What does baptism mean?
The 1662 Prayer Book holds together water, new birth, repentance and faith. Explore what baptism gives and the Christian life that follows.
At a baptism, water and words belong together. In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the minister says:
I baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
These words name the God into whose life we are called. The Prayer Book explains baptism as a sacrament: a visible sign through which God gives spiritual grace. It is more than a naming ceremony or a public statement of good intentions.
What is given?
The 1662 Catechism connects the outward water with death to sin and new birth into righteousness. It describes a sacrament as a means of receiving grace and a pledge that assures us of it.
After an infant is baptised, the service gives thanks for regeneration by the Holy Spirit, adoption as God’s child and incorporation into the Church. The adult service also speaks of the newly baptised as regenerate and joined to Christ’s Church. Regeneration means new birth. These are words of thanksgiving for God’s gift.
In Romans 6:3–11, Saint Paul relates baptism to Christ’s death and resurrection. The new life has a direction: dying to sin and living to God.
Who makes the promises?
The Catechism speaks of repentance and faith: turning from sin and trusting God’s promises in the sacrament.
In the infant rite, godparents, also called sureties, answer on the child’s behalf. They undertake to help the child learn the Christian faith and grow into the promises made. The service specifically names learning the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments. Sponsorship is a continuing responsibility.
In the rite for those able to answer for themselves, the candidates answer personally. They renounce evil, profess the faith and promise obedience with God’s help. The witnesses are charged with reminding them of this profession and encouraging their growth.
A beginning with a future
The Prayer Book holds God’s gracious action and our response together. Its strong language about new birth should not be reduced to a symbol of our own decision. Its calls to repentance, faith and a continuing Christian life should not be left out either.
For someone baptised in infancy, learning to pray and live the faith is part of growing into that beginning. For an adult coming to baptism, preparation gives space to understand the promises and ask honest questions.
If you are considering baptism for yourself or a child, see baptism at Christ Church and speak with the parish about preparation. The service is the beginning of a life to be nurtured in Christ’s Church.
