The History of Baptism in the Christian Church

The History of Baptism in the Christian Church

Biblical Foundations

• Baptism began with Jewish ritual washings called tevilah (immersion in water for cleansing) done in a special pool called a mikveh.
• John the Baptist changed this into a special, one-time act called the baptism of repentance – a washing that showed people were sorry for their sins and ready for the coming Messiah (Jesus).
• Jesus Himself was baptised by John in the River Jordan – early Christian teachers saw this as the moment Jesus made water holy for all future Christian baptisms.
• In the New Testament, baptism is an eschatological act (meaning it points to the end times and the coming of God's kingdom) – it is the way a person enters the spiritual family of God through faith in Jesus.

The Early Church (A.D. 30–312)

• Baptism was the main ceremony for joining the Christian community and showed that the person died and rose again with Jesus.
• The Didache (a very early Christian instruction book from around A.D. 100) says the best way is full immersion (going completely under) in running ("living") water, but pouring water over the head (affusion) is allowed if there is no river or lake.
• By around A.D. 200, Tertullian describes the normal practice as triple immersion (three times under the water) while saying the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – this reminded people of Jesus being in the tomb for three days.
• Infant baptism (baptising babies) started to appear in the late second century – most baptisms at first were only for adults who believed.
• Tertullian strongly opposed baptising babies, saying children are innocent and should wait until they personally know and choose Christ.
• Cyprian of Carthage defended infant baptism, saying God's grace should never be held back from any age.
• The big rebaptism controversy (mid-3rd century) was between Stephen (Bishop of Rome) and Cyprian: Stephen said baptism done by heretics was still valid if they used the correct Trinitarian words; Cyprian said only baptisms inside the true Church counted. Rome's view won in the end – baptism's power comes from Christ, not from the goodness of the person doing it.
• In Alexandria (Egypt), the Catechetical School became very important – Origen was made leader at only 17 years old and taught people for 2–3 years before allowing baptism, stressing real moral change and spiritual cleansing first.

The Age of the Christian Empire (A.D. 312–590)

• After Christianity became legal (thanks to Emperor Constantine), baptism ceremonies became longer, more beautiful, and full of extra symbols.
• Many people, including Constantine himself, waited until they were dying to be baptised – they believed it washed away every sin they had ever done and could only happen once.
• Cyril of Jerusalem wrote detailed lessons describing a full ceremony: rebuke Satan, being rubbed with special oil, triple immersion, and then being sealed with oil (chrismation) to receive the Holy Spirit.
• St Augustine fought against a teacher named Pelagius and strongly taught that all babies are born with original sin (the guilt and brokenness from Adam's sin) – so babies must be baptised to be freed from this guilt.
• The Coptic Church (in Egypt) kept a very strong belief in the real power of the sacraments – Athanasius (a great defender of the Trinity) supported infant baptism.

The Middle Ages (A.D. 590–1517)

• In Western Europe, churches slowly changed from full immersion to pouring water (affusion) over the head – though great thinkers like Thomas Aquinas still said full immersion was the best and most meaningful way.
• Theologians organised Christian teaching and listed seven sacraments (including baptism) – baptism was officially one of them.
• Thomas Aquinas also taught about baptism of desire – if someone truly wanted to be baptised but died before it could happen, God could still save them.
• The Eastern Orthodox Church kept triple immersion and continued the old practice of doing baptism, chrismation (anointing with oil for the Holy Spirit), and Holy Communion all together – even for babies.
• The Coptic Orthodox Church kept its ancient way unchanged:
  • Only triple full immersion is accepted (never just pouring).
  • The priest says the active words: "I baptise you, [name], in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
  • The priest breathes on the water three times to call the Holy Spirit, making it a "womb of new birth".
  • People are baptised naked to show they are leaving behind the old sinful life.
  • Special oils are used before the water to teach and to drive away evil spirits.
  • Babies are baptised, immediately anointed with chrism, and receive Holy Communion right away.
  • Parents or godparents speak the promises for the baby.
  • Copts believe baptism is necessary for salvation and removes the "ancient death" from Adam.
  • They usually rebaptised people from groups that had wrong beliefs about the Trinity (like Arians), but not people who just separated from the church over other issues.

The Reformation (16th Century)

• Martin Luther kept infant baptism – he said it shows God's grace comes first, before we do anything; the Holy Spirit plants a tiny "seed of faith" even in babies.
• Zwingli (Reformed tradition) saw baptism only as a sign, like circumcision in the Old Testament – not something that automatically gives grace.
• John Calvin said baptism is a seal that shows a person belongs to the church community (the visible church).
• Anabaptists (the Radical Reformation) completely rejected infant baptism – they said only people who personally believe and confess should be baptised, making the church a group of people who choose to follow Jesus.
• The Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1545–1563) strongly defended infant baptism, said there are seven sacraments, and declared anyone who denies infant baptism is wrong.

Post-Reformation and Modern Era

• Baptists (starting with John Smyth in 1609) taught that only believers who can confess faith should be baptised – and later they made full immersion the only correct way.
• In 17th-century New England, some Puritans created the Half-Way Covenant – children of baptised (but not yet converted) parents could still be baptised.
• In the 20th century, Pentecostals began teaching a separate experience called baptism in the Holy Spirit – something extra and powerful after water baptism, often with speaking in tongues.
• The Coptic Church and other Oriental Orthodox churches have kept their ancient practices almost exactly the same for centuries – triple immersion, full initiation for infants, and the belief that baptism is necessary for salvation.

Conclusion

• Across history, baptism is like a citizen’s seal: sometimes it was given automatically at birth (like in Christendom), other times it was a personal promise signed only when someone understood its meaning.
• In the Coptic tradition, baptism is like a spiritual womb – just as a baby comes through water into physical life in a human family, baptism through water and the Spirit brings a person into God's immortal family, and the Eucharist is the food needed to grow in that new life.

Endnotes

1. Everett Ferguson, Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, pp. 1050, 1166, 1169, 1170, 1301, 1550, 1585, 2036, 2118, 2124, 2166.
2. Nick R. Needham, 2,000 Years of Christ’s Power, Vol. 1-4, pp. 6, 11, 99, 110, 133, 180, 184, 301, 704, 1516, 1521.
3. Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity: Volumes 1 & 2, pp. 449, 450, 543, 569, 571, 803, 818, 2087, 2813, 2827.
4. Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, pp. 2465, 2489, 2510, 2640, 2809.
5. Thomas J. Shelley, Sadlier Faith and Witness: Church History, pp. 1901, 2952, 2958.
6. John McGuckin, The Orthodox Church, pp. 3102, 3117.