... In particular the history of baptism, some of the changes through time and modern day views of baptism.
The Quest Study Bible defines baptism as, A Christian rite symbolizing cleansing from sin and identification with Jesus. Sprinkling, immersion and pouring are three ways Christians today practice water baptism. The New American Bible says, “The baptism of John the Baptizer is thought to stem from the rabbinical custom of baptizing proselytes who had converted to the faith of Israel”. This seems to be a remembrance of the baptism the Jewish people received in crossing the sea to acquire the law at Sinai and to attain the Promised Land. ... Jesus himself underwent baptism to inaugurate his mission with the Jewish people and took personal charge of them. In this sense, baptism was a preparation for the cross. After the Redemption, baptism became a sacrament for entering a new state of grace, the way of regeneration to the divine life. ... 325) In either Bible, baptism as we know it today was not found in the Old Testament. ... Now we see that baptism was important, and referenced throughout the New Testament. ...
The Christian may know that in Judaism water had a number of sacred uses and that, here and there, there are slight hints which prefigure some aspects of Christian baptism. ... 11)
Martin Marty in his book, Baptism, tries to clear up the issue of infant baptism. There are positive glimpses in the New Testament that tends to substantiate the practice of infant baptism or at least call in question some of the objections to it. Some adults were baptized who could hardly have stepped beyond the smallest childs understanding of baptism--picture the surge to the waters at Pentecost, the Ethiopian eunuchs jump into the river, and the basin-providing Philippian jailer. ... The citing of the Biblical instances is nothing new, and in this space, none of them could be expected to be convincing to the people who practice adult baptism alone. ... 24) Martin Marty does not favor infant baptism. Throughout his book he points out reasons for not utilizing infant baptism. ...
In Christian Feast and Customs, a book with a Catholic perspective it seems that infant baptism was not always practiced in the Catholic Church.
In the first centuries after the persecutions in the Roman Empire, Lent was not only a time of fasting and public penance, but also the annual season of "preparation for baptism.
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