Religious conversion 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! ===Christianity=== {{Main|Conversion to Christianity|Christianization|List of converts to Christianity}} [[File:The Conversion of Saint Paul-Caravaggio (c. 1600-1).jpg|thumb|right|''The Conversion of Saint Paul'', a 1600 painting by Italian artist [[Caravaggio]] (1571–1610)]] Within Christianity conversion refers variously to three different phenomena: a person becoming Christian who was previously not Christian; a Christian moving from one Christian denomination to another; a particular spiritual development, sometimes called the "second conversion", or "the conversion of the baptised".<ref>{{cite web |work=Catechism of the Catholic Church |title=The sacrament of penance and reconciliation |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm |access-date=24 Mar 2016 |publisher=The Holy See |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328130510/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm |archive-date=Mar 28, 2016 }}</ref> Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. Some Christian sects require full conversion for new members regardless of any history in other Christian sects, or from certain other sects. The exact requirements vary between different churches and [[Christian denominations|denominations]]. [[Baptism]] is traditionally seen as a sacrament of admission to Christianity.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Britannica|title=Baptism, Christianity}}</ref> Christian baptism has some parallels with Jewish immersion by ''[[mikvah]]''. In the [[New Testament]], [[Jesus]] commanded his disciples in the [[Great Commission]] to "go and make disciples of all nations".<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|28:19}}, {{bibleverse|Mark|16:15}}</ref> [[Evangelization]] – sharing the Gospel message or "Good News" in deed and word, is an expectation of Christians.<ref>"Evangelization." Evangelization. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.</ref> ====Comparison between Protestants==== {{Prose|section|date=August 2023}} This table summarizes three Protestant beliefs. {| class="wikitable" |- ! '''Topic''' !! '''Calvinism''' !! '''Lutheranism''' !! '''Arminianism''' |- | '''Conversion''' || [[Monergism|Monergistic]],<ref>Paul ChulHong Kang, ''Justification: The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness from Reformation Theology to the American Great Awakening and the Korean Revivals'' ([[Peter Lang (publisher)|Peter Lang]], 2006), 70, note 171. Calvin generally defends Augustine’s “monergistic view”.</ref> through the inner calling of the Holy Spirit, [[Irresistible grace|irresistible]]. || Monergistic,<ref>http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Monergism and Paul ChulHong Kang, ''Justification: The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness from Reformation Theology to the American Great Awakening and the Korean Revivals'' ([[Peter Lang (publisher)|Peter Lang]], 2006), 65.</ref> through the [[means of grace]], [[Irresistible grace#Lutheran|resistible]]. || [[Synergism (theology)|Synergistic]], resistible due to the common grace of free will.<ref>Roger E. Olson, ''Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities'' (InterVarsity Press, 2009), 18. “Arminian synergism” refers to “evangelical synergism, which affirms the prevenience of grace”.</ref> |} ==== Latter Day Saint movement ==== {{Main|Baptism in Mormonism}} [[File:Mormon baptism circa 1850s.png|thumb|right|200px|Latter Day Saint baptism ceremony, circa the 1850s]] Much of the theology of Latter Day Saint baptism was established during the early [[Latter Day Saint movement]] founded by [[Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith, Jr]]. According to this theology, baptism must be by [[Immersion baptism|immersion]], for the remission of [[sin]]s (meaning that through baptism, past sins are forgiven), and occurs after one has shown faith and repentance. Mormon baptism does not purport to remit any sins other than personal ones, as adherents do not believe in [[original sin]].<ref>(2010, September 15). The Original Sin – What Do Mormons Believe?. Whatdomormonsbelieve. https://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/15/09/2010/the-original-sin/ Archived Link: https://archive.today/20220314005237/https://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/15/09/2010/the-original-sin/</ref> Latter Day Saints baptisms also occur only after an "[[age of accountability]]" which is defined as the age of eight years.<ref>See {{lds|Doctrine and Covenants|dc|68|25|27}}</ref> The theology thus rejects [[infant baptism]].<ref>See {{lds|Moroni|moro|8|4|23}}</ref> In addition, Latter Day Saint theology requires that baptism may only be performed with one who has been called and ordained by God with [[priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|priesthood]] authority.<ref>See, e.g., {{citation |url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/baptism-baptize?lang=eng |title= Guide to the Scriptures: Baptism, Baptize: Proper authority |work= churchofjesuschrist.org |publisher= LDS Church }}</ref> Because the churches of the Latter Day Saint movement operate under a lay priesthood, children raised in a Mormon family are usually baptized by a father or close male friend or family member who has achieved the office of [[Priest (Latter Day Saints)|priest]], which is conferred upon worthy male members at least 16 years old in the LDS Church.<ref>See, e.g., {{citation |url= https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/topics/priest |title= Gospel Topics: Priest |work= churchofjesuschrist.org |publisher= LDS Church }}</ref> Baptism is seen as symbolic both of [[Jesus]]' death, burial and [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]]<ref>See, e.g., {{citation |contribution-url= http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/baptism |contribution= Baptism |title= KJV (LDS): LDS Bible Dictionary |publisher= LDS Church }}</ref> and is also symbolic of the baptized individual putting off of the natural or sinful man and becoming spiritually reborn as a disciple of Jesus.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} Membership into a Latter Day Saint church is granted only by baptism whether or not a person has been raised in the church. Latter Day Saint churches do not recognize baptisms of other faiths as valid because they believe baptisms must be performed under the church's unique authority. Thus, all who come into one of the Latter Day Saint faiths as converts are baptized, even if they have previously received baptism in another faith. When performing a Baptism, Latter Day Saints say the following prayer before performing the ordinance: {{Blockquote|Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.<ref>See {{lds|3 Nephi|3-ne|11|25}}</ref>}} Baptisms inside and outside the temples are usually done in a [[baptistry]], although they can be performed in any body of water in which the person may be completely immersed. The person administering the baptism must recite the prayer exactly, and immerse every part, limb, hair and clothing of the person being baptized. If there are any mistakes, or if any part of the person being baptized is not fully immersed, the baptism must be redone. In addition to the baptizer, two members of the church witness the baptism to ensure that it is performed properly.<ref name="Performing Priesthood Ordinances">{{citation |contribution-url= http://www.lds.org/manual/duties-and-blessings-of-the-priesthood-basic-manual-for-priesthood-holders-part-b/priesthood-and-church-government/lesson-5-performing-priesthood-ordinances |contribution= Performing Priesthood Ordinances |title= Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part B |year= 2000 |publisher= LDS Church |pages= 41–48 }}</ref> Following baptism, [[Latter Day Saint]]s receive the [[Confirmation (Latter Day Saints)|Gift of the Holy Ghost]] by the [[laying on of hands]] of a [[Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Melchizedek Priesthood]] holder.<ref name="Performing Priesthood Ordinances" /> Latter Day Saints hold that one may be baptized after death through the vicarious act of a living individual, and holders of the Melchezidek Priesthood practice baptism for the dead as a missionary ritual. This doctrine answers the question of the righteous non-believer and the unevangelized by providing a post-mortem means of repentance and salvation. 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