans do not recognize all of the sacraments in the Roman Catholic faith as true sacraments. However, they do not discourage their cogency. Lutherans see Baptism as being of equal importance as Roman Catholics do. However, they do not believe that one must be baptized before really starting their faith. Lutherans believe that the Baptism and teaching coexist. If someone is going to be baptized then the teaching should come. This teaching leads to the transformation from the Holy Spirit. This is different from the Roman Catholic view. According to Roman Catholics someone must be baptized before receiving the teaching.
Lutherans and Roman Catholics both believe that there is not ever a need to be re-baptized.
“The baptismal character is permanent because it is timeless; it is indelible because nothing, not even the loss of faith can remove it.” (Father William Saunders, 2) This is not the only thing that both Lutherans and Catholics agree on when it comes to the sacrament baptism. Both Lutherans and Roman Catholics believe baptism is a rebirth. In the small catechism Lutherans, like on all topics revert to scripture over reason. In Titus chapter 3 Lutherans back up their belief that baptism is a rebirth. They see it as a rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Catholics believe that this rebirth is a birth into a higher form of life. The difference is how important this rebirth is to a person’s salvation. Lutherans do not believe that baptism is absolutely necessary in order to receive salvation. Since baptism is the basic sacrament for the Catholics it is needed for everything else in the Catholic faith. This includes salvation. Baptism is a vital part to the Lutheran faith and the LCMS feels that everyone should be baptized. However it is not absolutely necessary. The LCMS once again looks to the Bible for their explanation. The thief who was crucified next to Jesus received salvation and was saved even though he was never baptized. This belief does not devalue of baptism in any way. Lutherans would not have a member of their church not be baptized just because it is not …show more content…
essential. Lutherans believe that baptism is not the only way for one to come to faith. There are other ways that the Holy Spirit can bring someone to faith. An example of this is seeing or hearing the written word of God. Lutherans understand that baptism is required from the Bible and should be followed. However, they see that there are certain circumstances in which an individual can find salvation without their baptism. This once again differs from the Roman Catholic view of baptism. Roman Catholics believe that the only way for someone to come to faith and be saved is to be baptized first. Another difference the Anabaptists have with both the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans is the water itself. Anabaptists believe that the water used in baptism is just ordinary water. The Anabaptists believe that it is the spirit that is being baptized. This view is very similar view to both Roman Catholics and Lutherans. However, the water is seen in a much different way. Lutherans and Catholics realize that the water was originally just ordinary water. “For without the Word of God the water is plain water and not a baptism, but with the Word of God it is a baptism.” (Small Catechism, 359) They believe however, that the water is transformed by the Word of God. They state that it is no longer ordinary water. It becomes filled with grace, and is the water that washes and cleanses them. This prepares them for their new life in Christ. Between the three denominations there are many different ideas on baptism. Some groups baptize by submersion, some pour water, and others just sprinkle water. Despite these differences, all of these baptisms are seen as valid forms of baptism. The only exclusion is That of the Anabaptists and Baptists. The Anabaptists basically disappeared today due to the extreme persecution they faced. The Baptists share many views of the original Anabaptists. They still believe that rebaptism is needed for those who were baptized as infants. The reason they do not recognize the original baptism does not come down to the fact that they were baptized incorrectly. The Baptists simply believe that a person needs to choose a life of faith before they can be baptized. Lutherans disagree on this subject because they use scripture alone to guide them in their practices. Re-baptism is not mentioned in the Bible. The only possible scripture that mentions it is Acts: 19. In the chapter it is not a clear rebaptism. Even if it was mentioned as a re-baptism, it took place for different reasons than the reasons Baptists and Anabaptists believe. When people study baptism between denominations, the many differences and conflicts can leave them confused.
This comes down to the fact that there are no distinct directions of how to baptize someone within the Bible. This leaves a lot up to interpretation. Explicit directions of how to baptize somebody may not be found in the Bible, but the call for all Christians to be baptized is clear. Whether someone is submerged, or simply have water poured on them, all denominations see baptism as a rebirth in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. “We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.” (Nicene Creed, 9-10) The Nicene Creed states that all baptisms are recognized as valid. The symbolic gestures that vary from across denominations do not make the baptism any less valid. Baptisms may be diverse and different, but the Holy Spirit is involved in every one of
them.
Bibliography
"Baptism and the Anabaptists." LifeWithChrist.org. N.p., 2007. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
Father William Saunders. "RECENT ARTICLES." Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? Catholic Education Resource Center, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Augsburg Confession." The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 27-106. Print.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Large Catechism." 2000. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 377+. Print.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Small Catechism." The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 345+. Print.
Kolb, Robert, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand. "The Three Ecumenical Creeds." The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 19-26. Print.