What is the reasoning behind the tradition of christening a baby?

Question

I'm just curious. It seems to be a fairly common practice, but I've never actually known someone who did it, or WHY they do it.

Oh, thats really sad! So basically, people who christen beleive in original sin, rather than an age of accountability right? So its not a "christian" practice, but something like catholic right?

Answer 1

its just another religious superstion. supposedly it saves the baby from hell untill he's old enough to do it himself. However, it's a nice way to introduce your newborn into the comunity and good excuse for a family get together!

Answer 2

Originally, a Christening was a Catholic tradition and others like Lutherans, Methodist, Presbyterian and a few more(who all derive from the Catholic Faith)still practice this.The idea was that we are all born sinners and if a baby dies before being able to accept Christ and "saved" and remove original sin then they would go to "limbo." However, Pope Benedict recently changed the stance on infants and limbo so it really has become a nice tradition without real meaning....other than the parents announcing publicly how they intend on raising their child. Not all Christian sects do this, I grew up in a Bible Church and wasn't baptized until I knew what it meant. But it's important to know that no where in the Bible does God command us to be baptized....but a Christian most likely will as a symbolic gesture of how they want to live their lives moving forward.

Here's an article talking about Pope Benedict's new stance
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1145257,00.html

Answer 3

It began long ago when certain Christian sects believed that sex itself was the cause of original sin. Through that reasoning they became convinced that a baby was therefore born unclean and full of sin because it was the product of a sinful act and that if the child were to die before it's sins were forgiven, it would go to hell (more specifically Purgatory, claims Dante's Inferno). Because a baby cannot ask for forgiveness, the church christens (or baptizes) the baby to remove any and all sin so that if the child were to die it could and would go to heaven. This is why christening is seen as such a terribly important tradition.
Yes, it is a very Catholic tradition and they are very devoted to it - though it is practiced by other sects.

Answer 4

Um, Catholics, ARE Christians. In fact, until the Protestant Reformation in the middle of the 16th century, they were the only Christian game in town. That said, the rite of baptism practiced in various religions including Christianity, Mandaeanism, and Sikhism. It is an act of purification by water.

The Christian rite is symbolic rather than literal. It symbolizes the cleansing (remission) of sin, in the case of an infant, of the original sin of Adam and Eve. More importantly, it symbolizes union of the baptized with Christ (his death, burial and resurrection). Some faiths believe that this rite can only be chosen by the individual, so they are baptized as adults or young adults.

Why do people do it? Obviously for religious reasons. If your friends are just going through the motions without any beliefs attached to the ritual, then yes, I suppose it would be pretty perplexing.

Answer 5

Christening is a religious tradition (baptism). They do it as a ceremony to say that the child is a child of God and that their sins are forgiven. Some people believe that if a baby or young child, though incapable of sin, dies, they cannot be admitted into Heaven and will spend eternity in Limbo, the outer ring of Hell. If you know ANYone who attends church, or whose families are religious, chances are really good that you know someone who's been Christened/baptized.

And honey, Catholics ARE Christians.

Answer 6

I'm not in any way a religion expert and I hope someone who is answers, but I had my daughter christened/baptized. My husband and I were as was our family members. I was taught way back when that it is to absolve the baby from the original sin of sexual conception and bless him/her and acceping Christ as their saviour. All that aside - right or wrong -- I see it as a blessing of the baby's soul and a ritual of tradition. I know some denominations don't baptize until people are older, it varies from religion to religion. Also, I'm not the steadiest church go-er out there but I try -- and I figure since I believe in God and Christ, sometimes outside the rules of standard religious teachings, it certainly can't hurt to give my baby an extra blessing and spiritual head start in today's world.

Answer 7

It's a religious affair.
You sort of 'give' your child to God and promise to raise your child good and in the church, etc. Most do it because of tradition. Your child will decide on it's own when it's older whether or not they want to follow God or the traditions of the church, but as parents we try to do as much as possible to raise our kids right.
Personally, i think babies are innocent little creatures. I think God loves it and watches over it no matter what, whether u had it formally christened or not. I don't think that if the baby died it wouldn't go to heaven....

Answer 8

Yes i was christened. Hope this helps!

Answer 9

tell you the truth i baptised my child cause my family kept on bugging me about it and to have an exuse to trow a huge party its suppose to free your child because it was born with the sin the one the mama and papa did when they were conceiving the baby .Before you baptise your kid you have to go to some classes that explain to you what that means.

Answer 10

SOME RELIGIONS BELIEVE THAT BABIES CANT GET INTO HEAVEN UNLESS THEY ARE 'SAVED' OR DEDICATED TO GOD. SO CHRISTENING A BABY IS SUPPOSE TO INSURE THAT IF THE CHILD DIES YOUNG, GOD WILL ACCEPT THEM INTO HEAVEN.