Connecting With Baptism

Connecting with Baptism is a comprehensive and accessible companion resource to help clergy and lay leaders unpack Christian initiation pastorally, practically and theologically. In a down-to-earth and stimulating way it provides an enormous amount of practical help, background information and suggestions for clergy and lay leaders involved in taking policy decisions, providing pastoral care and using the initiation services. Written from a wealth of pastoral and liturgical experience, it covers the whole scope of Christian initiation, including baptism and confirmation. Topics covered include: Infant baptism Connecting initiation with mission and evangelism The role of godparents Preparing adults for Christian initiation Helping those who are baptized or confirmed to grow in faith Christian initiation in Fresh Expressions of church The guide includes real-life stories, discussion starters and helpful cross-references to other sections in the text and the Bible.

An illustrated book for 8–11 year olds and families, with activities that offer a variety of ways for children to interact with this core value of our faith, making a direct connection for young people between their faith and daily life.

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.

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.

The fourth edition of the bestselling booklet Together at Baptism includes texts from the new English translation of TheOrder of Baptism of Children, which must be used by parishes in the United States beginning on April 12, 2020, but may be used as early as February 2, 2020. Author Robert M. Hamma helps parents understand the sacrament with brief commentaries that provide insight not only on the celebration of Baptism but also on handing on the Catholic faith to their children in the midst of everyday life. Together at Baptism offers parish staff a practical, concise tool to help prepare parents and godparents for the Baptism of a child. It offers both spiritual support and important information about the sacrament. The booklet contains twenty-six brief commentaries by Robert M. Hamma on the essential elements and liturgical texts of TheOrder of Baptism of Children. Parents will learn about their role as first witnesses to the faith, the essential support of godparents, the distinctively Catholic understanding of the sacrament, and the joys and challenges of lifelong commitment to the faith. The familiar and popular features of earlier editions of Together at Baptism remain in place, but have been updated to meet the realities of today's Catholic families, including shifting family structures, the influences of digital distractions on family life, and the need for basic education about the faith. The words of the baptismal celebration and the three-fold immersion in or pouring on of holy water are the same, but many of the greetings, prayers, and instructions of the liturgy have subtle, important changes shifting the tone to the more formal language of the newest edition of the Roman Missal. These changes affect such elements as: the greeting for the Rite of Receiving the Child; text of the Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith by parents and godparents; the post-baptismal Explanatory Rites--the Anointing after Baptism, Clothing with the White Garment, Handing on of a Lighted Candle, and the Ephphatha (be opened prayer); and the formulas for the Prayer of the Faithful. The booklet also contains all the Lectionary readings assigned for the celebration of Baptism, the alternate prayer texts provided by The Order of Baptism of Children, and a selection sheet for parents invited to choose readings, prayers, and other texts for the liturgy.

This is the perfect resource for congregations, and parents, to use as they prepare for a child's Baptism. Pastors will want to give a copy of this book to every family having a child Baptized, and parents will want this book in order to more fully understand the gift of Holy Baptism. Inside is useful information such as the Scripture's teaching about Baptism, a look at the Baptism service, and everyday activities that can be done with a child to help him/her after the Baptism.

A perfect baptism memory book that will become a treasured keepsake for children and families. Welcome, child of God! You are loved! This touching picture book is the ideal gift to celebrate the love that children experience on their baptism day. On the Day You Were Baptized is a keepsake that teaches readers they are special and belong to the most wonderful family in the world -- the Church. Inclusive and timeless illustrations invite a variety of readers to connect with the text. With a dedication page in front and space in the back, family members and friends can record their memories of the special day or add photographs for personalization. The simple and relatable narrative is theologically sound and explains to young children how baptism is a sign of God's love and eternal promises. A beautiful and highly recommended gift for infant baptism or christening, On the Day You Were Baptized celebrates the love of parents, the faith community, and our heavenly Father.

Michael Green offers biblical and ecumenical answers to disputed questions about baptism. The gateway into the church. An individual’s testimony to faith and repentance. The reception of the Holy Spirit. The meaning of baptism varies wildly between different Christian traditions. Seeking common ground, Michael Green turns to Scripture to assess the varieties of baptismal theology. Though Green assents that baptism is no substitute for saving faith, he endorses infant baptism, confronting common objections head-on. He also addresses the related problems of confirmation and rebaptism. Green’s lively and clear argument will challenge and intrigue readers of all denominations.