(Orthodox) Full immersion vs submersion?

[archer75]

Economia by request or normative application?

As I understood, out of necessity. Lack of adult font, access to river, child too large for child font and no adult font...etc.

 

[All4Christ]

As I understood, out of necessity. Lack of adult font, access to river, child too large for child font and no adult font...etc.

In our case, she is quite petite. If she was larger, then it would make sense that it would be a size problem. At least I think fonts that Orthodox Churches have would be big enough for small infants? I guess I can’t tell for sure, though my nephew was much larger and still able to be fully immersed

 

[Hermit76]

We will be baptized this fall, but when I mentioned that I anticipated my 4 year old being quite angry with us all after the baptism, our priest surprised me by saying he could baptize my son without getting much water in his face. I wasn’t expecting that response! Just thought he deserved fair warning

I didn’t think to ask about the baby. He’s pretty big, but I sort of assumed he’d still get the full triple immersion. Now I’m curious!

From experience it would be good to do something in water and to discuss it and maybe even let them experience putting their face in the water.

 

[Hermit76]

In our case, she is quite petite. If she was larger, then it would make sense that it would be a size problem. At least I think fonts that Orthodox Churches have would be big enough for small infants? I guess I can’t tell for sure, though my nephew was much larger and still able to be fully immersed

Our daughter was petite too. However, since we were baptized on the same day they used the larger tub. She was actually overwhelmed.

 

[All4Christ]

Our daughter was petite too. However, since we were baptized on the same day they used the larger tub. She was actually overwhelmed.

I can definitely see that, especially since she was 4 and being baptized in a large font! I guess I thought it was different between that situation (4 year old) and an infant 40 days old

 

[Meko126]

From experience it would be good to do something in water and to discuss it and maybe even let them experience putting their face in the water.

Oh, definitely! We’re starting swim lessons on Monday. Hopefully it helps! I would love it if bath time wasn’t always so tragic.

 

[gzt]

While not ideal it's certainly acceptable - we have this ideal of how a baptism should be done and we don't want to get into nitpicking about the minimum necessary for the sacrament, but the Didache notes that in exceptional circumstances that even merely pouring water over the head is sufficient.

 

[JIMINZ]

Right from the beginning, the word used was Baptize therefore the Definition of this word tells us the form which should be followed, and the fact all of the Apostles were Jewish they understood what this meant.

Mark 1:4
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

G907
βαπτίζω
baptizō
bap-tid'-zo
From a derivative of G911; to make whelmed (that is, fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism: - baptist, baptize, wash.

G911
βάπτω
baptō
bap'-to
A primary verb; to whelm, that is, cover wholly with a fluid; in the New Testament only in a qualified or specific sense, that is, (literally) to moisten (a part of one’s person), or (by implication) to stain (as with dye): - dip.

 

[Hermit76]

I once viewed the ultimate of compromises in mode. I was part of a Conservative Mennonite Church. Mennonites baptize by pouring. Some of the people had been influenced by conservative Brethren, which immerse. The discussion was held about immersing a group of young folk. Everybody was ok, but there would be some Amish grandparents there that would be pushed over the edge. This could have ended with shunning. Lol, the Didache was consulted and they decided to have them kneel in running water and they would pour a goodly amount of water over their heads. This satisfied everyone and no one was shunned or otherwise offended.

 

[Paidiske]

From experience it would be good to do something in water and to discuss it and maybe even let them experience putting their face in the water.

When we baptised my daughter last year (5 years old), we also watched some videos together on YouTube first, so she could see what would happen in context (sort of). That seemed to help a lot.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

We only have one "font" - a horse trough. The only exception I've seen to full immersion is an infant who had already had medical issues/surgeries and couldn't be completely immersed.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I was baptized in a large decorated tub which I suspect was also a horse trough.

I actually wasn't quite triple-immersed, as I had hoped. I was ALMOST immersed, and a pitcher used to pour more water over my head. It would have been a bit difficult maybe to go fully in, and everything was so slippery by then. It might have even been a last-minute change due to the slipperiness. My Nouna was supposed to be receiving oil into her hands and rubbing it on me, but she kept receiving it and rubbing her hands together so quite a bit of oil ended up being used. She was hard of hearing. Father just kept smiling wider and wider (I think he was amused) as she kept dropping more and more oil. I finally had to take her hands in mine and show her what he was asking her to do. But that was before immersion. When I lowered myself into the tub after that I slipped and almost baptized myself and it was almost impossible not to slide around.

So I'm not sure what would have happened otherwise. They had me lean forward instead of backward because I couldn't stay balanced in the oil going backwards.