Are there sacraments in the Baptist religion? What are they?
by 
himynameistammy
ANSWERS: 2
-
I haven't been a Baptist for quite some time, but I'll do my best. The Baptists don't really identify sacraments as such, and generally do not ascribe supernatural power to human rituals. They do have a great deal of reverence for the symbolism in the rituals, though, and view two of them as an essential part of Christian practice: Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion or Eucharist). These are called "pictorial ordinances," because they were both demonstrated by and ordained by Christ during his earthly ministry. Obviously, baptism is important to Baptists. They usually practice full immersion baptism--the entire body goes under the water--and it is typically reserved for people who have a full awareness of the significance of the event. They do not, as a rule, baptise infants. Baptism is not usually viewed as having any salvific power; it is merely a public symbolic act. Communion is taken irregularly. Some congregations take it weekly, and others more infrequently. Monthly seems to be the norm, as far as I have seen. Again, there is no supernatural event associated with the Lord's Supper--it is purely symbolic.
-
The previous answer is dead on. The Baptists have disassociated themselves with almost all Roman Cathlolic symbolism and tradition. They observe the "Lords Supper" not communion (the elements are the same). Baptism takes place after the initiate makes a "profession of faith". Growing up Southern Baptist I was kept ignorant of the beliefs of other Christian groups. As an adult, I left the Baptists. It seems strange to me that while they are almost antagonistic toward the Catholic church (among others), they have kept the bulk of the canon intact (exclude the apocrypha).
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC