3 Epiphany
2 Hilary
2 Hilary
Hey, everybody. I've had a nice week, but I think I might talk about that on my upcoming Sunday podcast.
I might tell a story about churches. I've not decided yet. In the meantime, I have a couple of unrelated questions, open to any readers.
1. If you're a believer, have you been baptized? What Christian tradition are you part of, and how many times have you been baptized? I have a crackpot theory that the lower the view protestants have of baptism, the more they like to practice it.
2. Do you have an experience with a kind of prayer (from the Roman Catholic tradition) called "Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament"? (For my protestant readers, I'll just say that it's pretty much what it sounds like.) Would you like to share any thoughts or experiences?
Technorati Tags: theology, Catholic Church, baptists, baptism, eucharist
Comments
34 comments:
Christian
Grew up Baptist w/ pseudo-Zwingly view of baptism.
baptize twice.
Grew up "nothing" - Was converted to Christianity in the Roman Catholic Church - was baptized only once (by sprinkling - which rolled down into my ear). :)
I am familiar with praying before the Blessed Sacrament - not necessarily in a monstrance (from personal experience) but in the tabernacle in the sanctuary. I find it like a form of contemplative meditation more than anything - "soaking in the Presence" as it were.
1. a. Yes, I have been baptized. b. Baptist (reformed most likely), evangelical fundamentalist c. once
2. N/A
1. I grew up Southern Baptist. Was baptized when I was 6 after making a "profession of faith." then when I was 13 I was somehow convinced that I wasn't "really saved" and I was baptized again after getting "really saved." Then a few years later I was once again somehow convinced that I wasn't "really saved" and was baptized yet again. By now, though, I've come to the conclusion that that particular way of doing things is ridiculous and that I should've been baptized once, like Ephesians says.
2. -
I'm in the Anglo-Catholic tradition now, but I grew up Southern Baptist, where I was baptized when I was about eight. They didn't really ascribe any meaning to it at all except as a fancy way of publically stating you had been "saved". The particular Baptist church I was only rebaptized those who had been baptized as infants, but many others baptize many times.
As for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, I've done it several times, and I highly recommend it. I'm not sure I can say exactly what I like about it - I just seem to pray more easily and more naturally then.
Hey there Kyle,
Thanks for your blog. I read from time to time and it's always good food for thought.
1) I'm Orthodox, and have baptized once (as a kid in the Church of the Nazarene), but was received into the Orthodox Church by Chrismation.
2) Funny you should mention Eucharistic Adoration, because my friend James was just talking about his experience of this devotion while visiting a Catholic Church with a friend.
That is, I have *been* baptized once. I myself have never done any baptizin'.
Baptist church until I was 7. Then a Christian and Missionary Alliance church until now. (Ironically, the pastor of the Baptist church I started out in converted to Catholicism shortly after I left California.) Baptized once at the age of 10, and once was good enough for me. =)
I don't like the practice of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, not because I feel it is inherently wrong (who am I to pass such judgments on such ancient and widespread church practice?) but because I feel that I could not, under my current Theological system, participate without myself focusing on the bread instead of Christ. It's a natural outgrowth of not believing in transubstantiation I suppose. I think if Jesus really is the King of the world and we have access to him at all times because of his elavation to the highest place, then I don't see an added bonus in worshipping what may or may not be a physical manifestation of him on earth. Again, I'm not condemning the practice, merely saying that I can't do it.
Baptized as a kid in a indie pentecostal church (later became AG). Later baptized in a Southern Baptist church. Never have done the A. of B. S.
I was baptized once, I think it sticks the first time, however... while leading a pilgrimage through the Holy Land last year, I ran across a group who take people to the Jordan to get "done right"; it appeared that some of the folks come back every once in a while to get "topped up" with a new baptism.
Had many friends who adored the B.S. at college, where we had an anglo catholic chapel.
Kyle,
I have been baptized.
I have a been a part of a few different Christians.
As you know, I am in the process of landing in Rome. I think my "wandering days" (if you want to call them that) in faith traditions will be done. That seems to kinda go with the package when you land in Rome. Rome will accept my first baptism, therefore I will not need to be baptized again when I am received into the Roman Church.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is something that I have only begun to practice at a nearby parish that has a 24/7 adoration chapel. Thus far, I am finding it a wonderfully meditative, centering, worshipful experience. I plan to continue it as a regular practice whenever possible.
uh, typo. That should have been "I have been a part of a few different Christian traditions."
Kyle,
Yes, I've been baptized. Twice. First when I was seven in a Southern Baptist Church. Again when I was about sixteen in an Independent Christian Church.
No, I've not prayed before the Blessed Sacrament but believe it would be a helpful practice.
twice.
Baby at 9 mos. -- in a UCC Congregationalist -- in water and spirit.
18 years -- in a methodist church -- in water only.
I'm never gonna do it again -- and that's that!!!!
Once or Twice. I was baptized by emersion in the Jordan a year after I became a Christian by a mixed lot of believers then found out latter I was baptized as an infant in the Moravian church. Didn't know about the first when the latter happened.
--Ben
Never heard of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament till today.
I was "saved" at 5 in a Baptist church and baptized once within a short period after that. I believe once is enough.
Well, the Roman Church will accept your former baptism IF it was done in the proper, Trinitarian formula. So, if you were, say, only baptised "in the Name of Jesus" it's not considered a valid baptism and therefore, you were never really baptised, so they'd baptize you if that were the case. That just popped in my head as you were typing there Antony. Peace.
