EDUCAS Level RS Christianity 4A Baptism

what is baptism

Baptism is the sacrament in which we are freed from original sin, given a share in God's life, and welcomed as members of the Church.

what is a sacarament

an outwards sign of a inwards grace, a visible sign to other people that you have received the grace of God

what is the idea that the Council of Carthage 418CE decided regarding the act of baptism

that started that even babies who are unable to yet commit to any sin personally, are truly baptised for the forgiveness of sins, for the purpose of cleansing by rebirth what they received at birth, the original sin.

do jews see baptism to hold the same power that christians see

baptism is said to be a spiritually similar to the circumscision that boys received at 8 days old, but baptism is necessary to achieve salvation but Jews don't see it as having the same overwhelming saving power as christians do.

who was Augustine and what did he believe about the sacrament of baptism

He was a catholic writer who believed that baptism is there to wash away original sin which is linked to us by seminal presence. We are born in sin and we are born to die, this is Augustinian theodicy. He believed that if a Baby were to die before being baptised they would go to limbo (this is now a heresy and not believed by the church anymore). Once you are baptised you are saved by grace and you will be saved even if you do not deserve it,

Augustine advocating for infant baptism

- although its unbiblical infant baptism will still have happened in the early church especially in Africa as it secures your way into heaven

- Their use of baptism = salvation, suggests necessity

- He called it the sacrament of regeneration, give it life and regenerate, reform

- 41BE

- He said it’s not just a belief it is a physical act with a hidden spiritual meaning.

He emphasised the importance of infant baptism because infants are not yet able to imitate Christ through their actions, therefore through infant baptism they become engrafted into Christ’s body. Christ then gives to the believes the grace of his spirit which He secretly infuses even into infants. Baptism is the only way to be like christ at that age.

- passed down from the apostolic authority

- baptism ha a change in their physical being as it gets rid of original sin which is an ontological change.

who is Zwingli

a protestant reformer who believed that sac armaments don't help and that they have a different importance. The water is not needed to get to heaven, it helps but it isn't a necessity to be saved but you can still do it. You just have to believe and have faith in God - the water is symbolic it is not necessary but shows that you are a believer.

what does Zwingli believe about baptism

signing and sealing, not the washing away of origional sin.

1. seals the cancelling of sin by the blood shed by christ, seals your understanding of Christs sacrifice

2. our incorporation in Christ by faith, by joining body of church and expressing faith.

3. the sacrament is made on behalf of [arents who pledge to bring the child up in faith

4. it is a sign of belonging to the new covenant

5. baptism does take place through aversion (water being sprinkled on the head)

Overarchingly he believed that it was not required to be saved but wouldn't harm, it is a way of expressing your faith and becoming part of God's community. He doesn't believe that originals sin is passed on through generations.

why does Zwingli think that people should be baptised as a baby

it symbolises you being welcomed into the church - you are part of a covenant community, a part of God's promises to humans - you agree to a relationship with God and all your family support you with it.

who is Karl Barth

he is a Swiss reformed minister and theologian who believed in believers baptism that is used to symbolise your faith.

what does Karl Barth believe about baptism

that baptism is a key part of the spirit, not baptism in water. Many protestants call themselves born again, you have died to your old life and are filled with the Holy Spirit. It influences christians and allows them to act like christionas they might care for the needy or have greater faith. THE WATER IS A SYMBOL OF THAT FAITH

- the only sacrament here is the sacrament of grace, the feeling of Gods love, you are willing to let that happen nor forced as infant baptists are.

- infant baptism is a problem because ether infant is being forced into ut rather than willinging accepting Gods love, this is coercive and is seen as worthless as you haven't made a promise to faith

- it seals Gods love but does not generate Gods love

what are Karl Barths issues with infant baptism

1. infant baptism has no biblical evidence or foundation, it has only become the normal in the post apostolic period not in the NT period

2. it leads to the assumption that the person is a christian because they are baptised as a baby under their parents rules. This disvalues the grace of God because church discipline was not needed by the baby and it becomes meaningless

3. infant baptism weakens the link between baptism and discipleship. When baptised a person should be able to act on the grace of God but as an infant they cannot do that

what is baptism to Barth

1. baptism with water is the first step to life with Christ

2. it is a response to baptism in the spirit in other words Gods grace/ love converts individuals

3. it is not a sacrament, it allows acknowledgement of the history of the death of christ for sins

arguments to support infant baptism

- the council of Carthage 418 state that even babies who are yet unable to commit sin personally are truly baptised for the forgiveness of their sins, for the purpose of cleansing by rebirth what they received at birth

- the great commission states that the early church should go and baptise people in the name of father the son and the Holy Spirit

- Peter said ' repent and be baptised everyone of you in the name of Jesus christ so that your sins may be forgiven' acts 2

is baptism and ontological change

ontological change refers to a change in someones existence. For Augustine, baptism brings about an ontological change in someone because it changes their nature of existence. For Barth there is no such ontological change during baptism because it is symbolic and singing and sealing and nothing else

what is the catholic belief about adult baptism

those who conducted adult baptism were called 'anabaptists' meaning rebaptising - they were rebabtising those who had been baptised as a child when they were an adult. This was rejected by the concil of Trent in 1547. The anabaptists rejected that the believers baptism was a second baptism because they believed that the infant baptism was futile and void anyway. They believed that there was no biblical evidence for a infant baptism

what do believers baptism think

there is lots of evidence in the bible for a believers baptism such as Jesus and Saul. seen as an act of discipleship, it is a choosing of people who want to Gove their life to Jesus.

Bible references to support believers baptism

- But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptised, both men and women - Acts 8:12 note its men and women not children.

- immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and he was baptised. - Acts 9:19 note that Paul was an adult when he was baptised

- One of those listening was a woman ... “if you consider me a believer in the lord she” she said “come and stay at my house” - Acts 16 Lydia is baptised once she was converted to faith and this suggests that she was an adult not a infant