Aspersion vs. Immersion at an Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (A Pastoral Essay)
Baptism: Aspersion vs. Immersion at an ARP Church
In 2019, our Session worked through the issue of immersion vs. aspersion at our church. As minister, I promoted aspersion-only for Sunday worship. In times past, however the church had also observed at least one immersive baptism under another minister.
The following is a pastoral essay that was used as a foundation for our discussion. It was written to answer the question “Why would a pastor encourage baptism as “sprinkling” only during the course of public worship at an ARP Church?"
Biblical:
There are many clear examples of immersive baptism in Scripture such as John 3:23 or Mark 1:5, making it a natural choice for Christians to participate in such baptisms. However, that does not mean that immersion is the only way or even a preferred way. In areas where water is scarce, temperatures are cold, or facilities aren’t available, it is appropriate for baptisms other than immersion to take place.
Much has been made of a common teaching that “baptizo” (βαπτίζω) only means “immerse.” Elsewhere in Scripture, baptizo (βαπτίζω) or its Hebrew equivalent tabal
( טָבַל) are used to describe dipping (Leviticus 14:6, 51; 2 Kings 5:14), and pouring or washing (Luke 11:38). Ezekiel 36:25-27 describes a clear Old Testament (and non-immersive) correlation to how Christians may approach baptism:
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
From a Biblical perspective, we find several valid ways that baptism can take place in a person’s life. The mode of baptism cannot be determined by the word “baptizo” alone.
Theological / Denominational:
Unlike Baptists, who only recognize one mode of baptism (immersion), Confessional churches such as AFCC recognize three modes of trinitarian baptism: 1) Immersion/Underwater, 2) Aspersion/Sprinkling, 3) Affusion/Pouring. The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church accepts several modes of trinitarian baptisms from various church backgrounds, whereas most baptist churches will only accept immersion.
Perhaps the most significant distinction between “immersion-only” churches and AFCC or other ARP churches is that immersion-only churches are also believer's only in their baptism (credo-baptism).
Their baptism is only considered a mark of what the person has done in their relationship with God rather than what God has done in His relationship with the person. In these churches, baptism by immersion is a logical choice: the person making a profession of faith is also of the age to be submerged safely.
But Reformed churches teach of baptism being something more than just “an outward sign of an inward profession.” It taps into a deeper meaning of God’s Covenant with Abraham and Israel that extends through Christ’s covenant of Grace with believers today.
Thus, in paedo-baptism we see parents dedicating their children to the Lord and in credo-baptism we see older believers publicly professing their faith--but those aren’t the ultimate meanings attached to either. Instead, as stated in our ARP Book of Worship,
“These things may accompany baptism, as our response to God. Nonetheless, the primary focus must be on God’s initiative to establish a covenant with His people: marking them as His own, assuring them of the truth of His promises, and calling them to covenant faithfulness.”
Since churches like AFCC emphasize God’s covenant promises and his “name and claim” being signified and sealed at baptism, it’s natural that we choose aspersion (sprinkling) as our primary means of baptism, whether for paedo-baptism or credo-baptism. Using the same method for both helps emphasize the unity between both.
Baptism is the specific symbol of God’s covenant that Paul affirms in Colossians 2:11-12, showing how present-day Christians take part in God’s ancient covenant promises to Abraham,
“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
By choosing to baptize infants (paedo) and adults (credo) in the same way, we’re showing a visible unity between their baptisms and God’s covenant.
Historical:
When modern questions of worship arise that are not clearly resolved from Scripture, it’s helpful to look back to our earliest church documents and practices. In this case, The Didache, a worship book for first century Christians written between 50-70 AD describes the options for baptism in early Christian worship:
“Now concerning baptism, baptize as follows: after you have reviewed all these things, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in running water. But if you have no running water, then baptize in some other water; and if you are not able to baptize in cold water, then do so in warm. But if you have neither, then pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.”
The Didache describes a kind-of “workflow” of baptismal choices: 1) running water 2) other water 3) cold water 4) warm water 5) poured water. Based on this, it seems the first choice for Christians less than a generation away from Christ’s earthly ministry was to dip or wash in a river rather than being immersed in a basin. When flowing water was unavailable, several other options, including affusion/pouring were equally valid.
