1 Holy Baptism Rev. Dr. Kristine Suna-Koro From the perspectives of ...

Holy Baptism
Rev. Dr. Kristine Suna-Koro
From the perspectives of Lutheran theology, Holy Baptism is one of the two sacraments.
The sacrament of Baptism is a means of grace that was inaugurated by God. In the New
Testament, the resurrected Christ calls his disciples to proclaim the gospel to the whole world:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt.28:19). 1
Baptism and the Church
The sacrament of Baptism engenders participation in the life, death, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. Baptism unites all baptized human persons to our Redeemer Jesus Christ as well as
to all other Christians and the whole Church at all times and in all places. “There is one body,
one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4: 4-6).
When a person receives the sacrament of Holy Baptism, he/she becomes a member of the
“one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church” (The Nicene Creed) and thereby also a member of
the Church as the Body of Christ. It is important to remember that when one is baptized in a
Latvian Lutheran congregation he/she not only becomes a member of the Church as the Body of
Christ in a more general sense, but also becomes a member of that particular local congregation.
Moreover, the baptized person also becomes a member of both the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (LELCA) and the global Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad. In
accordance with the Latvian Lutheran tradition, persons who are baptized as infants become
members of the local congregation but only after the confirmation (check out the section on
Confirmation in our E-Handbook) they can vote on congregational matters such as when electing
a pastor or church council members, etc.
Why Baptism?
In accordance with the Augsburg Confession, the Lutheran tradition teaches that “it is
necessary for salvation, that the grace of God is offered through baptism, and that children
should be baptized.” 2 In The Large Catechism, Dr. Martin Luther explained that the sacrament is
not merely “a natural water, but a divine, heavenly, holy, and blessed water … all by virtue of
the Word… This, too, is where it derives its nature so that is called a sacrament, as St. Augustine
taught that … ‘when the Word is added to the element or the natural substance, it becomes a
sacrament,’ that is, a holy, divine thing and sign.” 3
In The Small Catechism, Dr. Luther underscored that the meaning of the Holy Baptism
with water is twofold. First, it means that the sin which permeates our being must be spiritually
1 All references to the Holy Scriptures are from NRSV.
2 The Augsburg Confession, The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (Robert
Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert, eds.; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000): 43. All further references to the
confessional writings are abbreviated as BC.
3 The Large Catechism, BC, 458.
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“drowned and die through daily contrition and repentance.” 4 Second, on a daily basis “the new
person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.” 5 The
inspiration for such an understanding comes from Apostle Paul who wrote “do you not know that
all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we
have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom.6:4).
Baptism is a Unique and Singular Sacramental Event
In our present ecumenical environment, most churches usually do not re-baptize persons
who convert to a different Christian denomination and theological tradition. Thus, if a person
transfers to a Lutheran church from a different tradition, it is not necessary to receive the
sacrament of Holy Baptism again. The exception is a situation when it is impossible to find out
for sure whether the person has already been baptized or not.
Baptism as the Beginning of a Life-Long Spiritual Journey
On the other hand, even though Baptism is a unique and singular sacramental event, it
calls us all to continue on the path of life-long path of spiritual growth and renewal. In this sense,
baptism is not a one-time event without further consequences for our spiritual, ethical, and social
lives. Baptism truly is a life-long indwelling in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Christ’s own great commission – to proclaim God’s Good News to the whole world and to be
faithful witnesses to God’s gift of salvation – is addressed not exclusively to professional clergy
but to all Christians in all churches. Here we find the foundation for the Lutheran notion of the
“priesthood of all believers” (check out the section Ordained Ministry in the present E-
Handbook).
Baptism and Faith
The Lutheran tradition particularly emphasizes the connection between both sacraments –
the Holy Baptism and the Holy Communion – and a person’s faith. Both Holy Communion and
Baptism do become effective in a person’s life by default. They do not automatically dispense
salvation and justification. Baptism is neither a magic ritual nor a purely cultural family tradition.
