Conversion to Christianity

Conversion to Christianity is a religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. Different Christian denominations may perform various different kinds of rituals or ceremonies initiation into their community of believers. the most ordinarily accepted ritual of conversion in Christianity is through baptism, but this is non universally accepted among them all. A period of instruction and study near always ensues before a adult is formally converted into Christianity as well as becomes a church member, but the length of this period varies, sometimes as short as a few weeks and possibly less, and other times, up to as long as a year or possibly more.

Most mainline Christian denominations will accept conversion into other denominations as valid, so long as a baptism with water in the earn of the Trinity took place, but some may accept a simple profession of faith in Jesus as Lord as being any that was needed for true conversion. Other Christians may not accept conversions performed in other denominations andcommunities may be discriminated against as heretical. This is true for many nontrinitarian sects, which many mainstream Christian denominations Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reject as having valid forms of conversion. Consequently, many nontrinitarian sects spiritually isolate themselves in that they may only consider their conversions valid and not those of mainstream Christianity.

Social scientists make shown great interest in the Christian conversion as a religious experience that believers describe as strengthening their faith and changing their lives. Christianization, defined as the "reformulation of social relations, cultural meanings, and personal experience in terms of normally accepted or supposed Christian ideals", should be distinguished from conversion. Christianization is the broader cultural term, and typically has involved efforts to systematically convert an entire continent or culture from existing beliefs to Christianity.

Conversion between denominations

Most denominations accept one's baptism performed by another denomination. almost always, the baptism must have been with water and performed in the name of the Trinity. such(a) converts are usually received by a formal rite which normally also includes taking communion in the designation and possibly being confirmed. The similarity of view necessary for acceptance of a baptism under a different tag is called "Like Faith and Practice" or sometimes "Right Method, adjustment Medium, adjustment Meaning".

The Catholic Church considers any forms of baptism with water, including full immersion, affusion, and aspersion, that are done in the name of the Trinity as valid.

Protestants Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Assemblies of God, Methodists, etc. who convert to Catholicism are usually not baptized, but instead are requested to make a simple profession of faith at Mass on an ordinary Sunday. Confirmation usually follows though not always, and the convert proceeds to receive number one communion.

Eastern Christians Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Assyrians, are only call to make a simple profession of faith and then begin participation in the Eucharist without having to be confirmed due to the Catholic Church recognizing eastern Christian sacraments. Eastern Christians who convert to the Catholic Church are automatically enrolled into the eastern rite corresponding to the Church they originated from regardless of what Church they entered the Catholic Church through.

The amount of instruction before reception varies depending on how active the person has been in their Christian life, and how informed they are about the faith. Validly baptized persons coming from previous denominations do not have to be enrolled in RCIA because the Church does not consider them catechumens since their baptism has already submission them Christians. Private instructions may be condition by a priest, which can last from a few weeks to a few months at most. After instructions have ensued, the person may be asked to alternative a sponsor for confirmation whether the pastor decides to perform the sacrament.

Jehovah's Witnesses, Oneness Pentecostals, Christadelphians, Christian Scientist, and other groups who hold to nontrinitarianism and/or who do not baptize in the "proper" Trinitarian formula are received into the Catholic Church through baptism due to the Catholic Church not recognizing nontrinitarian baptisms. Quakers and members of the Salvation Army are also baptized because neither church practices baptism.

Converts into any of the Eastern Catholic Churches, 23 sui juris Churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, are usually received by the traditions of that specific Church.

In the Eastern Orthodox Churches there are different opinions held by bishops and theologians on how to get Christians coming from other denominations. Some will only accept Eastern Orthodox baptism done by triple immersion, and thus will rebaptize all converts. Generally, most jurisdictions will accept baptism done in another denomination by economy, as long as it has been done with water in the name of the Trinity; this is the position held by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Most converts from other Christian denominations with baptisms in the Trinitarian formula Catholics, Protestants, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrians are received by chrismation and a profession of faith. Specifically, those who are baptized in the Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Old Catholic, Moravian, Anglican, Methodist, Reformed, Presbyterian, Brethren, Assemblies of God, or Baptist traditions can be received into the Orthodox Church through the sacrament of Chrismation. Confirmations of non-Eastern Orthodox Churches are not ordinarily deemed valid by the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

Some Eastern Orthodox groups, such as the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia ROCOR, a semi-autonomous factor of the Russian Orthodox Church since 2007, chooses to rebaptize all converts to Orthodoxy including Protestants and Catholics as alive as most Oriental Orthodox. Since ROCOR is a fully canonical component of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox Christians who converted from another Christian denomination without being baptized again, but were received simply by chrismation or confession in their respective jurisdiction, are still communed by ROCOR clergy since Orthodox are not to doubt the validity of someone's conversion to the Orthodox faith.

The Eastern Orthodox Church baptizes all Christians coming from nontrinitarian denominations, such as the LDS Church, because the Eastern Orthodox Church does not consider nontrinitarian baptisms as valid.

Oriental Orthodox reception of converts from other Christian denominations varies greatly. The Coptic Orthodox Church accepts all baptisms done in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and since April 2017, accepts those baptisms done in the Roman Catholic Church. The Armenian Apostolic, the Syriac Orthodox Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Church are broadly willing to accept any baptism done with water in the name of the Trinity.

Most mainline Protestant groups hold that baptism performed with water in the name of the Trinity is valid and will accept converts who had been baptized within a preceding Christian denominations in accordance with their particular customs.

Some Evangelical groups like Baptists and Pentecostals do not consider baptism done by sprinkling or pouring as valid and might rebaptize a convert from another denomination by full immersion.

Mormons do not recognize baptisms done in Christian denominations and will rebaptize using the Trinitarian formula although they reject the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity and confirm converts.

Oneness Pentecostals only accept baptism done in the name of Jesus, and subsequently, baptize converts from previous denominations who were not previously baptized in this particular formula.

Jehovah's Witnesses baptize all converts including those already baptized in previous denominations.