If I pronounce the baptismal formula over my son's fish tank, are the fish baptized? There is certainly enough water!
By Magdalena I. García
Today was “Baptism of the Lord Day” in church, so we talked about Jesus’ baptism, the dove, the voice from heaven. We also noted how Christians from different traditions continue to get tangled up in passionate conversations about baptism, focusing on matters like the age of the baptized or the amount of water.
Consider the age. Is understanding the most important criteria for the life of faith? When does a child reach the so-called age of accountability? And why is it that every Sunday morning we have so many baptized Christians unaccounted for, despite the fact that they are well passed the enlisting age, the voting age, and the legal drinking age?
Consider the water. How much water does it take for a baptism to be effective? A handful, a cup, a bucket or a tub? Spring, purified, mineral, sparkling, artesian, well, tap or bottled? Running or stagnant? Sprinkled or submerged? And why is it that we have so many Christians whose enthusiasm and commitment has dried up, despite the ounces or gallons of water used at their baptism?
The Bible doesn’t bother with this kind of trivial pursuit. But it does tell us that in baptism Jesus and believers are given an identity—as beloved children of God—and a vocation—as people sent out to proclaim the good news of God’s Kingdom (or New Order). In fact, the Gospel of Mark says, “And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness (Mark 1:12).” So, why is it that Jesus’ baptism ejected him out into the wilderness, to wrestle with all kinds of powers and adversaries, while our baptisms lead us to the oasis of a reception table, merely to wrestle with calorie counting and indigestion?
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