Baptism and christening

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What is the difference between “baptism” and “christening”. Most of the places I’ve looked say there is no difference, but my understanding was that a christening could be a simple naming ceremony or dedication ceremony and that it should not be used interchangeably with baptism. Comments?
 
librarylover said:
What is the difference between “baptism” and “christening”. Most of the places I’ve looked say there is no difference, but my understanding was that a christening could be a simple naming ceremony or dedication ceremony and that it should not be used interchangeably with baptism. Comments?
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many years ago in the Catholic Chruch the terms were used interchangably. Today Christening is almost exclusively used only in the Protestant Communities.
 
My FH was christened as a kid and then baptized as an adult - his family is Southern Baptist and they don’t believe that you can be baptized if you are not old enough to know what is happening. When I asked “So why christen him as a baby then?” the answer I got was sketchy - something along the lines of protecting him and it’s just like baptism until he reaches the age of accountability. After that, he has to voluntarily request to have it done or the first one doesn’t count any more.

FYI when we were doing our marriage preparation the diocese recognized his christening as his only baptism, not the adult one.
 
Well, baptism is what makes one a Christian and was the traditional time that a child received his name. So once upon a time the terms were interchangeable.

But nowadays people don’t generally associate baptism with naming children. And for many people “christening” brings to mind vessels of transportation rather than human persons.

It’s more that the implications of the terms have diverged than that the meanings are different.
 
The word christening is sometimes used in the Eastern rite refering to the day of baptism, first holy communion, and confirmation. My oldest son was christened in the Byzantine rite. Tim
 
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