Does any church practice baptism by sprinkling?

Question

The Catholic Church often erroneously gets accused of baptizing by sprinkling by the critics of Christ's Church. Of course, that is just another lie about His Church. Is there, in fact, any church that practices baptism by sprinkling?

Catholics do NOT baptize by sprinkling. It is neither done to adults or children.

Eds,

Perhaps you should read your bible. No where in the Bible does it even mention the methodology of Baptism nor are there any examples of how it was done. Immersion baptism is pure speculation without Scriptural support. Personally I prefer immersion baptism but there is no biblical support for any method except in the Trinitarian formula.

Fish,

Thanks, I thought someone probably did but we are the ones always accused of it even though we do not.

Moxiemoran,

You are wrong, the Catholic Church does not sprinkle when baptizing.

realchurch,

As usual your historical commentary is quite flawed. Did is only one of the definitions of baptizmo, and not a very common one. Actually the more common definition is to "cleanse" which is exactly what baptism does, it cleanses the soul of sin.

Your idea that it was by immersion only actually goes against the writings of the early first century Church where the only comments on the methodology is found in the "Didache" but does not mention how Jesus was baptized but how it should be done in the teaching of the apostles.

EDS,

I am a Catholic priest and I know that what you claim is false, you never saw a baptism in a Catholic Church done by sprinkling.

Sorry EDS the above statement was meant for Moxiemoron instead of you.

EDS,

It is OK to speculate as to the method but as you have confirmed the Bible is silent as to the method of baptism. No where does it mention immersion regardless of the symbolism you desire to attach to this method.

Anonymous,

I could agree with you if only they have not been told of their error. Once they know their error it becomes a lie when they repeat it.

Joe Bama said, "If we can understand this everywhere else, why not in religion?"

Because your understanding is theological speculation that is not supported in Scriptures or Sacred Tradition. What you believe is solely a doctrine of men and not the teaching of Christ and/or the apostles. Immersion is not stated or described anywhere in Scriptures.

Answer 1

In emergencies one can baptize by sprinkling even a small drop of water
but the most common practice in the Latin Rite is pouring(infusion) usually 3 times
but liturgically immersion makes more sense. Both pouring and immersion are valid.
I have never heard of sprinkling as a standard practice among any sort of Catholic group.
I have never seen any group, except a Unitarian with a wet rose ( and no valid Trinitarian Formula),"christen' by sprinkling.

Answer 2

Several churches do, but that does not mean it is the correct way according to the Bible.

Baptism is by immersion.

The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. The Greek word we get the word "baptism" from, means to immerse.

Immersion is to dip down into the water. It is an overwhelming. The one being baptized is lowered into (until he is completely under) the water and then lifted up out of the water. It is not just sprinkling or pouring a little water on top of someone.

This can also be seen in Scripture.

John 3:23 says, "Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized." Only immersion requires "much water".

Baptism is described as going down into the water and coming up out of the water. (Matthew 3:16-17, Acts 8:38-39) Only immersion has the one being baptized going into the water.

Also, baptism is described as a burial. (Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12) Only immersion buries the one being baptized.

It's funny that the only place that people have trouble understanding baptism is in religion. If someone were to say they were "baptized in debt", would you think they had just a sprinkling of debt (a few bills)? No, someone described in this way is figuratively "covered up" with debt.

I saw a sports article that said the freshmen on a football team had an "early baptism". Of course it mean they were plunged into full sudden participation in the program. They did not just see a sprinkling of activity, but they were fully involved.

If we can understand this everywhere else, why not in religion?

Answer 3

Sprinkling is practiced by some Presbyterian and Reformed churches, but NOT by Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopals, Lutherans, or Methodists. All of these pour water on the head.

The Lutheran confessions officially consider sprinkling valid, but it is not practiced in our churches.

Part of the confusion may lie in the fact that Baptist churches tend to have Reformed roots and so the memory of sprinkling is retained as the antithesis of the Baptist practice. Many people who practice believer's baptism, having never actually witnessed a baptism by pouring, assume because of this that sprinkling is the norm. Even when they do witness a baptism by pouring, they may see it from a distance with their view obscured by the family members--especially in churches where the baptismal font is in the chancel.

