Immersion baptism (also known as baptism by immersion or baptism by submersion) is a method of baptism that is distinguished from baptism by affusion (pouring) and by aspersion (sprinkling), sometimes without specifying whether the immersion is total or partial,."Baptism. The practice of sprinkling with, pouring on or immersing in water as an act of Christian initiation and obedience to Christ's own command." – Grenz, Guretzki & Nordling (eds.), Pocket dictionary of theological terms (Intervarsity Press 1999), p. 18."In Christianity, baptism—either by plunging in water or by sprinkling with it—represents the first act of incorporation 'into Christ' and into the fellowship of the church." – Fahlbusch & Bromiley (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Christianity, volume 1, (Eerdmans, 1999–2003), p. 183"The word baptism is a transliteration of the Greek word baptizo which means to plunge, to dip, or to immerse… In New Testament times baptism was by a single immersion, with triple immersions appearing only later; occasionally, in cases of sickness or lack of water, affusion was practiced" – Myers, A.C., The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Eerdmans 1987), p. 123"Some form of immersion is envisaged, although affusion is allowed if running or standing water is lacking: 'If you do not have either, pour water three times on the head'." – Martin, R.P., & Davids, P.H. (2000). Dictionary of the later New Testament and its developments (electronic ed.). but very commonly with the indication that the person baptized is immersed in water completely."Immersion, Baptism by (BAP-tih-zuhm bai ih-MER-shuhn): A method of baptizing whereby the whole person is submerged in water three times while the Trinitarian formula is pronounced. In the Rite of Baptism, immersion is indicated as the first way to baptize. For immersion, the candidate steps down or into a pool of water at waist height." – Stravinskas, Catholic Dictionary (Our Sunday Visitor 1993, 2002), p. 402""While much debate has focused on the varying interpretations of the forms of baptism, each form (immersion, sprinkling, or pouring) is clearly associated with the concept of cleansing and identification, which are the two integral parts of Spirit baptism. Immersion, however, depicts more clearly the symbolic aspect of baptism since its three steps—immersion (going into the water), submersion (going under the water), and emersion (coming out of the water)—more closely parallel the concept of entering into the death of Christ, experiencing the forgiveness of sins, and rising to walk in the newness of Christ's resurrected life (Rom 6:4)." – Douglas, & Tenney (eds.), New International Bible Dictionary (Zondervan 1987), p. 124"According to the rules of by far the largest portion of the Christian Church the water may be used in any one of three ways: immersion, where the recipient enters bodily into the water, and where, during the action, the head is plunged either once or three times beneath the surface; affusion, where water is poured upon the head of the recipient who stands either in water or on dry ground; and aspersion, where water is sprinkled on the head or on the face.1. Immersion It has frequently been argued that the word baptízein invariably means 'to dip' or 'immerse' and that therefore Christian baptism must have been performed originally by immersion only, and that the other two forms, infusion and aspersion, are invalid – that there can be no real baptism unless the method of immersion be used. But the word that invariably means 'to dip' is not baptízein but báptein; baptízein has a wider signification; and its use to denote the Jewish ceremonial of pouring water on the hands (Lk. 11:38; Mk. 7:4), as has already been said, shows that it is impossible to conclude from the word itself that immersion is the only valid method of performing the rite… When immersion was used the head of the recipient was plunged thrice beneath the surface at the mention of each name of the trinity; when the mode was by affusion the same reference to the trinity was kept by pouring water thrice upon the head. The two usages that were recognized and prescribed by the beginning of the 2nd cent. may have been in use throughout the apostolic period, although definitive information is lacking." T.M. Lindsay, Baptism. Reformed View, in Bromiley (ed.) 'The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised', volume 1, page 419 (1988; 2002)'One of their strongest arguments revolves around the Greek word for baptism in the New Testament. Its predominant meaning is "to immerse" or "to dip," implying that the candidate was plunged beneath the water.', Youngblood, R.F., Bruce, F.F., Harrison, R.K., & Thomas Nelson. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary The term is also, though less commonly, applied exclusively to modes of baptism that involve only partial immersion (see Terminology, below).
A specific form of baptism by immersion, known as triune immmersion (also termed trine immersion or threefold immersion) "consisting in the dipping of the candidate in the water three times-first, in the name of the Father, second, in the name of the Son, and, third, in the name of the Holy Spirit." Trine immersion was attested by Basil (370), Cyril (380), Ambrose (390), Augustine (420), Theodoret (450), and Alcuin (775). In the present day, trine immersion is practiced by the River Brethren and Schwarzenau Brethren, as well as by parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Terminology Baptism by immersion is understood by some to imply submersion of the whole body beneath the surface of the water.'The baptism of John did have certain similarities to the ritual washings at Qumran: both involved withdrawal to the desert to await the lord; both were linked to an ascetic lifestyle; both included total immersion in water; and both had an eschatological context.' (Maxwell E. Johnson, 'Living Water, Sealing Spirit: Readings on Christian Initiation', 1995), p. 41."Immersion, however, depicts more clearly the symbolic aspect of baptism since its three steps—immersion (going into the water), submersion (going under the water), and emersion (coming out of the water)—more closely parallel the concept of entering into the death of Christ, experiencing the forgiveness of sins, and rising to walk in the newness of Christ's resurrected life (Rom 6:4).' (Douglas, & Tenney (eds.)., 'New International Bible Dictionary ', 1987), p. 124."Immersion, Baptism by (BAP-tih-zuhm bai ih-MER-shuhn): A method of baptizing whereby the whole person is submerged in water three times while the Trinitarian formula is pronounced. In the Rite of Baptism, immersion is indicated as the first way to baptize. For immersion, the candidate steps down or into a pool of water at waist height." (Stravinskas, ‘Catholic Dictionary’, 2002), p. 402.
