The seven sacraments -- baptism, confirmation, Holy Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and matrimony are considered to be the most sacred rites conducted in the Christian church, and are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence. Although all religious denominations do not practice all of the sacraments they are still founding elements in some faiths like the Catholic and Anglican churches.
Even though the sacraments are ancient practices in the history of the Christian church there are still many believers who are not familiar with them. According to some ministers of the word the sacraments are the very foundation of the church and they play a major role in the Christian understanding their true spirituality.
Of all the other rituals, the first sacrament of baptism is one most people are aware of as most churches, no matter the denomination, tend to practice this rite to some extent. It is commonplace to see people become excited about "christenings" and go through the motions of celebrating the glorious occasion without knowing the first thing about the sacred ritual.
This sacred rite is one to be taken seriously says Father David Cooper, rector at St. Michael's Catholic Church in West End, Grand Bahama. Before believers bring a person to be baptized he says they should be fully aware of what it means for the person and the responsibility they are taking on as well.
"In the Catholic church the sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. When it comes to baptism there is a long history of this practice. If you go back to the biblical days there was always some kind of ritual among the Jewish people, called the presentation of child where the infant child was prayed over eight days after his birth. Fast forward to John the Baptist and you will find that he was baptizing people in Jordan. Even so, he knew that someone greater would come who would baptize in a more powerful way. He told the people that their true baptism would come in fire by he that is greater than I."
Unlike in some faiths, baptism in the Catholic church is seen as something done once in a lifetime -- preferably when a believer is still an infant. It is the foundational sacrament and is one of the three sacraments of initiation which also include the Holy Eucharist and confirmation. Undergoing baptism means a child is on his way to becoming a full member of the church.
"In our faith the purpose of baptism is not just something you do because you have a baby. It cleanses us of our original sin or the sinful nature we are born with. It also makes you a child of God and a member of the faith community. Although we are called individually, God also calls us to be a part of a family of faith," says Fr. Cooper.
In the ritual of baptism, four important things take place. The parents and godparents of the child are questioned on their faith and what they believe and want for the child. This should not just be recited but people bringing a child to be baptized need to really ponder on what they say and what they are promising. The child is then anointed with the oil of catechumen which is used on new members to the faith and is applied to the chest. Water is then poured on the child and the oil of chrism applied on the forehead after the baptism. Then there is a handing over of a new light to the parents who are challenged to keep the light of Christ burning in the lives of their children.
Baptism should be seen as a very sacred act and not just taken at face value says Father Hugh Bartlett, priest-in-charge of St. Anne's Anglican Church. It is not just a sprinkling of water on a person. It is a symbolic ritual that points to a very spiritual occurrence in the life of the baptized.
"A sacrament is something physical that points us to something spiritual. In the Anglican church, it is defined as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Being the first sacrament, baptism is seen as the doorway to your faith. It is the first one you will encounter when you enter the Christian community. And it is much more than pouring water over a person and praying for them. It is symbolic in nature and there is much more going on behind the actions made."
The outward and visible side of baptism is the pouring of water and the symbolic side is that the believer dies with Christ when he is submerged in the water and rises to a new life in Christianity when he emerges. It is for this reason that baptism is a sacrament of cleansing not only physically but also spiritually.
"Baptism is important because it serves to incorporate us in the body of Christ and past teaching is to be forgiven in the original sin. Our beliefs are based on scriptures out of Romans 6:5, which says 'For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like his.' This is the basis of [the Anglican church's] thinking when it comes to baptism. We see it as an inclusion in the body of Christ and based on this we see that it speaks universally to all," said Fr. Bartlett.
Although baptism is an accepted and essential sacrament, there is much controversy among the denominations when it comes to whether or not children should be baptized. In response to this, the priest says that it is essential to include all persons - especially children in this rite.
"Baptizing them into the faith is good because they will be raised in the Anglican community and have the experience of Christianity as part of their upbringing. Later in life they will have an opportunity to express this faith for themselves at confirmation when they are older and can understand. Baptism is a way to make parents accountable before God and introduce the child formally to the church," says Father Bartlett.
He also said that it is important that all people are in a right relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from as early as possible. When baptized the sinner becomes a part of Him, their sins are taken on and are forgiven.
The Anglican priest says although a baptism is held it does not mean that it is the end of the family or church's responsibility for a child. And that baptism is only the beginning which is why it is essential for families to continue to bring their children to church even as infants. Even if the child makes noise or doesn't understand why they should be in church at a young age, he says it is still important to keep them in a spiritual environment so the positivity will be in his subconscious and help him to grow in the right ways.
In other denominations, like the Baptist church, the concept of baptism is approached in a way that the baptized can fully comprehend says Rev. E. John Newton, senior pastor at New Mount Freedom Fellowship Baptist Church in Lowe Sound, North Andros.
"We don't believe in baptizing babies. The appropriate age to do this for us is at the age of 12. We believe in fully immersing the person in the water so they get a full effect of being reborn. It is symbolic of someone being dead and buried much like Jesus was. So when they raise up again out of the water they do so in newness of life. Their slate is clean and it allows them to start again. It is up to them to do what is right and live a good or bad life from that point on," he says.
Being baptized is important because Christ is the example that all Christians must follow. Even he was baptized by John the Baptist and this is the perfect example for His believers to follow.
"When a child is the right age they will know what is right from wrong so they can be baptized knowing full well what is happening and what they are committing to. On the other hand, although we do not believe that babies should be baptized we do have something called a christening for them. This is where parents can bring in their children to be prayed for and introduced to the church officially."
This practice is something that occurred in the Bible for children including Jesus who was christened by Simeon in the temple in Jerusalem.
Even if the different denominations have their differences in how or when sacraments should be done, the Baptist minister says they should not lose sight of what is important and should always keep up with the traditions. No matter when the time comes, it is important to be fully embraced in the body of Christ and be a part of His fold through baptism. And after this sacred ritual it is even more important for the believer - no matter their denomination to live a life pleasing to God because that is the point of everything.
Over the next six weeks, The Nassau Guardian will engage a number of ministers of religion on the topic of the Seven Sacraments. They will dissect each one and talk about the relevance of the sacraments to twenty-first century societies.
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