A Southern Baptist Heritage

November 9, 2010

We visited the River Jordan.  Not actually the place where it is believed that Jesus was baptized, but a beautiful and easily accessible place where people have been celebrating baptisms for years.  In fact, it is quite a business.  You can “rent” white robes (which you are required to wear if you go in the water) and are also provided a towel and access to a changing room.  Unfortunately, there were some women there (Europeans I’m sure) who chose to wear nothing under their white robes.  This was fine until they got wet.  Well, you can imagine.  But don’t.

Of course, as United Methodist, we believe in only one baptism.  We don’t re-baptize.  Though we customarily baptize by sprinkling, immersion is an accepted form as well.  We decided to have a “Remember Your Baptism” service at the Jordan.  We would have a devotion, talk about the baptism of Jesus and then perform the sign of the cross on everyone’s forehead with Jordan River water.  We also decided that if someone wanted to remember their baptism by immersion, why that would be okay too.  I volunteered to be the dunker (perhaps it was because I grew up Southern Baptist).

When we took a tally of who wanted to go into the Jordan as part of this experience, no one raised their hand.  Honestly, I was a little disappointed.  On the walk down, one person said he wanted to.  Cool.

The water was very cool. And there were lots of catfish. Something was nibbling at my ankles.  Not sure if it was the catfish or something else.  That was a little unnerving.  But, the sun was just right and we had our own little spot in the Jordan, away from the other “tourists” or “pilgrims” who were getting a generic dunk with an anonymous priest of some sort.  After a quick discussion of the process (of course, he had never been immersed like this and I had never baptized anyone like this), pinch, dunk, lift – wham, slam, splash.  It was over.  Too quickly.  I really wanted to savor the moment.  What an honor to experience this with someone.  In the River Jordan.  Our robe rental kit came with a commemorative certificate.  I won’t need it.  I’ll never forget it.



Yes, I had shorts on.