If it is perceived as such then the people have sadly misunderstood the meaning and purpose of
Baptism as a divinely instituted means of grace. Therefore, it is very important to underscore that
in order to fulfill its sacramental purpose, the recipient of Baptism must believe in the Triune
God and God’s promise of forgiveness and reconciliation in Jesus Christ. As stated in the
Augsburg Confession, the sacraments are instituted by God “to awaken and strengthen our faith”
and therefore they “require faith and are rightly used when received in faith for the strengthening
of faith.” 6
When an adult person is baptized, he/she must affirm their faith in the presence of the
local congregation where the person is being baptized. If a child receives the Holy Baptism, its
4 The Small Catechism, BC, 360.
55 The Small Catechism, BC, 360.
6 The Augsburg Confession, BC, 46.
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parents and sponsors must publicly affirm their faith in the Triune God. According to the Latvian
Lutheran baptismal tradition they also must publicly promise, during the baptismal liturgy, to
bring up the child in Christian faith and teach him/her the Christian faith. This is why only
members of the Christian Church are eligible to be chosen as sponsors/Godparents.
If an adult person desires to be baptized, it is necessary, before actually receiving the
sacrament, to learn the foundations of the Christian faith and to personally confess their faith in
the Triune God. Baptism loses its spiritual meaning and purpose if it is received without faith or
merely as an observance of old-fashioned tradition. Hence, the Large Catechism clearly states
that “without faith baptism is of no use, although in itself it is an infinite, divine treasure.” 7
Who can be baptized?
Some Practical Guidelines
LELCA, similar to many other Lutheran churches in the world, baptizes both adults and
children. The only human precondition of Baptism is faith in the Triune God and readiness to
confess it publicly as well as readiness to make the baptismal promises: to renounce evil, to love
God above all other things and one’s neighbor as oneself. Infants and children are baptized based
on their parents and sponsors’ public confession of faith in the Triune God and solemn public
profession to bring them up in faith.
Who can baptize?
In accordance to the provisions of the LELCA as reflected in the Hymnal of the Latvian
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Abroad (1992) in the section “The Sacrament of
Baptism,” people are ordinarily baptized by an ordained pastor. In exceptional situations, when
the presence of an ordained clergyperson is absolutely impossible to obtain, the sacrament of
Baptism can be administered by a lay person if such an ordinance is approved in advance by the
local pastor or the regional Dean. In such cases the official approval must be secured before the
rite of Baptism is administered and it can be performed only by a designated lay person who
carries a full membership in a LELCA congregation. Such a Baptism must be immediately
reported to the local pastor and regional Dean. The baptismal liturgy is available in both Hymnal
of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Abroad (1992) and the Clergy
Handbook – the Agenda.
In cases of true emergency, if death is imminent, the sacrament of Baptism can be
administered by any baptized Christian by pouring three handfuls of water upon the head of the
person to be baptized by pronouncing the following words: “NN, I baptize you in the name of
God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” It is recommended that the person who
baptizes in such emergency situations also pray the Lord’s Prayer and say the Apostles Creed.
Where Do We Baptize?
The sacrament of Holy Baptism is not a private ceremony, except in cases of true
emergency as described above. Baptism must be administered during a congregation’s regular
7 The Large Catechism, BC, 460.
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worship service. It is important to understand that through Baptism a person becomes a member
of a particular local church. Baptism is a public confession of faith and therefore the presence of
the local congregation is essential. When infants are baptized, the scheduling convenience of the
guests or the party planning cannot be the most important factor as to when and where a child is
baptized. Baptism can be administered outside the regular congregational worship service only if
health issues can render public exposure problematic. In such situations, when the sacrament of
Baptism is administered privately, it is mandatory to announce it in the next worship service of
the congregation where the newly baptized person had now become a member. It is also
recommended in such cases that the privately baptized child is introduced to the congregation as
soon as possible after receiving the sacrament of Holy Baptism.
Rev. Dr. Kristine Suna-Koro
Vicar of the LELCA Midwestern Conference
Chair of the LELCA Division for Partnership with LIRS
Assistant Professor, Department of Theology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
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