What is Baptism?
“Baptism is a visible sign of God’s grace. That is most powerfully expressed in the practice of baptising infants as well as adults as an expression of God’s gracious welcome into the community of faith.
This is worth bearing in mind when we ask questions about whether or not an infant ought to be baptised when she/he has no understanding of what it is all about. Baptism is about the action of God—not about the maturity of the person.
That is true also for adults who seek Baptism on the profession of their faith in Christ. It is not a celebration of the achievement of a person who is affirming faith, but a celebration of the Christ who brought that faith to birth and now incorporates him/her into the Body of Christ.”
(A Hitchhikers Trip Through The Basis of Union, Don Whebell and Duncan Harrison, 1997, page 19).
“The Uniting Church will baptize those who confess the Christian faith, and children who are presented for baptism and for whose instruction and nourishment in the faith the Church takes responsibility.”
(Basis of Union, Paragraph 7).
What is Confirmation?
The reaffirmation of baptism is called confirmation. The Uniting Church in Australia believes that people are baptised into the whole church and therefore does not generally re-baptise or reconfirm people.
Resources
Uniting Church resources for Baptism and/or Confirmation can be found here:
Contact
If you would like to speak to someone about getting baptised or confirmation, you can drop us an email at: wasynod@wa.uca.org.au.