I have a background in the Baptist church, but was not baptized until I was 18, fully confident in God's grace, with a Methodist church by sprinkling. I don't think I would have a problem with getting rebaptized, but it does suck to feel unbiblical about my baptism.
Infant baptized as a Roman Catholic. At age 20 baptized through my college church (charismatic evangelical) but interestingly the pastor said we were not proclaiming the first one invalid but more like memorializing it (those of us who were baptized before). Second time it was at a Kalamazoo Lake at a public swimming area and actually kind of cool in a Jesus People kind of way - yet I hold to the validity of my infant baptism as a practicing RC today.
I could write much about Eucharistic adoration. Personally I especially like it because (and I realize this may sound subjective and experience oriented) on several occasions I have felt a special closeness to the presence of Jesus in these times of prayer/worship. I focus on the presence of Christ more than the species (if that makes sense). 1 story re: this, in my 20s at a particularly difficult time of brokenness I was at a Catholic Charismatic conference with my mom and had a sort of mystical experience during a break of being drawn to a part of the main sanctuary (it was a gym or something) - feeling drawn by the closeness of the presence of Christ. Like I said it was a rough time in my life and I was in a very fragile place. I entered into this sort of makeshift tent there in the gym and it was a eucharistic adoration chapel of sorts. I must say that God's healing presence really hit me there and it was entirely unexpected. That was my first encounter with the practice that I remember.
As Catholics we are encouraged by our bishops that this practice should be connected to the Mass, which I understand to mean that the focus should be to deepen our participation in the liturgy. For me recieving the Eucharist is my most important source of spiritual life - and any practice of adoration is used to this end.
I would just note that (and Nouwen readers will see evidence in his writing to this end) that the Eucharist is the place to go in times of great personal stress and/or brokenness. Clearly seek God always in this sacrament, but especially in times of great need.
Strangely, I've also heard of Christian tourists getting re-baptised in the Jordan. Similarly, I guess it would be nice if Jesus re-rose from the dead once in a while. ;-)
You are right about the Jordan being a place where Christians are rebaptized. I have seen whole churches on tour in Israel get baptized in the water, including the different pastors of the church baptizing each other.
Props for those who do it in the winter cause its freak'n cold!
Grew up in a cappella Churches of Christ. Baptized once at age 14.
I need to correct myself. I was actually baptized twice. I was baptized as an infant in the Methodist tradition, but I don't believe in the baptism of infants since they themselves are not believers in Christ. Sorry, forgot all about it.
My brother and I were 'dedicated' in a small nazarene when I was 6, he was 3. It felt like it was more of a thing for my mom, who was basically asking the church "Help me raise these hooligans!" I did nothing to prepare for it, and nothing happpened except I stood in front of the church with my brother and my mom and some words were said, and that was it.
I was then raised after that in the Church of God (Anderson). I was never baptized in that church, there was too much pressure to be baptized.. and the more my mom and friends pushed, the more I said no, for I didn't want my baptism to be something to simply pacify them.
Fastforward... I apply and attend seminary (not having been baptized).. and I attend my first easter vigil and receive the clearest understanding of baptism I had ever had and it sends me on a two year journey leading to my own first (and only) baptism. September 5, 2004, at saint patricks church (amia).
I've heard of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.. but I'm unfamiliar with its content.
I'm looking forward to hearing your conclusions..
I was baptized once by Episcopalians. I'm still an Episcopalian.
I've been tempted toward Adoration, but "The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about..." This may be one of the few parts of the Articles of Religion in which I can't find any loopholes.
Re: +Alan's last comments: Mormons are a special exception to this rule, because they apparently do not intend the Trinitarian formula as the Church intends it (or something like that).
There once was a boy whom I taught who by eighth grade had just been baptized for the sixth time. 4x in the same baptist church. 1x in the Assemblies of God. 1x in a nondenominational church. He just had a hard time of believing he was saved. So he would go to the altar and give his life to Christ & at times even be rebaptized. In the one year of knowing him, well he had been "saved" 9x in one school year.
Baptized once, as an infant, in an Episcopal church. Confirmed at age 11, which fulfilled the baptismal promises made on my behalf by my Godparents.
Raised in a high church anglo-catholic Episcopal parish, I recall after every Maundy Thursday evening service praying for half an hour before a small side Altar of Repose (lavishly decorated as a garden), on which rested the reserved sacrament from the Maundy Thursday service, to be used at the Good Friday service the next day.
Sorry to interupt this thread...
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Hmm. Would e-mailing that have been difficult?
Anyway, I thought I should offer my status. Baptized once.
Baptized once. United Methodist.
I was two weeks old, so I might be a little biased towards the whole 'infant baptism' thingy.
Thrice. Baptized as a baby since my parents were good latin catholics. Baptized again somewhere between 7-10, I think, in my baptist church, and then baptized again at the age of 15 after what I believe to be a truer, more genuine conversion.
I was baptized but once; it was in the Episcopal tradition. I was only a month old, so I do not remember it, but I have been assured that it happened.
I once spent a month at a benedictine monastery. I happened to be there for the Feast of Corpus Christi. They did the whole bit with the monstrance, and I remember that we all knelt for a good ten minutes in silent prayer before the monstrance. The thurifer, who also knelt, kept the thurible swinging the whole time. We all knelt in the silence, gazing upon the host in the monstrance as the place filled up with smoke. But this was the only such experience.
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