I love
reading and writing historical fiction. Not only do I get absorbed in a
fascinating story, I learn the culture of the day. My novel is set in the first century. My research
of the life of the first century church has spanned over five years.
One
of the interesting subjects I came across was nude baptisms. I was first
shocked and then intrigued to learn more. Was
it true? Was it widespread or just done in random areas? I
started with the early church fathers.
Cyril of Jerusalem, a
distinguished theologian of the fourth century, addressed the persons to be
baptized. “As soon as ye came into the inner part of the baptistery, ye put off
your clothes, which is an emblem of putting off the old man with his deeds, and
being thus divested, ye stood naked, imitating Christ, that was naked upon the
cross, who by his nakedness spoiled principalities and powers, publicly
triumphing over them in the cross. Oh wonderful thing! Ye were naked imitating
the first Adam that was naked in paradise, and was not ashamed.”
The archbishop of Constantinople,
St. Chrysostom, an important early church leader and contemporary of Cyril of
Jerusalem, in part of a longer passage, stated, “In baptism, a man is naked
that he might be freed from sin.”
St. Ambrose, the bishop of Milan,
of the same era wrote, “Men came as naked to the font (of baptism), as they
came into the world.”
St. Amphilochius, the Bishop of
Iconium in the fourth century, spoke of his baptism. “He arose with fear and
put off his clothes, and with them the old man.”
At this point in my research, my
face turned red and I felt the need to defend a position of propriety. I quoted
Paul from I Timothy. ‘Women are to adorn themselves with proper clothing,
modestly and discreetly.’ I sighed, poured another cup of coffee and decided I
must not impose my twenty-first century filter, so I continued.
I posed the next question. Surely
men and women were not baptized together? Thankfully, I found the answer to be no.
According to the Apostolic Tradition, small children were baptized first, then men
and finally the women.
The Didascalia, a Christian treatise written about 220 AD, states a
woman is to have her head anointed by a male minister. Then a female deacon
assists the woman and receives her as she comes out of the water,
traditionally, wrapping her in a white robe. There is evidence that many
baptisteries had curtains or panels for privacy. .
Another
thing that leads me to believe baptism was likely done in the nude were the depictions
of nude baptism in a great many forms of art in the early centuries, including those
in the catacombs. The image on the right is a catacomb painting depicting the
baptism of Jesus.
This
blog is to share my journey. I decided not to portray nude baptism in my book.
The great truth of baptism is that we are identified with our Lord in his death
and resurrection. In an effort to keep the focus on the Him, I chose to bypass
the controversy over whether baptism was done nude or clothed.
I’d love to hear from you if you have
anything to add or discuss.
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