Baptism

Jesus came and said to his disciples, ”All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20)

”In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
(The apostle Paul in Galatians 3:26-28, quotations from the New Revised Standard Version)

Holy Baptism makes a person a part of the congregation.  Water is used to baptize, but baptism is not just a washing or sprinkling with water.  God's word together with water makes baptism a unique event  for a human individual.  One must be baptized to be a member of the church – on the other hand, a person is baptized only once.  Jesus calls us in baptism to be his disciples, and although we are not always faithful to him, he always remains faithful to us.

Except for emergency cases, only pastors administer baptism in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.  The holiness of baptism, however, does not come from the pastor.  It comes from God himself, because baptism is done in the name of God.  Baptism is one of the sacraments of the church, an especially sacred rite.

For practical information on baptism, contact the parish office of a local congregation or move on to the following pages on this website:

Who can be baptized
Arrangements for baptism
Emergency baptism