About Mormon Baptism

The Mormon Church is a uniquely American branch of Christianity often noted for its differences from more mainstream denominations. However, like most branches of Christianity, the Mormons believe in and perform a baptism ceremony to consecrate members of the church into a life in Christ. Like all baptisms, the ceremony revolves around water and the tenets of the faith, but there are other differences that set Mormon baptism apart.

History

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints--also known as the Mormons--is an American branch of Christianity founded in the early 1800s by Joseph Smith. According to the church's doctrine, Smith was visited by an angel named Moroni who told him that God had work for him to do. Part of carrying out that work involves spreading the lessons contained in the Book of Mormon, the central text for the Mormon Church.They also follow the teachings of the Bible, both the Old and the New testaments. Consequently, baptism is an important ritual in the life of a Mormon.

Time Frame

In the Mormon Church, once a child is 8 years old she has reached the age of accountability. This is the age at which a person becomes responsible for their decisions and actions. This concept appears in the the Book of Mormon in Moroni chapter 8:9-12. In this section, Mormon, one of the prophets of the book, prayed for and received an answer as to when such an age occurred. According to Mormon scripture, children are born in innocence, and only those who need forgiveness require baptism. According to Joseph Smith, the age of 8 was revealed to him through divine revelation, an event recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants section of the Book of Mormon, chapter 68:27.

Significance

Unlike some of the other Christian religions, the Mormon Church does not recognize the concept of Original Sin. Church doctrine in the Mormon faith maintains that the faithful will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression in the Garden of Eden. In order to be baptized as a full member of the church, a person needs to receive the testimony of the Gospels and understand the importance of baptism in order to make that decision. Children therefore need to be able to understand right from wrong. In the Mormon Church, it is felt they can best understand this when they have the time to learn and be taught how to make good choices.

Features

Unlike in some other Christian denominations, the rite of baptism and confirmation are intertwined in the Mormon religion. The baptism is done on a separate day from normal church services. The confirmation portion is then usually done in front of the congregation on Sunday. The baptism can be performed by any male with the title of priest or higher. The bishop can do this, but it is not required under church doctrine. Normally, as long as the father of the child is in good standing and is a worthy priesthood holder, he will conduct the confirmation. As with any Christian baptism, following the example of John the Baptist the central feature of the ceremony is water, though there is no immersion in it (as there is for certain other Christian sects).

Considerations

In the Mormon Church, titles are held differently than they are in other Christian denominations in that there is no specific priestly order. A church male in good standing with the church is typically ordained as a priest at the age of 16. This follows a projection from Deacon at age 12 and teacher at age 14. As an Aaronic priesthood, most males would be able to administer the temporal part of the baptism. However, a Melchizedek priesthood holder would be the one to confirm the child a member of the church. This latter category is one that Mormons are usually ordained into before they are sent to do their missionary work. Also, as in most Christian faiths, there is a provision for posthumous baptisms. There are, of course, guidelines for carrying this out and it must be done with permission of the family.

Resources

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• About the Book of Mormon