Evolution of Baptismal Ritual

Christian churches agree that Baptism is a sacrament.  When John baptized Jesus in the Jordan, the heavens were torn apart, the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove, and “a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Mk 1:9-11).

From the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the elements of the sacrament of baptism are present:  a blessing and immersion in water (Cooke and Macy 70).  Jesus went from that moment to the desert to pray and be tempted by the devil.  A new Christian emerges from the water with the blessing of the Triune God to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, entering “a growing initiation into Christianity, into living the mystery of Christ with others” (C&M 69). 

Two things struck me as I read the selections in Johnson’s Sacraments and Worship: the variety in the descriptions of baptism in the New Testament,  and the elaboration surrounding the basic elements of the sacrament as time went on, eventually to be simplified again after Vatican II.

Some speak of baptism as being baptized into one body (1Cor 12:13), or "clothed with Christ," and "all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:27-29).

Others speak of being baptized into Christ’s death and that they are certain to be “united with him in a resurrection like his” (Johnson 105).

Some references speak only of Jesus (1Peter 3:21-22; Acts 10:48), while other places do not mention Jesus at all (Jn 3:5).  Matthew 28:19 says to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

It is kind of amazing that most churches seem to have agreed upon the Trinitarian formula today!  One of the women in prison who had been baptized as a Catholic when a child had to be baptized again in another church.  They do it “in the name of Jesus,” because that is what the bible says.

As for the complexity of the baptismal rites, I was stuck by how often they spoke of exorcising the water and the catechumens, the number of times people had to strip off all of their clothes, the amount of fasting, and the number of anointings.  Some of the prayers were extremely long.  If you add the singing that undoubtedly took place, the processions from one place to another,  some of these celebrations must have taken the better part of a day, if not several days.  They obviously were not of the mentality that church services should be short and sweet!

After Vatican II, rites were simplified, and the significance of the various parts was made clear.  The addition of baptism by immersion in many Catholic churches should help to make people more aware of the symbolism and its meaning.  The months of preparation in RCIA give the participants a deep awareness that they are entering into a new life: living the mystery of Christ with others.

In prison today, for some reason several people had questions about baptism, so what we are learning is definitely useful in my daily life.  Several of the women who usually come had gone home, so the ritual for next week might not come together after all.