baptismus

Baptismus is a Christian rite of initiation that involves the use of water and the invocation of the Trinity. The term derives from the Greek baptizein, meaning to dip, immerse, or wash. The practice is closely linked to the actions of John the Baptist and to Jesus, whose baptism and the subsequent Great Commission helped establish baptism as a central rite in the church.

Historically, baptism appeared in early Christianity as a rite signaling repentance, faith, and entry into the community of believers. Over the centuries it developed into a common practice across most Christian traditions, though its interpretation and significance vary.

Ritual forms differ across denominations. The modes include immersion (full-body submersion), pouring (affusion), and sprinkling. Timing also varies: some traditions baptize infants, others require a personal profession of faith before baptism. In many churches, sponsors or godparents accompany the candidate in infant baptisms.

The theological meaning of baptism is likewise diverse. In Catholic and Orthodox theology, baptism is a sacrament that conveys grace and cleanses from sin, often followed by confirmation and Eucharist. In many Protestant groups, baptism is viewed as an ordinance or symbol that publicly expresses faith and allegiance to Christ, rather than a means of grace in itself. Most traditions practice the baptismal formula invoking the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Across denominations, baptism serves as a rite of initiation into the Christian fellowship, a marker of belief, and a point of ecumenical commonality, even as the understandings of its effects and proper form continue to differ.