bapti-

The baptism of children or the historic Christian religious rite of sprinkling on the forehead, or the immersion in water: Pedobaptism symbolizes the purification or regeneration and admission to the Christian Church.

A sponsor or sponsors (godparents) give a public profession of faith on behalf of the child being baptized, who is expected to ratify later the profession made on his or her behalf; and pedobaptists have no doubt that by baptism a child is cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus and is symbolically buried with him and raised as a new person to life eternal.

Pedobaptists believe that if baptism is a sign that a person is a member of God's covenant community, and if the children of believers are members of that community, it follows that the children of believers should receive the sign that they are members of God's covenant community by being baptized.

A person who practices, adheres to, or advocates infant baptism: Mr. and Mrs. Jones wanted to have their good neighbor, a pedobaptist, to christen their little newborn baby.

Self baptism: "Back in 1606 there was a Christian congregation in England that was pastored by John Smyth. In 1608 this church emigrated to Amsterdam because of religious persecution in England."

"While in Amsterdam, Smyth became convinced that the scriptures require believers' baptism, not infant baptism. Since Smyth had not been baptized in the way he felt was correct, he baptized himself, then baptized the other members of the church he was leading."

1. Someone or those who baptize themselves: "John Smyth (Smith) was called a Se-baptist or a sebaptist because it is said that he believed that as a baby such a religious ceremony was invalid; so, he baptized himself in Amsterdam in 1608 after leaving England because of religious persecution."
2. Etymology: from Latin se-, "one's self" + baptista, "a baptizer".