…while the Church debates baptism here in Britain, far away in a Kabul jail a solitary Afghan prisoner is living out its implications. Said Musa is under threat of execution because he was attracted to the Christian faith nine years ago. He was baptised by someone pouring a jug of water over his head and saying some words from the Bible, and from then on he became a marked man. Like the first Christians he is now paying the bitter price of his decision.
Of course it is unlikely that children baptized here will find themselves in prison for being Christians, but I don’t think you can take the hint of sacrifice out of baptism any more than you can protect a new born baby from the tears and torments of growing up. St Paul said, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ were baptized into his death?” That is a shocking thing to say, and it’s fine not to want this ceremony for yourself or your children, that’s a choice for everyone to make.
Elves: I think this is the wrong link.
It’s here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/thought/documents/t20110210.shtml
Why are we fighting and dying for this wretched government and its system in Afghanistan?
I can simplify baptism:
What’s this child’s name?
Fred.
Ok, he’s baptised.
Larry
So far as I know the irreducible minimum formula for Christian baptism is:
Water + “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
#5 Ross
I think that is right, but as Anglicans we follow the Faith, as we have received it, which has meant that those words are set within a context of promises and welcome into the Anglican Church.
Now presumaby we will have:
I BpTze u in the nm uv of u no wt I mean – init?