Way back in October, Tim Sisk e-mailed every Methoblogger and asked them how their churches performed the sacrament of Holy Communion. Tim then listed the responses. It was an intriguing series, offering many different perspectives on this rite.I'd like to ask the same question, but for the other sacrament that our denomination recognizes: baptism.
How does your church perform baptism?
Pastors, what do you do in baptism to reflect your own theological outlook?
UPDATE: Content changed to conform to the rules of English grammar.
10 comments:
I prefer the mode of effusion (pouring). To me, it emphasizes the generous, boundless grace of God poured out on the believer (as opposed to a few drops of water on a finger). My wife's aunt was unaccustomed to a Methodist using so much water and suggested that I might have drowned my daughter when I baptized her 22 years ago.
A more recent picture of baptism-by-pouring is here. A canteen makes a handy baptismal font.
We do whatever the member wants - from infant baptism to "old fashioned down in the river" baptisms (we're fortunate to be near the French Broad River with a couple of good "dunking" spots.)
We've also done "remember your baptism" services with dipping our hands in water.
This reminds me of a book written in the early 1900's about our family's history. Many of the family members were Baptist, and then there was uncle "so and so" who "being afraid of water, became a Methodist..." :-)
Betty
One of my preacher friends at Candler went the beach once a year and would buy a bag of sea shells at the gift store. When he baptized he would use the shell as a vessel to pour the water on the candidates head. He would give the shell to the candidate as gift to "remember your baptism".
I've bought one of the "gold shells" from Cokesbury and used it but have never been entirely happy with it.
How does get the idea of babies being baptised when there are so many references to Believers being Baptised? Also, if you do baptise babies then wouldn't you want them to be baptised so they experience the meaning of their own personal covenent with God by accepting Christ as their Savior? To me I have no problem with dedication but why baptism in relation to dedication? dh
I grew up in the Pentecostal church but was baptized by immersion as a Southern Baptist. At my church, Christ United Methodist baptism is by what I call the dip and drip method. Our pastor dips his hand into the font, a beautifuly shaped bowl resembling a sea shell, and places his hand on the person's head. I've observed in the past year and a half, though, that only children have been baptized. As a former Baptist I don't have a problem with that and find the ceremony quite touching. But I'm wondering where are all the adults. Everybody in the church can't have been baptized when they were kids.
Dear Anonymous,
There is an excellent statement written about United Methodist beliefs from our General Board of Discipleship called By Water and the Spirit. We do not believe that Baptism is necessary for salvation -- that we are saved by God's grace alone, by faith alone. Therefore, a believer's baptism is not necessary. Yes, in the book of Acts, believers were baptized with their entire household -- babies, sisters-in-law, slaves, unwed brothers, all the household on one persons faith.
A baptized infant comes to profess her or his faith later in life, after having been nurtured and taught by parent(s) or other responsible adults and the community of faith. Infant baptism is the prevailing practice in situations where children are born to believing parents and brought up in Christian homes and communities of faith. Adult baptism is the norm when the Church is in a missionary situation, reaching out to persons in a culture which is indifferent or hostile to the faith.
Infant baptism has been the historic practice of the overwhelming majority of the Church throughout the Christian centuries. While the New Testament contains no explicit mandate, there is ample evidence for the baptism of infants in Scripture (Acts 2:38-41, 16:15,33) and in early Christian doctrine and practice. Infant baptism rests firmly on the understanding that God prepares the way of faith before we request or even know that we need help (prevenient grace).
I do not use a shell. I believe that it is theologically incorrect to use a shell or a rose or any other mechanical device -- it removes the touch of the human hand. Cupping of the hand holds enough water for the purpose. I also cringe when I hear "in the name of the father, in the name of the son and in the name of the Holy spirit" -- can you name that heresy?
Reverend Mommy,
I appreciate your response to anonymous and, after downloading the document, I am also clearer on Methodist tradtion regarding baptism. But my question still stands. Where are all the adults?
Wes, I suspect that most adults in America have been baptized at some point in their infancy, even if they are not presently Christians. I do not, however, have any statistics on the subject.
It would be an interesting survey.
The best data I could find was a document produced by the Southern Baptist Convention. It can be found here. Examining the data shows that in 1999 the age group 30-59 years had the highest percentage of baptisms. I'm aware that lifelong Methodists were, more than likely, baptized as infants. But it strikes me as strange that we're not baptizing incoming adults unless, like me, they come from another denomination. Maybe there's data somewhere to confirm that but, if it's the case, maybe we need to work a lot harder at getting new Christians inside our church.
I'm a young adult and was baptized last year in my UM church. I became a Christian in high school, but wasn't ever baptized for a number of reasons.
When my pastors baptize babies they usually just dip a little bit of water and touch the babies head.
When I was baptized, the pastor cupped her two hands together and put a BIG handful of water over my head.
One thing that I like is when they baptize people at our more contemporary/post-modern service they use a glass bowl with a bunch of those little glass rocks in the bottom. Then everyone comes up and congratulates them and takes a rock. We are supposed to put the rocks in our pocket to remind us to pray for whoever was baptized.
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