Thursday, June 4, 2009

Weekly Written Analysis 3


The ritual of Baptism
In the modern sense of the word, baptism is a Christian ritual or sacrament symbolizing the cleansing of sins or other spiritual impurities (Damper, 1998). Following baptism, Christian believers are welcomed into the Church body as sanctified members. Most baptism ceremonies involve the use of water, although different Christian denominations have different methods of baptizing congregants. Some clergymen will sprinkle the water over an infant, while others prefer to fully immerse an adult candidate in a body of water. The ritual of Baptism became a prominent ritual in American Popular culture. As Christianity grew in popularity, the sacrament of infant baptism became a vital element in the Catholic Church. During an infant baptism, an ordained priest sprinkles a few drops of holy water over the child's head or places a few drops on his or her forehead (Damper, 1998). The infant baptism ceremony is accompanied by specific readings of Scripture, along with responses between the priest, parents and congregation. Baptism of an infant is believed to establish a bond between the child and God, leading to a blessed life as a new creature. According to Damper (1998), baptism deals with the interactions of elite and popular culture, compares prescription and performance, and explores some of the social and culture aspect of the religion.

Reference
Damper, D. (1998). The importance of Baptism: The ritual of Baptism. Retrieved June 4, 2009 from www.findarticle/baptism.com

No comments:

Post a Comment