Baptism vs Christening

[dermotdjt]

Is there a difference between a Baptism and a Christening?

When entering details in my trees on Ancestry I tend to use Baptism simply because it is first alphabetically. I'm currently getting a lot of info from FamilySearch, where the term used is Christening. This got me thinking what, if any is the difference. Different terms for the same thing used by different churches?

Thanks

[Olde Crone Holden]

There is a very subtle difference, which in fact is of little interest to us just as family historians.

Baptism is making a person a member of a church. Christening is making a person at one with Christ.

I think I have that right but if I don't have it right, someone will very quickly correct me!

OC

[Janet in Yorkshire]

As I understand it, baptism is a sacrament, an outward visible sign with an inward spiritual meaning - i.e the use of water, representing the washing away of sin.
Christening is welcoming in to the membership of the church of Christ.

Usually these two happen at the same time in a church service - the child is baptised in the name of Christ and welcomed into the church.

In life threatening emergencies, the child is baptised by a believer in Christ - doctor, parent etc
The child may then later be "received" into the church - this service would differ slightly, as there would be no baptism, washing away of sin. The child would be "christened", welcomed into the church, with the god parents making the necessary promises on behalf of the child.

ETA - this would appertain to the C of E

Jay

[susan h]

See here .............. http://www.churchofengland.org/media...istenings.aspx

[AntonyM]

I think it is a terminology that has changed over time through usage.

Catholic churches will tend to stick to the term Baptism (as it is a blessed sacrament), but for CofE the use of Christening seems to be more popular these days ...... different record sites seem to switch between the two for no apparent reason.

For records purposes the two are interchangeable

[Olde Crone Holden]

Yes, sorry, I had it the wrong way round. As Anthony says though, it's not important for family history purposes.

OC

[Christine in Herts]

I think that there is that distinction that "Baptism" need not be Christian but a "Christening" is Christian by definition. Other religions have symbolic washing as a ceremony, and that can reasonably be described as baptism. There's even the secular expression of a "baptism of fire". In the context of the Christian Churches, Baptism is generally considered a sacrament though there are differences of understanding of its significance between the different denominations.

Christine

[Chrissie Smiff]

On the subject of Baptisms/Christenings, I wonder if anyone can tell me something please. I know that I was Baptised/Christened when I was only a few weeks old and I saw my Christening card many years ago. I think it must have become lost though as it wasn't amongst mum's things. Is it possible to get a copy of them?

[Uncle John]

On the subject of Baptisms/Christenings, I wonder if anyone can tell me something please. I know that I was Baptised/Christened when I was only a few weeks old and I saw my Christening card many years ago. I think it must have become lost though as it wasn't amongst mum's things. Is it possible to get a copy of them?

The only chance is if you can find out the name of the church and contact them. The only record will be the baptism register, which may still be at the church or may have been deposited in the County Archives.

I "know" that I was baptised (at the insistence of a fiercely religious great-aunt) but my parents (now long dead) were non-religious and I have been unable to work out where. I was a war baby and was moved around a lot during my first year.