So it may be a little unfair to refer to this as a lie about the Church. This is, I think, one of those cases where there really is a genuine misunderstanding.

Edit: I see what you mean about them being told of their error; but to those who practice believer's baptism, the real point is whether you're immersing or not. An informed person will understand that pouring and sprinkling actually represent two quite different aspects of rebirth; but if someone is unaware of these differences and is concerned only with immersion, he may mistakenly consider pouring to merely be sprinkling with *lots* of water. I just don't see any dishonesty here, generally speaking.

Answer 4

Cristo,
CHRIST'S CHURCH:
Read, Study, and Obey HIS TRUTH written in the Bible rather than the traditions of man as the Catholics are doing. I suggest that you begin reading the Bible so that you can find HIS CHURCH. I do not believe that any true follower of GOD would accept any substitute for Baptism by immersion since that is what was done in the beginning and what Baptism means in the original language of the Biblical writers. Have a great week.
Thanks,
Eds


EDIT:
I still disagree with you. However, I did not say the Catho0lic Church baptized by anything other than immersion. My brother is a Catholic and attends services quite regularly. I do not believe that you or anyone else should use anything BUT Biblical Scriptures to make decisions for services. That is my problem with the traditions of men.

The Greek word for Baptism is Baptizmo. It means “to immerse”. Those who were baptized in the First Century just as today were immersed in water. The Bible tells us in Acts 8:38 He commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. {Into the water}

Romans 6:3-4 do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {Buried through baptism}

John 3:23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.{much water there, why??}

Christ commanded baptism...
In Mattew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

I must say that I am sorry about the last comment and I have removed it. It was absolutely uncalled for and I do not know why I wrote it. I will delete my entire answer if you would like. Just drop me an email... My sugars have been extremly low and they must have been. SORRY, Eds


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Answer 5

Well I'm Roman Catholic and held all three of my babies over the font and had holy water poured over their heads by all three Catholic Priests. I just think this may be just confusion over ther word 'sprinkling or pouring'.

I think the Good Lord wouldn't notice the difference, it's the intention of Baptism that he probably cares about!

best wishes


Star

Answer 6

I know the church I am a member of does. It is the Wesleyan church. The only time it is used is if a person is ill and wants to be baptized. They can be baptized right there in the hospital room if necessary.

Answer 7

I can assure you that the Catholic church does put water on the heads of people getting babtised. I've seen it done many times over. Why would you think this is an erroneous accusation? And why is it an "accusation" in the fist place, rather than just something they "do"?

EDIT: I was Catholic for the first 30 or so years of my life, and despite what you may have heard, I have seen, and participated in baptisms where this occurred. I even held a couple of babies while it was done!

It is a routine thing that happens everyday. If you don't believe me, go to your local Catholic church and see for yourself. I'm not going to waste any more time trying to convince you; you obviously know far more about this than ANYONE ELSE LOL.

Answer 8

Baptizo is the Greek word for Dip. So the etymology of the word and the context of where baptisms took place (rivers) tell us the method. Not to mention the fact that this practice was baptized by all churches up until the Black Death forced those who believe in Baptismal regeneration to hurry up and baptize everyone before they died.

The same is true of the word Ecclesia - it is translated Church, just like Baptiso is translated Baptize.

It is a horrible translation in each case, but done on purpose to hide the meaning of the word from those into which the word is translated. If you give a language a new word, then you can define it.

Pretty crafty stuff. Like father like son.


John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
(KJV)

Answer 9

I think people may be confused between "sprinkling" and "pouring". Infants are usually baptized by having water POURED OVER their heads. Adults are usually given the option of having water poured over his or her head or immersion.

Or maybe they are confusing some blessings in which water is sprinkled over the congregation with a Baptism.

Answer 10

Father, I do believe that some Presbyterians do. I've never seen it done...but we had a seminarian who told us that he had been "sprinkled" as a child and he was raised Presbyterian.

Needless to say, he was conditionally Baptized again.