西方的信仰(4)
Ceremonies 仪典
All denominations of Christianity have ceremonies and rituals although some, such as Roman Catholics, put more importance on them than others. These ceremonies are often similar to each other but some are unique to particular denominations. These rituals are called 'sacraments' and are supposed to be a means by which believers receive divine grace. For Protestants, the sacraments are merely symbolic gestures, whereas Catholics believe that by performing these rites they actually receive divine grace.
尽管罗马天主教等一些教派比其它教派更重视仪典，但所有的基督教教派都是有仪典和仪式的。这些仪典通常是大同小异的，但有一些则为某些教派所独有。这些仪式叫做“圣事”，被认为是信徒接受圣恩的一种途径。对于新教徒来说，圣事仅仅是象征性的举动，而天主教徒则认为他们通过举行这些仪式就真的得到了圣恩。
1. Baptism 洗礼
Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced by all Christians. Depending on the denomination, the member is immersed in water or has it sprinkled or poured on their head. This symbolizes the washing away of original sin and the formal entry of the member into the Church or a public avowal of their acceptance of the faith. For some denominations this ritual is performed shortly after birth. In the case of Roman Catholics, the parents of the child will select a godfather and a godmother and this will be announced at the ceremony. Many Protestant denominations perform baptism at a later age, when the member can decide for themselves to accept the teachings of Christ. In this case, the member is deemed to be 'born again'.
洗礼是所有基督教徒都要经历的浸水净身仪式。根据教派的不同，信徒或是浸泡于水中，或是让其头部受到水的喷撒、泼倒。这象征着洗去原罪以及信徒的正式入会，或是象征着他们接收这一信仰的公开誓词。对于一些教派，这种仪式在出生后不久就要进行。如若是罗马天主教徒，父母就会为孩子选择一位教父和一位教母，并会在仪式上将此事进行宣布。而许多新教教派是在信徒年龄稍大的时候，即能够自主决定接受上帝教诲的时候，来举行洗礼仪式。在这种情况下，信徒被视为获得“重生”。
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