Baptism
Water and Spirit make a person new and join them to Christ
Baptism is the sacrament of initiation by water and the Spirit, washing away sin and incorporating a person into Christ and the Church. Its roots reach to the Gospel command to baptize, the book of Acts, and the early Didache. The traditions differ sharply, however, over its mode (immersion or pouring), its proper subjects (infants or only believers), and the nature of its regenerative effect.
How it traveled
- ActsRome · 84explains
- Dialogue with TryphoRome · 165explains
- On Baptism.— · 220explains
- The Epistles of Cyprian.Carthage · 258explains
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra, Neocæsarea, Antioch and Laodicea, which Canons were Accepted and Received by the Ecumenical Synods— · 360explains
- Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the EpiphanyEdessa · 373explains
- The Catechetical Lectures of S. CyrilJerusalem · 386explains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- A Commentary on the Acts of the ApostlesConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. JohnConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and EphesiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the RomansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Homilies on First CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Homilies on Second CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407applies
- A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of InfantsHippo Regius · 430explains
- On Baptism, Against the DonatistsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the DonatistHippo Regius · 430explains
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · 430explains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Soul and its OriginHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise Against Two Letters of the PelagiansHippo Regius · 430explains
- The ConfessionsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New TestamentHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original SinHippo Regius · 430explains
- City of GodHippo Regius · 430explains
- The EnchiridionHippo Regius · 430explains
- On Marriage and ConcupiscenceHippo Regius · 430explains
- The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates ScholasticusConstantinople (Istanbul) · 439explains
- The Letters and Sermons of Leo the GreatRome · 461explains
- The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the GreatRome · 604explains
- Selected Epistles of Gregory the GreatRome · 604explains
- The Canons of the Synods of Sardica, Carthage, Constantinople, and Carthage Under St. Cyprian, Which Canons Were Received by the Council in Trullo and Ratified by II. NiceConstantinople (Istanbul) · 692explains
- Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · 1274explains
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · 1564explains
- Inquiry Concerning Qualification for CommunionNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- Misrepresentations Corrected and Truth Vindicated, in Reply to the Rev. Solomon WilliamsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
Key passages(20)
For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy · Alexander Schmemann
Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 26.—60. Petilianus said: "For if you mix what is false with what is true, falsehood often imitates the truth by treading in its steps. Just in the same way a picture imitates the true man of n
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
5. Another benefit of baptism is, that it shows us our mortification in Christ and new life in him. “Know ye not,” says the apostle, “that as many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ, were baptis
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Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany · Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn VI. (Resp.—Blessed be He Who was baptized that He might baptize you, that ye should be absolved from your offences.) 1. The Spirit came down from on high,—and hallowed the waters by His broodin
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Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany · Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn VIII. (Resp.—Happy are ye whose bodies have been made to shine!) 1. God in His mercy stooped and came down,—to mingle His compassion with the water,—and to blend the nature of His majesty—with
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Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany · Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn XI. (Resp.—Let the bodies rejoice which the Evil One had made naked, that in the water they have put on their glory!) 1. Give thanks, O daughter, that thy crownings have been doubled;—for lo! t
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On Repentance. · Ethical
Chapter VI.—Baptism Not to Be Presumptously Received. It Requires Preceding Repentance, Manifested by Amendment of Life. Whatever, then, our poor ability has attempted to suggest with reference to la
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Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus
Oration XL. The Oration on Holy Baptism. Preached at Constantinople Jan. 6, 381, being the day following the delivery of that on the Holy Lights. I. Yesterday we kept high Festival on the illustrio
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The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril · Cyril of Jerusalem
Lecture III. On Baptism. Romans vi. 3, 4 Or know ye not that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? were buried therefore with Him by our baptism into death, &c.
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The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril · Cyril of Jerusalem
Lecture XX. (On the Mysteries. II.) Of Baptism. Romans vi. 3–14 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death? &c..…for ye are not under the Law,
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I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been made new through Christ; lest, if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as
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Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90) · Thomas Aquinas
We have now to consider each sacrament specially: (1) Baptism; (2) Confirmation; (3) the Eucharist; (4) Penance; (5) Extreme Unction; (6) Order; (7) Matrimony. Concerning the first, our consideration
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Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90) · Thomas Aquinas
We have now to consider those who receive Baptism; concerning which there are twelve points of inquiry: (1) Whether all are bound to receive Baptism? (2) Whether a man can be saved without Baptism?
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Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 1: It seems that children of Jews or other unbelievers should be baptized against the will of their parents. For it is a matter of greater urgency to rescue a man from the danger of eternal
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Anonymous Treatise on Re-baptism. · Appendix
A Treatise on Re-Baptism by an Anonymous Writer. ———————————— Argument.—That They Who Have Once Been Washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Ought Not to Be Re-Baptized. 1. I observe that it h
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
2. In this sense is to be understood the statement of Paul, that “Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
17. Then, again, when they ask us what faith for several years followed our baptism, that they may thereby prove that our baptism was in vain, since it is not sanctified unless the word of the promise
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Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany · Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn V. (Resp.—Blessed be He that ordained baptism, for the atonement of the sons of Adam!) 1. Descend, my brethren, put on from the waters of baptism the Holy Spirit;—be joined with the spirits tha
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Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany · Ephrem the Syrian
Hymn VII. (Resp.—Blessed is He Who atoned your sins, that ye might receive His Body worthily!) 1. The flock of Jacob came down—and stood round the well of water.—In the water they put on the similit
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Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo
Letter XCVIII. (a.d. 408.) To Boniface, His Colleague in the Episcopal Office, Augustin Sends Greeting in the Lord. 1. You ask me to state “whether parents do harm to their baptized infant children
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Modern teachers who discuss this idea
Modern and living teachers whose books take up Baptism. These works are still in copyright, so we can’t show the text here — each links out to the book.
- Alexander SchmemannFor the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy(1963)View on Amazon→