What's your view of Baptism

[Mark_S]

I feel sooo lonely

[TheAnalogman]

I feel sooo lonely

Then get with the program and quit whinin'.

[Aletheia]

I feel sooo lonely

It's odd. It seems like we should have more "reformed" voters here.

[furay]

It's odd. It seems like we should have more "reformed" voters here.

They all tend to hang out in Theo 201.

[Aletheia]

They all tend to hang out in Theo 201.

True.

[kaine diatheke]

Most baptists don't think it matters what form either, it is just preferred to be immersion because that is what is described in the Bible, so why not stick with what was good enough for Jesus? But if circumstances call for something else, go ahead ... for instance many missionaries in desert areas will just sprinkle. Use what you have, just make it sincere.

I agree. I do prefer immersion. I was immersed, but I really thought immersion was something Baptists were almost always big on. At least the ones that I have known were. Maybe not so much as I thought.

Kaine Diatheke

[Pilgrim]

My view? Well, since I am the pastor, generally it's from behind the font.

Ba dum bump! Thank you folks, I'll be here all week.

[Macarius]

What? No Orthodox view?

Ah well, Catholic was close enough, though I would amend a few things on it (specifically relating it to entrance into the death and resurrection of Christ since Romans goes on and on about that).

For those who do not believe in infant baptism - what do you say with regards to the mentally retarded? Can they be baptized?

[furay]

My view? Well, since I am the pastor, generally it's from behind the font.

Ba dum bump! Thank you folks, I'll be here all week.

[Mark_S]

My view? Well, since I am the pastor, generally it's from behind the font.

Ba dum bump! Thank you folks, I'll be here all week.

[The Curtmudgeon]

Most baptists don't think it matters what form either, it is just preferred to be immersion because that is what is described in the Bible, so why not stick with what was good enough for Jesus? But if circumstances call for something else, go ahead ... for instance many missionaries in desert areas will just sprinkle. Use what you have, just make it sincere.

I agree. I do prefer immersion. I was immersed, but I really thought immersion was something Baptists were almost always big on. At least the ones that I have known were. Maybe not so much as I thought.

Kaine Diatheke

I would disagree to some extent with Todd's statement. Baptists do care about the form of baptism -- it should be immersion, it's not something you get to choose -- but most are realistic enough to allow exceptions in exceptional circumstances, such as Todd's example of desert areas. Also, bed-ridden believers who simply cannot be immersed in water would be another possible exception. But the form is to be immersion unless there is some overriding circumstance that makes immersion impractical.

The form is important because of what baptism means: it is primarily a visual depiction of the believer's identifying himself with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. If you sprinkle or use some other form (is there another form besides sprinkling and immersion?), then you lose the picture that baptism is meant to convey. So immersion is not just preferred, it is dictated by the meaning of the act.

But more important than the form, for Baptists baptism always follows an intentional and deliberate act of receiving salvation. You accept salvation, then you are baptised as a visual witness to the fact that you have accepted Christ's death as your substitutionary atonement. [This is also why it makes no sense for a person to be baptised with only the pastor, or other person performing the baptism, present. How can baptism be a public testimony without witnesses?] Pedobaptism is strictly not allowed.

The (hmm, I was sure that I had a parenthetical lying around here somewhere) Curtmudgeon

[One Bad Pig]

What? No Orthodox view?

Ah well, Catholic was close enough, though I would amend a few things on it (specifically relating it to entrance into the death and resurrection of Christ since Romans goes on and on about that).

For those who do not believe in infant baptism - what do you say with regards to the mentally retarded? Can they be baptized?

If they profess faith, sure. We baptize children all the time - some barely tall enough to stand in the baptismal - after they've professed faith and gone through an informal catechism.

[Zguy28]

For those who do not believe in infant baptism - what do you say with regards to the mentally retarded? Can they be baptized?

Never had the experience of that. But how does civil/criminal law deal with mentally retarded folks who commit crimes?

[Shazard]

Well, what's the Lutheran view, then?

From ones you provided then Chatolic is more close to Lutheran view!