Others speak of baptismal immersion as either complete or partial,"As to the method of baptism, it is probable that the original form was by immersion, complete or partial" (Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church, quoted in Saint John's Seminary, Course Lectures, Early Church History to 1500, Baptism). "Total or partial immersion of the candidate seems to be the form best grounded in the Tradition, and to be acceptable to most churches" (Jeffrey Gros, Thomas F. Best, Lorelei F. Fuchs, Growth in Agreement III, Eerdmans 2008 ), p. 567."Baptism can be administered by total or partial immersion" ( John Renard, The Handy Religion Answer Book (Barnes and Nobles 2004 ). p. 183). and do not find it tautologous to describe a particular form of immersion baptism as "full"Lynn Bridgers, The American Religious Experience: A Concise History (Rowman & Littlefield 2006), p. 158. Shelly O'Foran, Little Zion: A Church Baptized by Fire (University of North Carolina Press 2006), p. 183. or "total". Ralph E. Bass, Jr., What about Baptism: A Discussion on the Mode, Candidate and Purpose of Christian Baptism (Nicene Press 1999), p. 4.Mark Earey, Connecting with Baptism: A Practical Guide to Christian Initiation Today (Church House Publishing 2007), p. 149.
Still others use the term "immersion baptism" to mean a merely partial immersion by dipping the head in the water or by pouring water over the head of a person standing in a baptismal pool,"If the baptism be given by immersion, the priest dips the back part of the head (of the child) three times into the water in the form of a cross, pronouncing the sacramental words" (William Fanning, "Baptism" in The Catholic Encyclopedia). "In the early Church baptism was by one of four methods: complete submersion of the entire body, immersion of the head, affusion or pouring, or aspersion or sprinkling" (Steven J. Schloeder, Architecture in Communion. Ignatius Press 1998 . p. 113)."There are four principal methods of baptizing: (1) submersion (or total immersion); (2) immersion, when the head is dipped with or without the candidate standing in the water; (3) affusion, when water is poured over the head and (4) …" (John Gordon Davies, The Architectural Setting of Baptism. Barrie and Rockliff 1962. p. 23)."J.G. Davies has carefully set these out; and because they are relevant to an archaeological enquiry, we must distinguish them with the same care. The four principal modes are: 1. Submersion; or total immersion, where the candidate goes briefly but entirely below the water, on the model of those baptised by John in the River Jordan; 2. Immersion; where the head, as the prime seat of Man's rational and spiritual being, is in some way submerged, with or without the candidate having to stand in the same container of water; 3. Affusion; …" (Charles Thomas, Christianity in Roman Britain to A.D. 500. University of California Press 1981 . p, 204). and use instead for baptism that involves total immersion of the body beneath the water the term "submersion baptism"."A method of Baptism, employed at least from the 2nd cent., whereby part of the candidate's body was submerged in the baptismal water which was poured over the remainder. The rite is still found in the E. Church. In the W. it began to be replaced from c. the 8th cent. by the method of affusion, though its use was still being encouraged in the 16th cent., as it still is in the Anglican and RC Churches. The term is occasionally loosely used to include *submersion, from which it is strictly to be distinguished" (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press 2005 , art. immersion).Peter M. Doll (ed.), Anglicanism and Orthodoxy 300 Years after the "Greek College" in Oxford (Peter Lang 2005 ), p. 244
Early Christianity
Scholars generally agree that the early church baptized by immersion."New Testament scholars generally agree that the early church baptized by immersion.", Wiersbe, 'Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament', pp. 466–67 (1997). It also used other forms."We imagine that immersion was used normally, but on the basis of the New Testament it is hard to insist that immersion was the only form used.", Old, "The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite in the Sixteenth Century", p. 268 (1992). Howard Marshall, "The Meaning of the Verb "Baptize", in Porter, Cross (editors), Dimensions of Baptism: Biblical and Theological Studies (Sheffield Academic Press 2002 , pp. 18, 23), a presentation described by Porter and Cross in Dimensions of Baptism (2002), p. 2 as "a compelling argument". Immersion was probably the norm, but at various times and places immersion, whether full or partial, and also affusion were probably in use. Laurie Guy, Introducing Early Christianity: A Topical Survey of Its Life, Beliefs, and Practices (2004), pp. 224–25. Baptism of the sick or dying was usually by means other than even partial immersion and was still considered valid.