Baptism according to the Trinitarian formula , which is done in most mainstream Christian denominations, is seen as being a basis for Christian ecumenism , the concept of unity amongst Christians. Certain schools of Christian thought such as Catholic and Lutheran theology regard baptism as necessary for salvation , but some writers, such as Huldrych Zwingli β , have denied its necessity. Most Christians baptize using the trinitarian formula "in the name of the Father , and of the Son , and of the Holy Spirit " [ 21 ] following the Great Commission , but Oneness Pentecostals baptize using Jesus' name only.
Outside of Christianity, Mandaeans undergo repeated baptism for purification instead of initiation. The term baptism has also been used metaphorically to refer to any ceremony, trial, or experience by which a person is initiated, purified, or given a name.
Later, the Catholic Church identified a baptism of desire , by which those preparing for baptism who die before actually receiving the sacrament are considered saved. The Greek words are used in a great variety of meanings. The practice of baptism emerged from Jewish ritualistic practices during the Second Temple Period , out of which figures such as John the Baptist emerged.
For example, various texts in the Dead Sea Scrolls DSS corpus at Qumran describe ritual practices involving washing, bathing, sprinkling, and immersing.
One example of such a text is a DSS known as the Rule of the Community , which says "And by the compliance of his soul with all the laws of God his flesh is cleansed by being sprinkled with cleansing waters and being made holy with the waters of repentance. The Mandaeans , who are followers of John the Baptist , practice frequent full immersion baptism masbuta as a ritual of purification. John the Baptist , who is considered a forerunner to Christianity, used baptism as the central sacrament of his messianic movement.
