baptism
noun
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In Christianity, baptism is the sacrament of admission to the church, symbolized by the pouring or sprinkling of water on the head or by immersion in water. The ceremony is usually accompanied by the words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” In the doctrine originated by St. Paul, it signifies the wiping away of past sins and the rebirth of the individual into a new life. Judaism practiced ritual purification by immersion, and the Gospels report that John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Baptism was an important ritual in the early church by the first century ce, and infant baptism appeared c. 200 ce. Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and most Protestant churches practice infant baptism. The Anabaptist reformers insisted on adult baptism after a confession of faith; modern Baptists and the Disciples of Christ also practice adult baptism.
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Examples of baptism in a Sentence
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Some families celebrated baptisms while others chatted in Creole.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2024
Catch up quick: The church has a long history in New Zealand, with its first baptisms there in 1854.
—Erin Alberty, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
This year's Levitation Fest was a spiritual baptism.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Nov. 2024
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“Baptism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baptism. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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baptism
noun
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