Once in a Lifetime Book

believer's baptism by immersion, all the way!

although i don't believe sprinkling or pouring is the proper mode, i don't think it's a test of salvation or anything. but, for me it's a serious enough issue that it's probably a test of fellowship in a local church because i could not personally take part in anything but believer's baptism by immersion.

When I was a kid I went to the salvation army who didn't believe in baptism at all and then after long years of being an atheist I was baptized, at 50 years of age, for the first time. The priest made the sign of the cross on my forehead with water, so I didn't get my hair washed in the baptismal font like my wee fellow baptizees. Like everything else in the Anglican church there are lots of opinions - like , for example whether you should take communion with or without baptism. One thing all anglicans seem to agree on is that you only get baptized once, even if it was when you were an infant and even if it was in a different church. I don't necessarily agree with that. I think that baptism represents a commitment to repent and start anew and I don't see how infants can make that decision. On the other hand I see the value of parents and the faith community having a ritual for enfolding the new baby into the community of faith. Infant baptisms are always every one's favourite services because of the hope and lovethat goes with it. I think of baptism as being a symbol rather than a sacrament; the power is in the thought and commitment that comes before. Without that, baptism, whether adult or infant, sprinkling or immersion, is just getting wet.

Hello Scot,

I am part of the Church of Christ tradition and just want to say it's been pleasantly surprising that recently you've given shouts out to several leaders within our movement. Don't get me wrong... I'm not keeping points. It's just great to see that our history of sectarianism is melting away a bit.

Thanks for noticing.

I just wonder if God cares about the exact method - if he deducts points for sprinkling or whatever. Sacrament or symbol.

You would think if the method were so critical He would've laid it out so specifically that we wouldn't need eminent scholars to illuminate us.

No one gets too wrapped up in all the ways communion is served and to whom.