What is Baptism

This weekend in my work as a hospital chaplain I baptized two people. One was a 90 year old woman who always wanted to get baptized but never got around to it. She was a baptist and she wanted to do it the "right" way--full body immerson. Well that could not happen but I offered her the option of pouring that way she could feel the water running across her face.

She said that she felt so much better after the baptism. She felt at peace and comfortable.

The next man was in the ICU. He was not able to communicate and he was on a ventilator. His ex-wife brought up the topic of baptism and one of the daughters actually screamed NO!!! Being the drama avoidance king I am at the hospital I spoke with the family and I told them that baptism is the outward expression of the inward change. I also asked them if they believed that the presence of God was with their loved one? And if so, then we know from the Bible that conversion is instantaneous and water is not necessary. But we can go through the sacrament of baptism if they are willing to stand and speak for him out of their love for him.

I came back later and they were together at peace and we did baptize the man. Later a parish pastor told me that I cheapened the sacrament by doing it for him in the hospital without hearing his confession. I don't know he may be right, but I am driven by the "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" thing which from my perspective says that if I am in a fearful place and there is a way to reduce my anxiety about the unknown future, I would want someone to facilitate my stress and not direct me to doctrine when the doctrine can't help me.