Holy Baptism and Chrismation
As taught in the Eastern Orthodox tradition
Entry into the Kingdom through triple immersion and the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Within the Holy Orthodox Church, the question of how a human person enters into the life of the Triune God is not answered by a mere mental assent or a singular emotional "moment of decision." Instead, it is answered by the "Holy Mysteries"—specifically the dual initiation of Holy Baptism and Chrismation. To the Orthodox mind, these are not symbolic "ordinances" or public declarations of a pre-existing internal state; they are ontological, life-altering events where the Grace of God meets human nature to effect a genuine transformation. We ask: How does the "old man," corrupted by the ancestral sin and bound to death, become a "new creation" in Christ? The Orthodox tradition answers through the mystery of the "laver of regeneration" and the "seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit."
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the specific ontological changes that occur in the human person during the Holy Mystery of Baptism according to the Orthodox tradition.
- **Distinguish** between the "washing" of Baptism and the "sealing" of Chrismation, explaining how they function together as a single rite of initiation.
- **Explain** the significance of triple immersion and the "seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit" in the context of the Orthodox liturgical and theological framework.
- **Articulate** the Orthodox response to the "symbolic-only" view of sacraments, using both Scripture and confessional sources.
- **Trace** the biblical archetype of "water and Spirit" from the creation and the flood through the Jordan and into the life of the Church.
- **Defend** the practice of infant baptism and immediate chrismation based on the Orthodox understanding of the Covenant and the nature of Grace.
- **Apply** the doctrine of the "New Man" (from Romans 6) to daily ascetic practice and the struggle against the passions.
- **Compare** the Orthodox understanding of the "Sacramental Seal" with Western concepts of "Confirmation," noting the theological implications of separating the two rites.
Scripture
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