Christening or baptism

[Sherbertrose]

Hi,

I feel I really ought to know what the difference is between a christening and a baptism but I don't. With regard to family history which is the appropriate term to use? Or is the term dependent on a number of factors. I have used christening and baptism in my tree and I am sure some 'terms' need changing.

I am almost certain someone will know the answer to this question!!

I wait for your responses with interest.

Sandra

[colin taylor]

It is a question that I have pondered over for years..
Looking forward to any replies

[wulliam]

Without wishing to stir up any hornets nests...

A christening is done to a child - a baptism to a child (normally) OR to an adult (occasionally).
'Christening' means 'to make like Christ'...many would argue that it makes you a Christian. (I would deny that very strongly).

I think it's probably fair to say that 'christening' is used by two types of people: those who just go to church for yells, bells and knells (if I may call them that ), and those who are either fairly high Anglican or RC...Methodist too??
If a child is baptised then it is a sign that the parents are promising to bring the child up to know the God of the Bible. If an adult is baptised then they are acknowledging the Lordship of Christ in their lives.

Hope this is of some help. Whether you agree or not, this is how I and many others view it.

[Teresa from the Bay]

I was brought up a Catholic and the Catholic Church always refers to the ceremony as a baptism. I was always led to believe that the word "christening" is used by the Church of England. The same ceremony really, just a different name.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Hm, my take is slightly different.

To all intents and puposes there is no difference. However, I feel there IS a subtle difference.

For instance, I could, if I wished and the need arose, BAPTISE a newborn/adult, whatever and the Church would recognise my good intent, as hopefully, would God! But what I did would not be Christening in the true sense of the word, as that must involve including the child/person into the body of Christ the church.

So, (possibly) baptism = directly into God's protection, (spiritual)
christening = into God's protection via Christ and the church.(spiritual and temporal)

OC

[Teresa from the Bay]

OC, that is an interesting take! Are you saying that Baptism is the actual annointing of the infant and that Christening is the ceremony which includes godparents etc? We attended two last year, one C of E and one Catholic. Neither set of parents ever attend church. I think it's just used mainly as an excuse for a get-together with nice food, pretty clothes for the babies and of course presents. Traditional christening presents also seem on the wane. The babies received mostly toys and clothes!

[wulliam]

christening = into God's protection via Christ and the church.(spiritual and temporal)

OC - I can cope with that...but the question then needs to be asked: Who is capable of bringing a person into God's protection? It's one thing to say you can do it, quite another to actually do it.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Wulliam

I think the church has long recognised that any Christian can be an agent of the church, in extremis. It was perfectly acceptable for a midwife or whoever, to baptise an infant. Such a baptism would be recorded as private baptism and if the child survived, it would then be received into the Church at a later ceremony, which I believe is slightly different to the "ordinary" christening.

So, from that point of view, baptism is purely spiritual, a soul being offered to God for his protection and acceptance, in an emergency. It will be up to God whether he accepts that soul, and Christ does not come into it. If, however, the baptism is done "properly" in a church, by a Vicar, then there is a Christening element, which accepts the child into the church of Christ and into the temporal congregation, putting the child under the protection of Christ whilst on this earth.

It IS a subtle difference I agree, but that is how I have felt it to be. Some churches do not use the word Christening and they tend to be the religions which say that people have a personal relationship with God, rather than via Christ.

OC

[Velma Dinkley]

I've pondered this before now, but came to the conclusion that it should be called a baptism for genealogical purposes as the records are called baptism registers and not christening registers

[wulliam]

It will be up to God whether he accepts that soul, and Christ does not come into it.

Some churches do not use the word Christening and they tend to be the religions which say that people have a personal relationship with God, rather than via Christ.

There's much I could say to this. But to keep it short and brief, the best I can do is to quote Christ himself: "No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well." (John 14:6-7).

It may well be that people dispute the validity of Christ's claim - but at the end of the day, this is what he claimed.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Wulliam

But you have to be a Christian to accept that the only way to God is through Christ. Many religions do not recognise that claim, hence they do not use the word Christening.

Christening must be the ceremony which accepts a soul into the Church on earth, makes it part of the Christian congregation and in exchange offers protection and guidance whilst on earth and a chance to get to heaven through Christ and his teachings.

