An Icy “Baptism” in Freezing Water
Epiphany is the day when Orthodox believe Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. So they celebrate it. In Russia, they celebrate it by plunging themselves into freezing water. The picture on the International Herald Tribune website showed a “baptistery” in the shape of a cross.
A few years ago, 30,000 Muscovites participated in the annual celebration. One immerses himself in the icy water, holds himself down for 20-30 seconds, waiting for a feeling described as “nirvana” before coming up. Of course, they strip down to their underclothes when they immerse themselves.
It sounds more like a fad than anything else. Several sites for the immersion are scattered throughout Moscow and they are furnished with no-slip carpeting, heated tents, and supervisors. It’s a photo-op for politicians. A Russian sociologist said the popularity has less to do with some religious awakening and more to do with the media coverage. “It has become a show – not only that, but a patriotic show,” the sociologist said.
The Orthodox believe that a priest can bless the water which will temporarily turn it into the River Jordan where Jesus Himself was baptized. One participant, an advertising manager, said, “We are pagans in our souls.” While his sentiment may not be strictly true, their behavior and beliefs are far from New Testament Christianity.
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Just because someone calls something or an action by a biblical name does not mean the action or thing is itself biblical. For example, the Muslims’ god (Allah) is not the God of the Bible. We call different books a “bible” but they are not the Bible.
In the Unification Church, Sun Myung-Moon was believed to be the messiah. The Muslims have their own messiah. According to Wikipedia.org, there are some 26 people who have claimed to be the Christian’s Messiah, one of the most recent being David Koresh of the Branch Davidians.
If someone calls himself (or herself) a pastor, that does not mean that he or she is a “pastor” in the biblical sense. It is clearly possible for people to use Bible names and Bible designations for something that is entirely unbiblical.
The Orthodox are sincere and religious. But sincerity alone is not sufficient. Rather than plunging themselves into icy water, they would do better to plunge themselves into the Word of God.
–Paul Holland
