Main Guide Menu | Evangelical Churches Section Menu
Initiation ritual/infant baptism
Essential Practice Point 5
- Evangelicalism emphasises personal conversion at a time the person is ready. However, the practice of baptism, the initiation ritual common to Christian traditions, is likely to vary across the groups within the evangelical movement.
- Most independent (non-denominational) evangelical groups, Pentecostalists and Baptists practice baptism (i.e. initiation into the religion) by full immersion in water at a time when the person is ready to choose the Christian religion. Therefore, infant baptism is not practised, even in cases of threat to life of the infant.
- The Salvation Army does not practise baptism.
- The Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian sections of this Guide contain specific information about the views of the respective churches on infant baptism and the manner in which it should be carried out if necessary. Please consult these sections for specific guidance if the infant is a member of any of these traditions.
(Return to Summary of Essential Practice Points)
Foetal, infant and child death
- There are no specific religious requirements in cases of foetal death or stillbirth. The parents' wishes should determine what should happen.
- Normally a service is held for deceased infants and children, while the nature of the service depends on the age of the child and the parents' wishes. The religious contact will be a resource in these matters.
Memento of a deceased child
There are no religious restrictions on giving a memento of a deceased child to the parents such as hand/foot-prints, a lock of hair etc. It is appropriate to ask if families would find this helpful.