Baptism is a sort of shortcut, missing out the life on earth bit and offering the soul to God. One of the reasons that lay people were allowed to baptise if necessary, was the urgency required in "marking" a soul as the property of God, otherwise the Devil could claim it.

Velma's right though, as genealogists we should refer to baptisms. Most of my noncons were baptised, they were not christened, although some of the earlier noncons were christened in the C of E (no choice at the time) AND baptised as noncons, so There are two different ceremonies taking place there.

My grandfather was an Officer in WW1 and was injured and trapped in the trenches. Several of his men died, and it is recorded in my GF's service papers that he "gave absolution to Private XX, a Roman Catholic". My grandfather was a raving non conformist, but I really do hope that God recognised the sincere intent here to cleanse and comfort a dying soul, even if my grandfather's beliefs were completely agin the very idea.

OC

[Christine in Herts]

I had stopped thinking about the distinction, and tend to use the expressions interchangeably.

However, setting aside denominational and spiritual considerations for the moment...

"Christening" is a specifically Christian word for a ceremony involving water as a symbol of the washing away of sins / bad things - a new start - and a great deal more, of course.

"Baptism" is not specifically Christian, and was found in Jewish traditions pre-Christ - as in John the Baptist, being just the latest in a line. It symbolised many of the things which it symbolises in Christianity, in terms of washing away of bad things and a making new start. Sometimes, especially with full immersion, it's even described as a symbol of the death of an old life (washed/drowned away) and the start of a new life. People talk of a "baptism of fire". It may be that it occurs in other, non Judaeo-Christian religions, too.

From that, I have to infer that "Baptism" is a general/generic term, and "Christening" is a specifically Christian form of it.

Christine

[Mary from Italy]

I was brought up in the C of E, and for all practical purposes the terms "christening" and "baptism" are interchangeable nowadays. Maybe there was a minimal theological difference in the past, but not today.

The ceremony's usually referred to as "christening" in the C of E and "baptism" in the Baptist and other non-conformist churches.

[Cloggie]

Oxford defines christen as: give (a baby) a Christian name at baptism as a sign of admission to a Christian Church.
(this is from the small version of the dictionary that comes with the spelling checker; obviously there are more detailed definitions in the full version)

and the definition of baptism from the same dictionary: the Christian religious rite of sprinkling water on to a person's forehead or of immersing them in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration and admission to the Christian Church. In many denominations, baptism is performed on young children and is accompanied by name-giving.

[Mary from Italy]

I've pondered this before now, but came to the conclusion that it should be called a baptism for genealogical purposes as the records are called baptism registers and not christening registers

Yes, very sensible.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Ah, Christine, you have said in a few short words what I was trying to convey in one of my usual book-length answers, lol!

"Baptism is not specifically Christian, Christening is"

There it is, in a nutshell!

OC

[Janet]

All very interesting. I did note that my Catholic Catechism new in 1994 does not have the word Christening in the index, only the word Baptism and the Oxford dictionary states "Admit to Christian church by baptism and give name or nickname to person or ship" We must not forget that a ship will also be christened and we christen other things, so surely the christening is the naming part of the ceremony of Baptism, hence the words Christian Name, which in our haste to be politically correct we now actually call this First Name which is really incorrect.

Baptism is the sacrament NOT the christening. Baptism is the religious rite of immersing in or sprinkling with water in sign of purification and admission to the church, usually with name giving which is the christening part of the ritual.

The reason we have baptismal registers and not Christening registers dating back to 1538 is because of the religious significance of the Sacrament of Baptism


Janet

[Sherbertrose]

Thank you for all your thought on this topic - I thought there would be a few responses. I think I will go with the term Christening as it would seem to be the more appropriate term.

Sandra

[Olde Crone Holden]

Oooh, Sandra, no, it isn't the more appropriate term, not unless you leave off your tree all those poor souls who were baptised but not Christened!

OC

[Christine in Herts]

hence the words Christian Name, which in our haste to be politically correct we now actually call this First Name which is really incorrect.

I use "first name" only so that I can use the same expression irrespective of the religion of the person involved. After all, it is very definitely not a "Christian" name if you are Jewish - or Atheist - or anything other than Christian.

Christine