Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children.
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Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children.
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Branches of Christianity that practice infant baptism include Catholics, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, and among Protestants, several denominations: Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and other Reformed denominations, Methodists, Nazarenes, Moravians, and United Protestants.
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Christians who baptize infants believe that baptism has replaced Old Testament circumcision and is the religious ceremony of initiation into the Christian community.
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Different Christian denominations who practice infant baptism attach different meanings to the sacrament and explain its efficacy in different ways.
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Infant baptism is seen as showing very clearly that salvation is an unmerited favour from God, not the fruit of human effort.
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Document recalled that infant baptism has long been considered of apostolic origin and that the first direct evidence of its practice, dating from the 2nd century, does not present it as an innovation.
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Wesleyan covenant theology further teaches that Infant baptism is a sign and a seal of the covenant of grace:.
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Likewise, Infant baptism doesn't create faith; it is a sign of membership in the visible covenant community.
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Infant baptism can be contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", which is the religious practice of baptising only individuals who personally confess faith in Jesus, therefore excluding underage children.
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Christians who practice infant baptism do not completely agree on the reasons for doing so, and offer different reasons in support of the practice.
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Trinitarian Christian denominations that oppose infant baptism include the International Christian Church, all Baptist and Anabaptist traditions and denominations, Pentecostals, Assemblies of God and more.
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