Luther and Baptism: Article on Martin Luther's Baptism

» JCSC - Article on Martin Luther's Baptism

I found the article very informative from a historical point of view. However in the first paragraph (not written by Luther) it says, and I quote: "My guess is that the desire is to go back to some of the more ornate, liturgical forms." This is a very bad guess and misleading, as Luther was not going backwards but seemingly just translating the Latin rite into German so it could be understood. And his Luther's comments at the end make it clear that he had differences with it.

You may be interested in the following quotes I found on a SDwebsitete, as quoted from his "Babylonian Captivity of the Church" written in 1520 as found in Martin Luther Selections From His Writings, edited by JohDillenbergerer. Anchor Books, Copyright 1962.

The second point in regard to baptism is that it is a sign or sacrament: an immersion in water, whence the name. For the Greek wbaptizotizo means "immerse", or "plunge", and the wbaptismaisma means "immersion". (p. 298)

It is permissible to regard baptism as a washing away of sin, but this meaning is too slight and to express the full meaning of baptism, which is rather, symbolic of death and resurrection. For this reason I should that those who are to be baptized were wholly submerged in the water, as the term implies and the mystery signifies; not that I consider it necessary to do so, but I consider it to be a beautiful act to give the sign of baptism as fully and completely as possible. It represents something complete and full, and without doubt it was so instituted by Christ in the form of total immersion. (p. 302)

When you were baptized, your whole body was submerged and then came fourth (sic) again out of the water. (p. 303)

-- posted by JCSC