Why do we baptize infants?An older Jesuit pastor once baptized bap·tize v. bap·tized, bap·tiz·ing, bap·tiz·es v.tr. 1. To admit into Christianity by means of baptism. 2. a. To cleanse or purify. b. To initiate. 3. a baby with the words, "I baptize bap·tize v. bap·tized, bap·tiz·ing, bap·tiz·es v.tr. 1. To admit into Christianity by means of baptism. 2. a. To cleanse or purify. b. To initiate. 3. you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit--like it or not." His funny line captured a deeper truth: The child's parents and godparents godparents npl the godparents → los padrinos godparents npl the godparents → le parrain et la marraine godparents npl were making a decision to bring her into the Christian community. They didn't wait until she was old enough to make up her own mind. Baptism is the only Catholic sacrament not requiring some kind of understanding on the part of the participant. Indeed, other churches, such as the Baptists and the Mennonites, baptize only those who have come of age--what's known as "believer's baptism Believer's baptism (also called credobaptism, from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe") is the Christian ritual of baptism given to adults and children who have made a declaration of their personal faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. ." These communities think it is inappropriate to baptize a person until she or he can understand and make a commitment to the Christian faith. To be honest, a lot of things happen in Baptism that seem more relevant to an adult faith. Baptism does forgive sins. It unites the baptized with the death and Resurrection of Jesus Within the body of Christian beliefs, the death and resurrection of Jesus are two core events on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend. According to The New Testament, Jesus, the central figure of Christianity was crucified, to death, buried within a tomb, and . In Baptism people are reborn, becoming daughters and sons of God and entering into the divine life. And Baptism makes the baptized part of the Body of Christ
The Body of Christ is a term used by Christians to describe believers in Christ. Jesus Christ is seen as the "head" of the body, which is the church. , the church. These are big, adult things we cannot expect an infant to comprehend. But they are also basic to Christian faith, and the Catholic Church, along with the Orthodox Church and most Protestant churches This is a list of Protestant churches by denomination. Anglican/Episcopal Church Anglican Communion Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and PolynesiaAnglican Diocese of Auckland= Archdeaconry of Waimate== Parish of Kaitaia, sees no reason to delay such things until adulthood.While adult Baptism recognizes something that has already happened--a person has come to believe and is ready to commit to a life of faith infant Baptism initiates. It begins something, marking the entrance of a person into the community of faith. Infant Baptism plants the seed of faith and provides the adults in the child's life with the opportunity to make the promises to nurture that seed into maturity. It gives a child the chance to grow within the church. It says, "From the beginning of your life, you are one of us who belong to Christ." To be baptized as an infant recognizes that--"like it or not"--being a Christian means being part of something bigger than oneself and one's individual choices. Baptizing infants also recognizes that the lifelong calling of following Jesus as his disciple begins when a new life enters the world and the human family. JOEL SCHORN, coauthor of Faith Interrupted: A Conversation with Alienated Catholics, forthcoming from Loyola Press. |
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