What do Christians believe about baptism and the Eucharist?
The meaning and practice of baptism (infant and believers') and the Eucharist (Holy Communion), and divergent Christian understandings of them.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 2 answer on baptism and the Eucharist, covering infant and believers' baptism, the Eucharist or Holy Communion, transubstantiation and the memorial view, and why the sacraments matter, with the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain baptism and the Eucharist (Holy Communion), the two sacraments at the centre of Christian practice, and the divergent ways Christians understand them. Baptism enters the Christian life and the Eucharist sustains it, but the traditions differ sharply over both. The topic feeds the 15-mark evaluation question on whether the bread and wine really become the body and blood of Christ, so you need the content, the differences, and the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
Baptism
Baptism is grounded in Jesus' own baptism, his command to baptise "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19), and his teaching that one must be "born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). The disagreement over infant versus believers' baptism turns on whether faith comes first (believers' baptism) or the Church claims the child first and faith follows (infant baptism).
The Eucharist
What Christians believe is happening differs, and this is the heart of the evaluation question.
- Transubstantiation (Roman Catholic). The bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ, while keeping the appearance of bread and wine, based on a literal reading of Jesus' words and "my flesh is real food" (John 6:55).
- Real presence (Orthodox, many Anglicans, Lutherans). Christ is really present in the Eucharist, but without a precise explanation of how, or the bread remains bread alongside his presence.
- Memorial / symbol (many Protestants). The bread and wine are symbols that help believers remember Jesus' death ("in remembrance of me"); there is no change in the elements.
The Eucharist matters because it unites believers with Christ and with one another, recalls his sacrifice, and (for Catholics) is a means of grace.
Common and divergent views
The common view is that baptism and the Eucharist are important Christian practices commanded by Jesus. The divergences are central: over baptism (infant versus believers', whether it removes original sin or follows personal faith) and over the Eucharist (transubstantiation, real presence or memorial). For the exam, present both sacraments as widely practised but be precise about which tradition holds which view, since the evaluation question is built on these differences.
Try this
Q1. Name two forms of baptism. [a-style recall]
- Cue. Infant baptism (babies, by pouring or sprinkling, with parents and godparents promising) and believers' baptism (by full immersion, for those who make their own declaration of faith).
Q2. Explain the difference between transubstantiation and a memorial view of the Eucharist. [b-style short explanation]
- Cue. Transubstantiation (Catholic) holds the bread and wine truly become Christ's body and blood; the memorial view (many Protestants) holds they remain bread and wine and are symbols that help believers remember Jesus' death ("do this in remembrance of me", Luke 22:19).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C120 2019 (style)2 marks[a] What is meant by a sacrament?Show worked answer →
This is the 2-mark (a) AO1 definition question. Define the term precisely: a sacrament is an outward, visible sign of an inward, invisible grace from God. A short developed phrase secures both marks, for example "a physical action, such as baptism with water, through which Christians believe God gives his grace". A single word risks only one mark, so add a clause showing understanding.
Eduqas C120 2020 (style)8 marks[c] Explain why baptism is important for many Christians. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 8-mark (c) extended AO1 question, and referring to sources is required for the top band. Explain that baptism marks entry into the Church and the Christian life, washing away sin and giving new life in Christ. For infant baptism, parents and godparents promise to raise the child in the faith and original sin is addressed; for believers' baptism (by full immersion), the person makes their own adult declaration of faith. Develop why it matters. Anchor in sources: Jesus' own baptism, his command to baptise "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19), and "unless one is born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). The top band rewards developed points with accurate sources.
Eduqas C120 2022 (style)15 marks[d] "In the Eucharist the bread and wine really become the body and blood of Christ." Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should refer to religious beliefs and teachings, give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view, and reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark (d) AO2 evaluation question, where SPaG is assessed, and a classic divergence question, so write in continuous prose with specialist terms. Arguments to support: Roman Catholics believe in transubstantiation, that the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ, based on Jesus' words "this is my body ... this is my blood" (Mark 14:22 to 24) and "my flesh is real food" (John 6:55). Arguments for a different view: many Protestants hold the bread and wine are symbols or a memorial of Jesus' death ("do this in remembrance of me", Luke 22:19), not a literal change; others (some Anglicans, Lutherans) hold Christ is really present but the bread stays bread. Use specialist terms (Eucharist, transubstantiation, memorial, real presence). A justified conclusion weighs the literal and symbolic readings of Jesus' words.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies specification (C120, from 2016) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)