Wrestling with Re-Baptism

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled with him a man until the breaking of the day.” Gen. 32:24

Some questions are tough to answer. The idea of a “re-baptism” is one of them. Was it sorta like recapping an old tire? Blasphemy! Yet, I wondered….

The Reverend’s email literally dripped with sweat and oozed with exhaustion. Apparently he had been wrestling all night with the question: “To be or not to be re-baptized ~ was it necessary?” The Plunge on January 1st into the freezing sea by a mob of revelers was the genesis of this conflict.

I felt the pain of his agony and wanted to help. What could I do? A spiritual struggle is not a tag-team match—we have to come to grips with it on our own. But it did bring to mind some foggy details of my own baptism years ago.

I was “sprinkled” with Holy water in the South Georgia Methodist tradition, which is a pretty cheap and less messy way to initiate infidels into the church. This quick and easy method doesn’t always “take,” and often a “re-baptism” is necessary. The Baptist, of course, preferred “immersion” ~ some speculated they were in need of a bath anyway.

Best I could figure is there are several reasons for using the “asperges” method. First, it didn’t involve putting 500 gallons of water into a baptismal font, an indoor swimming pool. The water would have surely been confiscated from some farmer’s stock watering hole, leaving the herd thirsty. The Men’s Prayer Group would have wrestled with the question of the tradeoff of some prime T-bone steaks for a rebellious soul.

Secondly, it was a waste of good drinking or bathing water. Long discussions on the merits of such a waste would have been held by the church Pharisees. A committee voted “The Most Holy” would have been empanelled to write the criteria for changing the water, the purification and the heating. Besides that, the minister would have received letters, anonymous, of course, grilling him on “Why was this water not sold and the proceeds used to help the poor?” Another tough question to wrestle with!

Thirdly, there was the matter of cleaning the font with Clorox, or at least changing the water weekly. Most Initiates were dirty farm kids. Their “dunking” would have discolored the water, making it unfit for emergency baptisms and running the risk of contaminating the sanctification process. John the Baptist would surely not have approved. Besides, the poor janitor would have been in the choir loft sleeping or cleaning up the mess made in the Sunday School classrooms where the Ladies’ Auxiliary attempted to drive nonsense out of newly-created souls.

Fourthly, imagine parading a newly-sanctified Rebel through the congregation, dripping wet. Why, it might have soiled both the new carpet and the preacher’s suit (his only one), distracting the congregation from the sermon, as if the theme of “sin” wasn’t distraction enough. Sin was always “The Big Thing” to wrestle with every Sunday. There was always a collective and audible sigh of relief when the sermon was over. Whew! ~ “resaved” again. Now it was safe to head on home for fried chicken or ham (swine was not a “prohibited meat” in my world then).

But lastly, I recalled that Jesus was baptized only once, by “immersion”. I think The Doctrine Committee concluded that His baptism “took,” as folks used to say. Therefore, He needed no future “re-baptizing.” This was confirmed by the heavenly dove which descended and lit on His shoulder. Proof positive that the process had “stuck.”

Unfortunately, and my memory is vague on this point, my “sprinkling” was confirmed by the flock of pigeons who, upon hearing my recitation of the appropriate confession, fled the church belfry for safer quarters. Apparently they were fearful of the possibility of heavenly lightening, as they hurriedly left behind their droppings and a few feathers.

All of which leads me back to “The Plunge”. I have sometimes wrestled with the question of “re-baptism.” Did my drive-through quickie actually “take”? Apparently on January 1st others were of the same mindset. So, a penitent dunking in the cold Atlantic Ocean, in the presence of sea gulls and a congregation of curious spectators, seemed to have been sufficient to “re-baptize” all us backsliders…just in case! Also, surely we got some credit in The Lamb’s Book for the collective public display of our acts of repentance and contrition. While I’m sure my act of penitence would have fooled none of my old friends, at least I did feel more “holier than they”, if only for the day.

See? It’s tough to find an answer to the Reverend’s dilemma. But, I believe it’s safe to say: “Halfway doesn’t count…Splurge on the water and spare a soul.”

Since The Plunge a question still puzzles me. If birds accompanied baptisms, then why do buzzards keep circling my office every day? Where is the dove I was promised, or at least another pigeon?

Let me toss you a suggestion. If you intend to wrestle with the question of “re-baptism,” you might already have the answer. Take The Plunge!


Bud Hearn
January 15, 2009