Later, writing around 1536, John Calvin stated “churches should be at liberty to adopt either [mode of baptism] according to the diversity of climates…” (Institutes IV.15.19) This is stated in the same section where he affirms that immersion was the most common practice in the early church.
Ministerial Duty:
Like many vocations, Ministers take an oath to uphold certain duties and practices as part of their service to the church. A few of the vows an ARP Minister takes are below (in bold) followed by the implications of those vows (in italics) as they relate to baptism:
“Do you accept the doctrines of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, as founded on the Word of God and as the expression of your own faith, and do you resolve to adhere thereto?”
The Westminster Confession teaches in 28.3 that “Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person." A minister adheres to this teaching when he encourages sprinkling as the normative mode of baptism in our church.
“Do you promise to preach the gospel in its purity and simplicity…?”
The gospel centers on salvation in Christ alone, with no mandate to use immersion as the only means of baptism, and since God is not limited by the amount of water used, a minister upholds the “purity and simplicity” of the gospel by encouraging the simplest mode of baptism (i.e. sprinkling or pouring) when a sanctuary has no baptismal pool at the ready.
“Do you promise to submit in the spirit of love to the authority of the Presbytery in subordination to the General Synod, and to promote the unity, peace, purity, and prosperity of the Church?”
Well before our ancestors came from Scotland in the 1700s and our church fathers established the ARP Church in 1803, sprinkling was the common practice for baptism, in part because it offered the same mode for both paedo-baptism and credo-baptism.
To regularly use one mode for one person and a different mode for another person as a matter of practice would show a lack of submission in the “spirit of love” to the denomination that calls and ordains the pastors at AFCC.
Furthermore, a minister who regularly ignores standard denominational practice places a hardship on the minister that follows him, essentially breaking a “unity and peace” with the minister to come.
Practical Matters:
Our ARP Book of Worship teaches that baptism is “ordinarily” to be a part of regular, public, congregational worship,
“They shall ordinarily be presented before the congregation for baptism in a service of public worship. In cases of exigency a pastor may hear the profession of faith of a penitent sinner and administer to him the Sacrament of Baptism. He (the pastor) shall then report his action to the session.”
It follows then, that baptisms take place in the regular space where the congregation gathers for public worship. At AFCC, that space lacks a baptismal pool, but includes a baptismal font. Since the font is readily available every Sunday, it makes sense for it to be the primary method used during our services of public worship. Though it’s not impossible to accommodate an immersion-baptism in the AFCC sanctuary, it would require a great deal of logistics. For example, a 2x4x8 baptismal tank suitable for an average adult man holds 300 gallons and weighs over 2400 lbs when filled.
Alternatives
The variety of baptismal methods present throughout church history and in common practice today shows that there is room for several views that are still within orthodox Christian life. The Westminster Confession hints at this space of interpretation as well on at least two occasions. First, by stating that dipping is not necessary, but neither preventing it. Second, by stating that it is a sin to neglect baptism, but “not so inseparably annexed unto it” that one can feasibly be a Christian and yet not be baptized.
It can be suggested that The ARP Book of Worship also allows room for some interpretation, using terms such as “ordinarily” and “cases of exigency” to show that there are exceptions to common practice.
For some churches, the practice of baptism can become needlessly divisive. Perhaps one minister did it “this way” and another did it “that way.” At times, the Session and Pastor may disagree on baptismal methods, creating a difficult circumstance where only the “minister of the Word lawfully ordained” may perform the sacrament, but the sacrament itself is under the authority of both the minister and the session. (see ARP Book of Worship).
For these congregations, where strife is building, additional options could include the Session declaring a public service of worship near a body of water. Here, the minister can arrange for the baptism to be observed alongside the proclamation of the Word and other elements of worship. In this way, immersive baptism can be performed without undermining the overall tone and spirit of Sunday morning worship in the sanctuary. Then, in a more appropriate time, the long and rich Biblical heritage of other baptismal forms can be taught.
