3 baptisms

[TwinCrier]

Just curious why some anabaptist churches dunk people three times during baptism. My husband is anabaptist and they have the person bend forward three times, once each after Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Every Baptit church I've been to has the person lean backwards so they come up out of the water, which is mean to resemble he burial and resurection.

 

[MrJim]

If I am not mistaken the Church of the Brethren does the triple immersion.

The Mennonite church I was part of poured water-immersion was available at the local river but generally it was done by pouring.

What part of the anabaptist church is your husband?

 

[TwinCrier]

Church of the Brethren.
Not sure the purpose behind the forward dunk and no one at his church seems to know what's behind it. That would be annoying for me with my long hair.

 

[ZiSunka]

Once in the name of the Father, once in the name of the Son and once in the name of the Holy Spirit. But only once is necessary.

 

[Joykins]

I was baptized by triune immersion, forewards as well (Grace Brethren).

Once for each person of the Trinity.

As to forwards, why not? When I first saw anyone baptized backwards I thought it was odd, since I had never seen that before.

 

[ZiSunka]

I was baptized by triune immersion, forewards as well (Grace Brethren).

Once for each person of the Trinity.

As to forwards, why not? When I first saw anyone baptized backwards I thought it was odd, since I had never seen that before.

Me too!

 

[JimfromOhio]

I was baptized by a Baptist Church... backwards once.

Later..

I was baptized by a Grace Brethren Church... 3 times... forward.

The bible didn't say backwards or forwards... just "immersion". As long as you are immersed in the water, you are baptized.

 

[Andyman_1970]

(I could be mistaken) but it could stem from the Jewish mikvah (ritual immersion) which was to immerse one's self 3 times, this was a symbol that either a Gentile was converting to Judaism or a Jew was repenting and returning to God.........anyway I'm not up on Anabaptist history so this could be totally off base.

 

[MrJim]

I witnessed a baptism that the people were instructed to squat. They just went straight down. The minister was older and not able to lower and raise people anymore.

 

[arunma]

I was only baptized by one immersion, though it was done in the name of all three Persons of the Trinity.

 

[No Swansong]

I was baptized by a Baptist Church... backwards once.

Later..

I was baptized by a Grace Brethren Church... 3 times... forward.

The bible didn't say backwards or forwards... just "immersion". As long as you are immersed in the water, you are baptized.

Just curious Jim, why rebaptized? Did you believe your first baptism to be insufficient in some manner?

 

[Historicus]

I always wondered about this practice as well, very interesting I was baptized in the Free Will Baptist Church by immersion 1 time backwards in a stream in the name of the Trinune God (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost).

 

[Crazy Liz]

The Mennonite Brethren were the first Mennonites to practice baptism by immersion, and they used to do it 3 times forward, although few do it that way anymore. They began to baptize by immersion in Russia. I always assumed they simply adopted 3 times forward because that's the way the Orthodox churches do it - the only churches around them that already practiced baptism by immersion.

When they came to America and saw Baptists do it once backwards, most of them adopted the more prevalent local custom, although there were a few groups that fought about it.

 

[Crazy Liz]

BTW, to respond to the title of this thread, baptism by trine immersion is not considered 3 baptisms. You are not baptized once in the name of the Father, once in the name of the Son and once in the name of the Holy Spirit. It is one baptism by a mode that uses repeated action.

When baptism is done by pouring, the flow of water may be interrupted between pronouncing the names of the Persons of the Trinity, also. Still one baptism.