Baptism Is A Beginning

In From the Beginning to Baptism, Linda Gibler takes readers on a journey 'from the depths of space and the beginning of time through sacred Scripture and church history 'to discover the origins and creative power of water, oil, and fire. She traces the lives of those elemental entities through their cosmic history, to the point at which they are poured over the head and light the way of one being baptized. These elemental sources of all life are the substances through which new life in Christ begins in the sacrament of baptism. The journey through space and time, through the birth of the Universe and of life, and Gibler's reflections on this drama, help readers to enter into the cosmocentric spirituality" at the heart of all things. No one who reads this book will ever again look at a drop of water, an olive, or a candle with the same eyes. Linda Gibler, PhD, a Houston Dominican Sister, is currently associate academic dean at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. She has several years ' experience as a parish minister and is the science editor and a contributing author for the Collins Foundation Press, which hosts conferences on the significance of recent scientific revelations for faith, meaning, and the well-being of Earth and all her species.

Baptism is the beginning of your child's life of faith. As the primary educators of their children, parents have the privilege and duty of carrying this new son or daughter of God into Christ's family, the Church. With the priest or deacon, godparents, parish, friends, and family, your baby's baptism will be a celebration and sign of lifelong love and grace. Part of the Liguori Sacramental Preparation Series, this book will prepare you for your baby's special day and remind you of your own baptismal promises and calling. It includes: A short history of baptismal practices and traditions The meaning of the sacrament and its symbols A step-by-step guide to the rite

A Study Guide and a Teacher’s Manual Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual. As you study it, seeking the Spirit of the Lord, you can grow in your understanding and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christand His Atonement, and the Restoration of the gospel. You can find answers to life’s questions, gain an assurance of your purpose and self-worth, and face personal and family challenges with faith.

Like a window, baptism helps us see what a Christian is and what it means to live the Christian life. Baptism expresses a Christian's new hope, new family and new life. It's like a funeral, naming ceremony and wedding rolled into one! This three-session Bible course is designed for: - people who have recently decided to follow Jesus - people who want to be baptized - people who want to understand the significance of their baptism It will help you understand the gospel and know how to begin the Christian life.

This paperback volume contains the liturgy for all kinds of Christian Initiation. It includes the well-known rites of Baptism and Confirmation, as well as a range of associated services to help Christians in the various stages of their journey of faith. These associated services included Rites on the Way, designed to be used with adults who have recently found faith. These rites mark their coming to faith and help them on the journey towards baptism and confirmation. Also included are various Rites of Affirmation, designed for those who wish to mark or reaffirm a Baptism that has already taken place. Services of Reconciliation and Restoration are also included, as they draw individuals back into the full baptismal life of the Christian community. These include the Reconciliation of a Penitent (individual confession), and a corporate service of penitence for use during Advent and Lent or in preparation for mission or pilgrimage. Services included are: Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child Rites Supporting Disciples on the Way of Christ Holy Baptism Emergency Baptism Holy Baptism and Confirmation, including a Vigil Service Celebration after an Initiation Service outside the Parish Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism Admission of the Baptized to Communion A Form for the Corporate Renewal of Baptismal Vows Affirmation of Baptismal Faith Reception into Communion of the Church of England A Corporate Service of Penitence The Reconciliation of a Penitent A Celebration of Wholeness and Healing

The issue of baptism has troubled Protestants for centuries. Should infants be baptized before their faith is conscious, or does God command the baptism of babies whose parents have been baptized? Popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight makes a biblical case for infant baptism, exploring its history, meaning, and practice and showing that infant baptism is the most historic Christian way of forming children into the faith. He explains that the church's practice of infant baptism developed straight from the Bible and argues that it must begin with the family and then extend to the church. Baptism is not just an individual profession of faith: it takes a family and a church community to nurture a child into faith over time. McKnight explains infant baptism for readers coming from a tradition that baptizes adults only, and he counters criticisms that fail to consider the role of families in the formation of faith. The book includes a foreword by Todd Hunter and an afterword by Gerald McDermott.

You've been baptized. But do you understand what it means? Baptism is the doorway into membership in the church. It's a public declaration of the washing away of our sin and the beginning of our new life in Christ. But the sacrament that is meant to unite us is often a spring of division instead. All Christians use water to baptize. All invoke the triune name. Beyond that, there's little consensus. Talk about baptism and you're immediately plunged into arguments. Whom should we baptize? What does baptism do? Why even do it at all? Peter Leithart reunifies a church divided by baptism. He recovers the baptismal imagination of the Bible, explaining how baptism works according to Scripture. Then, in conversation with Christian tradition, he shows why baptism is something worth recovering and worth agreeing on.