Baptism Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Other groups=== ====Jehovah's Witnesses==== [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that baptism should be performed by complete immersion (submersion) in water and only when an individual is old enough to understand its significance. They believe that water baptism is an outward symbol that a person has made an unconditional dedication through Jesus Christ to do the will of God. Only after baptism, is a person considered a full-fledged Witness, and an official member of the Christian Congregation. They consider baptism to constitute ordination as a [[Christian minister|minister]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Company |first=Johnson Publishing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xbEDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22jehovah's+witnesses%22&pg=PA26 |title=Jet |date=1955-08-04 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |pages=26 |language=en}}</ref> Prospective candidates for baptism must express their desire to be baptized well in advance of a planned baptismal event, to allow for congregation [[Elder (Christianity)#Jehovah's Witnesses|elders]] to assess their suitability (regarding true repentance and conversion).<ref>''Organized to Do Jehovah's Will'', published by Jehovah's Witnesses, page 182.</ref> Elders approve candidates for baptism if the candidates are considered to understand what is expected of members of the religion and to demonstrate sincere dedication to the faith.<ref>''Organized to Do Jehovah's Will'', published by Jehovah's Witnesses, page 217–218.</ref> Most baptisms among Jehovah's Witnesses are performed at scheduled assemblies and conventions by elders and ministerial servants, in special pools, or sometimes oceans, rivers, or lakes, depending on circumstances,<ref>''The Watchtower'', May 15, 1970, p. 309.</ref><ref>"The General Priesthood Today", ''The Watchtower'', March 1, 1963, page 147</ref><ref>''Organized to Do Jehovah's Will'', published by Jehovah's Witnesses, page 215, "Baptisms are usually performed at assemblies and conventions of Jehovah's Witnesses."</ref> and rarely occur at local [[Kingdom Hall]]s.<ref name=autogenerated1>"Questions From Readers", ''The Watchtower'', August 1, 1973, p. 480</ref> Prior to baptism, at the conclusion of a pre-baptism talk, candidates must affirm two questions:<ref>Watchtower June 1, 1985</ref> {{blockquote| # On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will? # Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?}} Only baptized males (elders or ministerial servants) may baptize new members. Baptizers and candidates wear swimsuits or other informal clothing for baptism, but are directed to avoid clothing that is considered undignified or too revealing.<ref name="autogenerated1999">""God's Prophetic Word" District Conventions", ''Our Kingdom Ministry'', May 1999, page 4</ref><ref>"Questions From Readers", ''The Watchtower'', April 15, 1973, page 254–255</ref><ref>"Question Box", ''Our Kingdom Ministry'', June 1993, page 3</ref> Generally, candidates are individually immersed by a single baptizer,<ref name="autogenerated1999"/> unless a candidate has special circumstances such as a physical [[disability]].<ref name="The Watchtower 1986, page 31">"Questions From Readers", ''The Watchtower'', November 15, 1986, page 31</ref> In circumstances of extended isolation, a qualified candidate's dedication and stated intention to become baptized may serve to identify him as a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, even if immersion itself must be delayed.<ref>"Questions From Readers", ''The Watchtower'', August 1, 1973, pages 479–480</ref> In rare instances, unbaptized males who had stated such an intention have reciprocally baptized each other, with both baptisms accepted as valid.<ref name=":0">"Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands", ''1987 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses'', page 71</ref> Individuals who had been baptized in the 1930s and 1940s by female Witnesses due to extenuating circumstances, such as in concentration camps, were later re-baptized but still recognized their original baptism dates.<ref name="autogenerated480" /> ====Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints==== [[File:Mormon baptism circa 1850s.png|thumb|right|upright=0.8|A Mormon baptism, circa the 1850s]] {{Main|Baptism in Mormonism}} In [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church), baptism is recognized as the first of several [[Ordinance (Latter Day Saints)|ordinances]] (rituals) of the [[gospel]].<ref>{{cite journal |first=Bruce D. |last=Porter |author-link=Bruce D. Porter |date=October 2000 |title=The First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2000/10/the-first-principles-and-ordinances-of-the-gospel |access-date=March 24, 2009 |journal=[[Ensign (LDS magazine)|Ensign]]}}</ref> In [[Mormonism]], baptism has the main purpose of remitting the [[sin]]s of the participant. It is followed by [[Confirmation (Latter Day Saints)|confirmation]], which inducts the person into membership in the church and constitutes a [[baptism with the Holy Spirit]]. Latter-day Saints believe that baptism must be by full immersion, and by a precise ritualized ordinance: if some part of the participant is not fully immersed, or the ordinance was not recited verbatim, the ritual must be repeated.