Dimensions of Baptism Biblical and Theological Studies

286 Dimensions of Baptism

tion, will be 'an important sign and means of expressing the baptismal

unity given in Christ'.^13 While the responses of the churches to BEM greet

with apparent enthusiasm the depiction of initiation as a process, seeing in

this a means of overcoming differences in practice, they still tend to relapse

into a strict comparison of two forms of baptism, treating the theological

concept of 'common baptism' as equivalent to 'mutually recognized

baptism'.

While Roman Catholic sacramental theology has continued to maintain

confirmation as a second sacrament (although increasingly encouraging

'first communion' before confirmation), it may seem odd that BEM has

been followed by a general Protestant move to assert sacramental com-

pleteness of initiation in baptism. The 'new pattern' has perhaps been

fostered by the way that the 'theological' part of the article on baptism

draws attention to two kinds of process, though it does not use the actual

word (preferring 'growth'), distinguished in two separate paragraphs under

'Baptism and Faith'. The first states that baptism 'looks towards a growth

into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ', and explicitly links

this to the 'personal commitment' which is 'necessary for responsible

membership in the body of Christ'.^14 This clearly envisages 'growth' as

part of a process of initiation, or being incorporated into Christ. The next

paragraph, however, describes a longer process, affirming that 'Baptism is

related not only to momentary experience but to life-long growth into

Christ'.^15 It is this view of a process that seems to be taken up in state-

ments which affirm the 'sacramental completeness of baptism': that is, it is

a process of growth subsequent to a completed initiation. We shall return

to this below in examining the increasingly popular language of'baptismal

process'.

3. Baptism as 'Complete Sacramental Initiation'

As an example of a thorough-going attempt at defining the act of baptism

as complete Christian initiation, we may consider the Toronto Statement

on Christian Initiation in the Anglican Communion (1991).^16 An examina-

13. BEM,pam. 15, p. 6.


14. BEM, para. 8, p. 3.


15. BEM, para. 9, p. 4.


16. David R. Holeton (ed.), Christian Initiation in the Anglican Communion: The
    Toronto Statement Walk in Newness of Life': The Findings of the Fourth International
    Anglican Liturgical Consultation, Toronto 1991 (Grove Worship Series, 118; Bramcote:
    Grove, 1991), cited by sections.