Baptism by immersion

[jcrichton]

Hi everyone! Thanks for all your help! I have yet another question.

First of all, I was baptized when I was a baby. I was told that I was baptized so young to rid my soul of the stain of original sin. I know there are many religions out there that won’t let babies or children be baptized because they do not know what it means to be baptized or why they are being baptized (Jehovah’s Witnesses for an example…I think). Is there anything wrong with this?

*Hi, zach!

…while it seems very sound (wait till the person is old enough) there’s no mandate in Scriptures for this; when we read through the whole New Testament we cannot find a single passage that speaks on a formula on “how to Baptize” or “the correct age for Baptism.” Various religious cultures have risen since the schisms in the Catholic Church which have given us the various practices that we have in the world; however, we can find that the only documented rites in the Holy Scriptures involved acts that had to be performed when the child was 8 days old (St. Luke 2:21; Leviticus 12:1-3) and later when the child was 40 days old (St. Luke 2:22-24; Leviticus 12:4, 6-8)… as far as knowing what it means to be Baptized, how can that be determined through chronological age? Presently in our society more and more people reach middle age without an ounce of maturity (lack of responsibility and self-control); further, the Catholic Church employs both the parents and the godparents in the spiritual education of the child; our Faith is not based on the “once saved” preposition; it is based on the model used by the Apostles where our whole community is involved in the spiritual growth of each individual.

Maran atha!

Angel*

 

[jcrichton]

I would beg to differ. In the Roman Catacombs, there is clear evidence of 1st century baptisms.

On page 94 of the following e-book: books.google.com/books?id=s-YCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&dq=Achillia+baptism&source=web&ots=_dEdprvdNl&sig=TBWE3_RoYlLDcg8p-OBrCEd6HyA#PPA94,M1

And here:

*Hi, NotWorthy!

Thanks for the info–I am very slow in searching things so it is always a plus when I find clear access to important issues.

Maran atha!

Angel*

 

[jcrichton]

Hi,

I guess I didn’t word that post as well as I could have, sorry.

I was asking if it is ok to only baptize adults (I certainly don’t think so) because only they fully understand what it means to be baptized. When I heard this, I thought it was stupid because the purpose of baptism is to get rid of original sin right?

*Hi, zach!

…actually, it is much more than that since it is our initiation into the Life in Christ!

Jesus questions the Jews and asks them about John the Baptist… He declares that the Pharisees and the lawyers of the Law chose not to be Baptized by John and thus rejected Salvation (St. Luke 7:24-30).

Maran atha!

Angel*

 

[NotWorthy]

If it makes you feel better you are not differing with me. I said there was not a controversy over infant baptisms, not that they didn’t happen in the first centrury. In fact, it was an accepted part of Christianity, as your quotes show.

Ahhhhh I read your post wrong:

  			Originally Posted by **pnewton** 					[forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cad/viewpost.gif](http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=4430604#post4430604) 				
  		* One can not document any first or second controvery over this issue. Therefore it is highly unlikely that the first century Church departed from the teaching of the apostles in this area immediately and without a peep.* *I thought you said there were no documented **baptisms***.  Instead you said there were no documented **controversies**.

Mea Culpa!

 

[NotWorthy]

*Hi, NotWorthy!

Thanks for the info–I am very slow in searching things so it is always a plus when I find clear access to important issues.*

You see, pnewton? Maybe it was the Holy Spirit that guided me to misread your post!!!

Of course, it could also be the fact that I’m lazy!!!

 

[jcrichton]

You see, pnewton? Maybe it was the Holy Spirit that guided me to misread your post!!!

Of course, it could also be the fact that I’m lazy!!!

*…I am also surprised by Divine Revelation… and I have discovered that when we are most zealous about our Faith we are at optimum–yes even when we misread or misinterpret other people… the beauty is that we search for the Truth and we continue/expand our learning process as we become deeply involved in Christ and His Church!

Maran atha!

Angel *

 

[Ignatius]

1. What exactly is immersion?
   Baptism by immersion means the one being baptized goes fully into the water.

 

[NotWorthy]

I was listening to a talk on my MP3 player the other day, “The Life of Christ in the Gospels” by Fr. Hudgins, and he described the process of ritual purifying - a form of Baptizo.

He said that the process included pouring the water over your hands and washing off the dirt and grime from your fingertips and down toward your elbows. Then you’d pour the water a second time and wash off from your elbows to your fingertips.