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/duties-and-blessings-of-the-priesthood-basic-manual-for-priesthood-holders-part-b/priesthood-and-church-government/lesson-5-performing-priesthood-ordinances?lang=eng |title= Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part B |chapter= Performing Priesthood Ordinances § Baptism |year= 2000 |pages= 41–48 |publisher= LDS Church }}</ref> It typically occurs in a [[baptismal font]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} In addition, members of the LDS Church do not believe a baptism is valid unless it is performed by a Latter-day Saint one who has proper authority (a [[Priest (Latter Day Saints)|priest]] or [[Elder (Latter Day Saints)|elder]]).<ref>{{citation |url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/baptism-baptize?lang=eng |title= Guide to the Scriptures: Baptism, Baptize § Proper authority |website= churchofjesuschrist.org |publisher= LDS Church }}</ref> Authority is passed down through a form of [[apostolic succession]]. All new converts to the faith must be baptized or [[rebaptism (Mormonism)|re-baptized]]. Baptism is seen as symbolic both of Jesus' death, burial and [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]]<ref>{{citation |url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/baptism?lang=eng |title= Baptism |work= [[LDS edition of the Bible|KJV (LDS)]]: [[Bible Dictionary (LDS Church)|Bible Dictionary]] |publisher= LDS Church |year= 1979 }}</ref> and is also symbolic of the baptized individual discarding their "natural" self and donning a new identity as a disciple of Jesus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints |title=Baptism |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/article/baptism |website=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints}}</ref> According to Latter-day Saint theology, [[faith]] and [[repentance]] are prerequisites to baptism. The ritual does not cleanse the participant of [[original sin]], as Latter-day Saints do not believe the doctrine of original sin. Mormonism rejects [[infant baptism]]<ref>[[Book of Mormon]], {{Mormonverse|Moroni|8:4-23}}</ref><ref name="EoM Infant Baptism">{{citation |last= Parsons |first= Robert E. |contribution= Infant Baptism: LDS Perspective |contribution-url= http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/3795 |page= 682 |editor1-last= Ludlow |editor1-first= Daniel H |editor1-link= Daniel H. Ludlow |title= Encyclopedia of Mormonism |location= New York |publisher= [[Macmillan Publishing]] |year= 1992 |isbn= 0-02-879602-0 |oclc= 24502140 |title-link= Encyclopedia of Mormonism }}</ref> and baptism must occur after the [[age of accountability]], defined in Latter-day Saint scripture as eight years old.<ref>{{Mormonverse|D&C|68:25-27}}</ref><ref name="EoM Accountability">{{citation |last= Warner |first= C. Terry |author-link= C. Terry Warner |contribution= Accountability |contribution-url= http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/5446 |page= 13 |editor1-last= Ludlow |editor1-first= Daniel H |editor1-link= Daniel H. Ludlow |title= Encyclopedia of Mormonism |location= New York |publisher= [[Macmillan Publishing]] |year= 1992 |isbn= 0-02-879602-0 |oclc= 24502140 |title-link= Encyclopedia of Mormonism }}</ref> Latter-day Saint theology also teaches [[baptism for the dead]] in which deceased ancestors are baptized vicariously by the living, and believe that their practice is what Paul wrote of in Corinthians 15:29. This occurs in [[Temple (Latter Day Saints)|Latter-day Saint temples]].<ref>{{citation |url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/topics/baptisms-for-the-dead?lang=eng |title= Gospel Topics: Baptisms for the Dead |website= churchofjesuschrist.org |publisher= LDS Church }}</ref><ref name="EoM Baptism for the dead">{{citation |last= Burton |first= H. David |author-link= H. David Burton |contribution= Baptism for the dead: LDS Practice |contribution-url= http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/5502 |pages= 95–97 |editor1-last= Ludlow |editor1-first= Daniel H |editor1-link= Daniel H. Ludlow |title= Encyclopedia of Mormonism |location= New York |publisher= [[Macmillan Publishing]] |year= 1992 |isbn= 0-02-879602-0 |oclc= 24502140 |title-link= Encyclopedia of Mormonism }}</ref> ==== Freemasonry ==== Due to tensions between the Roman Catholic Church and Freemasons in France in the aftermath of the [[French Revolution]], French Freemasons developed rituals to replace those of the Church, including baptism. Chrétien-Guillaume Riebesthal's ''Rituel Maçonnique pour tous les Rites'' (Masonic Ritual for All Rites),<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sUJfAAAAcAAJ |title=Rituel maçonnique pour tous les rites |date=1827 |language=fr}}</ref> published in Strasbourg in 1826, includes one such baptismal rite.[https://journals.ku.edu/ygas/article/view/20050/18019] Lodges in Louisiana and Wisconsin performed baptism ceremonies in 1859, though they were widely condemned by their [[Grand Lodge]]s. In 1865, [[Albert Pike]], publicly performed a ceremony of Masonic baptism in New York City. The ceremony was greeted with skepticism by many American Masons including [[Albert Mackey]]. A ceremony for Masonic baptism was published by Charles T. McClenechan in 1884.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AASR - 1884 - Ceremony of Baptism in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite |url=http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/AASR_1884_/ceremony_of_baptism.htm |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=www.phoenixmasonry.org}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page