The Font As A Place For Burial, Birth, And Bath

The sacrament of Christian baptism presents a variety of symbolic meanings. In one ritual act, the new Christian is buried with Christ in his death, is birthed to a new life with Christ, and is washed of sin and impurity. This article explains the relationship of these meanings and their implications for the design of baptismal fonts and the practice of baptism today. Water creates and destroys, brings to life and drowns. Without water people and animals and plants wither and die. Water extinguishes fires; it cleanses and refreshes. God created water for life and death and bathing. It is God's instrument for salvation and destruction. As the waters of the flood brought death, so the waters of the Exodus-"swept by a strong east wind"-brought life. Christian baptism is also water for life and death and bathing. Wherever abundant water flows, there is a setting for baptism: Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River (Mark 3:9-11), and Paul baptized Lydia in a river near Philippi (Acts 16:…