Lutheran Identity and Remembrance of Baptism
I’ve now seen several “modern worship” (meaning, “non-liturgical”) LCMS congregations offering a unique opportunity to remember one’s baptism: joining in with the immersion baptisms in a baptism-like ceremony. Sometimes this is done at a special outdoor venue with an impromptu pool set up, otherwise it is indoors on the congregation’s stage, employing a kiddie-pool or horse trough as a temporary full-immersion font.
Those who are being baptized are immersed three times “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” being dipped backward in the water while holding their noses, just like the ones we typically see in Baptist, Pentecostal, or non-denominational churches that deny that anything supernatural happens in baptism, but who paradoxically insist on immersion, or “it doesn’t count.”
But the ceremony of baptismal remembrance is slightly different than baptism by immersion - but only slightly. It involves not mentioning the Holy Trinity, but rather just the name of Jesus, and it involves one “dunk” instead of three. And this remembrance of baptism ceremony can be done again and again.
Is this part of our Lutheran identity? Well, no. This is not a traditional ceremony, nor is this ever mentioned in the Bible or the Book of Concord (to meet the artificial definition of “Lutheran identity” being offered by some in the Church Growth Movement as a way to try to justify the use of non-Lutheran worship forms in our Lutheran universities, schools, and congregations). In fact, to the casual observer, it looks like a re-baptism. Just recently, I saw a video of a supposed Baptist baptism that was identical to this ceremony: one dunk in the name of Jesus. Is this LCMS remebrance of baptism ceremony confusing? Does it confess the Holy Sacrament with clarity? Is there a reason why this has not been done in five centuries of our Lutheran tradition and confession?
What is explicitly part of our Lutheran identity as a remembrance of Holy Baptism, being mentioned multiple times in the Book of Concord - and carried over into our editions of the Small Catechism (that even these LCMS megachurches are hopefully using to catechize the youth and adult converts), and in the hymnals that they are probably not using: the sign of the holy cross. And this is indeed part of our Lutheran identity even according to the strained, fake, and astroTurfed definition of Lutheran identity as only that which is explicitly found in the Bible or the Book of Concord:
“In the morning, when you rise, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say: In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” — SC 7:1.
“In the evening, when you go to bed, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say: In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. — SC 7:4.
“Likewise the practise of children to cross themselves when anything monstrous or terrible is seen or heard, and to exclaim: “Lord, God, protect us!” “Help, dear Lord Jesus” etc. — LC 1:74.
Are these pastors following the suggestions of our Lutheran Confessions and our Lutheran identity to teach children (and adults) to remember their baptisms by means of the sign of the cross, to bless themselves with this sign at the mention of the name into which they are baptized and absolved? Or has this expression of Lutheran identity ended up on the cutting-room floor of “context”? So do they care about Lutheran identity and the confessions, or not? The answer seems as muddy as these non-re-baptisms.
The authentically Lutheran ceremony of remembrance one’s baptism requires no kiddie-pool or horse trough, and no running cameras and social media posting. It is explained in the rubrics of our hymnals, including LSB in various places: “The sign of the cross + may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.” The sign of the cross is found in our liturgy of Holy Baptism in LSB (268) and in the Pastoral Care Companion (6, 16). This ceremony from our Lutheran identity predates the Lutheran reformation by centuries. It can make use of water (such as dipping one’s fingers into the baptismal font), or not.
These newfangled LCMS immersion baptisms are valid baptisms, and we should praise God for them. But they are also typically performed apart from the exorcism (and who might be grateful for that?), the blessing with the sign of the holy cross, the flood prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, the renunciation of the devil, his works, his ways (and again, who might be grateful for that?), and the confession of the candidate of the Apostles’ Creed.
These immersive remembrances of baptism are not part of our Lutheran identity in anyone’s definition of the term. And if it sends a confusing message about Holy Baptism, if it mimics the ceremony used by those who deny our doctrine - it ceases being an adiaphoron (FC SD 10:4-7).
The sign of the cross is an adiaphoron, is part of our Lutheran identity, calls to mind not only our baptism, but also the atoning death of our Lord, and confesses the Most Holy Trinity. It can be done by anyone anywhere, in public or private, and does not require special equipment or social media.
