Religion 11 - Chapter 2: Baptism

What is the first sacrament we receive, and what does it do?

Baptism - allows us to enter the Church and a new life in Christ, cleansing us of Original Sin and restoring our friendship with God

To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus says…

we MUST be baptized

What does Jesus say to Nicodemus in John 3?

“Unless one is born of water and the spirit, He cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Where is Baptism prefigured in the OT?

• Noah and the Ark

• Moses parting the Red Sea to save his people from the Egyptians

Essenes

practiced daily ritualistic washing for purification and forgiveness of sins

What religious group was John the Baptist most likely a part of?

the Essenes

Why did Jesus ask to be baptized?

to affirm His humanity even though John the Baptist recognized His divinity

What is the connection between Jesus’s baptism and our baptism?

Jesus’s marked the beginning of His earthly mission, and ours marks the beginning of our participation in the Body of Christ.

What does Baptism give us the extra ability to do?

to resist sin in our lives through actual grace

What are the theological and Cardinal (moral) virtues that we are granted in Baptism?

• Theological - faith, hope, and love

• Cardinal (moral) - prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude

What does sin do to our relationsihps?

It either breaks (mortal) or damages (venial) our relationships with God and those around us.

What aspect of sin is still there after Original Sin is removed?

Concupiscence, the inclination to sin

What is the matter used at Baptism and why?

water because water gives life and cleanses from all sin

What must the water do during Baptism?

It must have contact with the body of the person being baptized.

What type of baptism was the norm in the early Church, and what was it a sign of?

complete immersion - was a sign that whenever the person would reemerge, they would be a newly born person in Christ

Was Baptism by affusion valid in the early Church?

Yes, but it was only used when immersion wasn’t possible.

Who can be a minister for Baptism?

generally a bishop, priest, or deacon, but in an emergency, anyone can baptize

the first of the 7 sacraments; washes away original sin and allows us to enter into the Body of Christ

Baptism

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” - comes from the Great Commission

Trinitarian Formula

method of baptism in which the candidate is dunked completely into the water

Immersion

method of baptism in which the candidate has water poured over their head 3 times, saying the Trinitarian Formula

affusion

being made right with God through the saving act of the Trinity

justification

How many godparents does Baptism require? Explain.

2 - either 2 Catholics or 1 Catholic and 1 Christian Witness

Requirements for being a Baptism sponsor

• must be at least 16 years old

• must have received Confirmation

• must be a practicing Catholic

What type of oil is used at Baptism?

Oil of Catechumens - is blessed by the Bishop on Holy Thursday

What is a person clothed with after being baptized, and what does it symbolize?

a white garment - symbolizes purity and that they have been clothed in Christ

Paschal Candle

is present and lit during the ceremony of Baptism to show that the child has been given the light of Christ

What does the ceremony of Baptism end with?

3 blessings - 1 for the father, 1 for the mother, and 1 for the congregation

How is Baptism different from the Western Church in the Eastern Church?

• ceremony starts with facing the child to the East, the direction of the rising sun and resurrection

• the priest blows on the child’s face in the sign of the cross to represent driving away Satan and his dominions

• babies receive the Eucharist and Chrismation (Confirmation) directly after being baptized

• Eastern church usually does triple immersion; only does affusion in an emergency

when someone who has not been baptized as a follower of Christ dies for the faith in Jesus. We believe their martyrdom is their baptism

Baptism by Blood

when a person dies before they’re able to complete the necessary step of Baptism. We believe God hears the desires of His faithful even when they haven’t had the timeframe to undergo the Baptism ceremony.

Baptism by Desire

How are we reminded of Baptism during the Easter season?

We’re reminded of our Baptismal call when the sprinkling rite is celebrated at each Mass.