Theology

Robert Bishop
Mr. Anthony Spellacy

3 April 2010

Theology II

The Evolution of Baptism

 

      Baptism has been around for what seems like forever.  There are even references to baptism in the old testament.  The word baptism comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which translates “to immerse or to dip.” Baptism is defined as the sacrament that admits a person into the Christian faith by immersing the person in water or by pouring or sprinkling water on the person’s head as a symbol of washing away original sin of the person.  It is also one of the sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church.  Being baptized makes you a member of the Catholic Church.

   In Old Testament times the Jewish priests used baptism, which was used as a purification ritual, as a way to cleanse any unclean person that was deemed unclean according to the teachings of the Torah. This ritual had the unclean person bring an offering, whether it be an animal or grain, to the priest and have the priest say a prayer to God before washing the unclean person with either water, oils, or perfumes that were found in the temple. This was supposed to be symbolic of the uncleanness of the recipient leaving them and going into the water. The purpose of this purification ritual was to become clean again so that one could enter the Temple and be able to worship on the Sabbath.  In the Old Testament, there were also some references to baptism: "I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under Heaven; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you."  This proves that Baptism did not start with John the Baptist or the Jews, but the first known reference of it began with Noah.   In this passage, in the same sense, God was purifying the earth of its “sin” and making it whole again (In a deeper, spiritual sense)....