Christianity

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Christianity

• Rites of Passage

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Contents

• Introduction
• Baptism
• Infant Baptism
• Dedication Services and Believers Baptism
• Confirmation
• Marriage
• Funerals

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Introduction

• Rites of passage are events that take place at
  significant times in your life.
• In some denominations these are called
  sacraments.
• A sacrament is an outward sign of an inward
  grace something you see on the outside that
  gives a spiritual blessing of some sort.
• Some Christians, such as Quakers, do not have any
  sacraments.
• Most Protestant denominations recognise two
  sacraments that are mentioned in the Gospels
  Baptism and the Eucharist.

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Introduction

• The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches have
  another five on their list making seven in
  total Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination,
  Reconciliation (Confession) and the Anointing of
  the Sick.
• Funerals are not considered sacraments are they
  are not stages on your life you have already
  moved on to the next life.

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Baptism

• Most denominations baptise infants, and the
  Orthodox Church combines the service with
  Chrismation their form of Confirmation.
• Baptist and Pentecostal Churches practise
  Believers Baptism.
• Of course it is never too late to be baptised so
  new Christians are baptised whatever their age.
• Water is used to purify the person and to
  symbolise the washing away of original sin.
• People are baptised in the name of the Trinity
  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
• The Holy Spirit enters the persons life at
  Baptism and they become a full member of the
  Christian community.

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Baptism

• Reasons for Infant Baptism
• To cleanse the child of original sin from as
  early as possible.
• To show they are members of Gods family from the
  start.
• To allow the child to choose to be confirmed when
  older.

• Reasons for Believers Baptism
• To make sure those who are baptised fully
  understand what they are doing.
• Jesus was baptised as an adult.

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Infant Baptism

• The baby wears white as a sign of being pure.
• The parents and godparents make promises for the
  child. They promise that they believe in God,
  Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that they turn
  away from sin and towards Christ in their lives.
  They also promise to bring the child up as a
  Christian.
• Water is poured over the head of the child three
  times sometimes the child is immersed in the
  water three times (total immersion).
• The baby is anointed with oil as a sign that it
  is a chosen child of God.
• The baby is given a baptismal candle as a symbol
  that it is to be a light of Christ to the whole
  world.

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Dedication and Believers Baptism

• In churches that do not practise Infant Baptism,
  hold a service to dedicate the baby to the
  Christian faith and to thank God for the gift of
  the child.
• A believers baptism service is held when the
  person feels ready sometimes as a teenager,
  sometimes older. The person wears white, gives a
  testimony a statement of their faith and then
  is baptised by total immersion three times in the
  name of the Trinity.

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Confirmation

• Denominations such as the Church of England and
  Roman Catholic Church hold this service to allow
  an older person to confirm the faith that was
  given to them in baptism.
• This is when they become adult members of the
  Christian community.
• They prepare by going to classes which explain
  what it means to live a Christian life.
• It is usually performed by a bishop.
• After prayers and Bible readings, there is a
  sermon explaining the meaning of Confirmation.

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Confirmation

• The candidates declare their faith and make for
  themselves the promises made by their parents and
  godparents at baptism.
• There is a prayer that the gifts of the Holy
  Spirit will come down on them.
• The bishop lays his hands on the candidates and
  prays that they will receive the Holy Spirit.
• In the Catholic Church the candidates have a
  sponsor who will help them in their faith, and
  are anointed with the oil of chrism to show they
  are chosen children of God. They often also take
  the name of a saint who they pray will help to
  guide them in their lives.

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Marriage

• A marriage takes place in a church so that both
  God and friends and family can witness the
  dedication a couple makes to each other.
• The couples love is seen as a reflection of
  Gods love, which is permanent, life-giving and
  faithful. In the same way, couples need to stay
  together, to have children (if possible) and to
  remain exclusive to each other.
• The couple exchange vows which express this
  lifelong commitment whatever happens.
• They exchange rings as a symbol of unending love.
• There are prayers for the couple and they receive
  a special blessing.

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Funerals

• Christians believe when we die we continue our
  journey of life into eternal life.
• All Christian funeral services talk about this
  idea of moving on to be with God.
• There are Bible readings that talk about
  Christian beliefs in eternal life.
• There is a talk or sermon which celebrates the
  life of the dead person and which explains that
  death is not the end.
• There are prayers for the person who has died,
  and for those who are left behind.
• The body is committed for burial or cremation.

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Summary

• Rites of passage take us through the important
  stages in our lives.
• Most Christians baptise people when they are
  babies. These Christians often then hold
  services of Confirmation when the person makes
  the vows for themselves.
• Some wait until they are older to be baptised.
  In this case they are dedicated soon after they
  are born.
• Christian marriage services express the fact that
  our love must be a reflection of Gods love.
• Christian funerals emphasise that death is not
  the end and that the dead person has gone to be
  with God.