Horatio Parker

I don't know about the baptism, but it may be helpful to point out that the Greek elements were states ie air/gas, water/liquid, earth/solid and fire/energy.

So fire would be energy. An energy baptism?

stephan huller

There are clues. I'm just on vacation. I think it was connected with the Christian description of hell in Dives and Lazarus. The mysteries in Alexandria clearly had “production value”. I think they literally created the experience of being judged naked in hell

stephan huller

In 1640 [the Archbishop of Sofia Peter] Bogdan wrote a very full report on his visitation of the Bulgarian countryside. Besides much interesting comment on the country and the people, this account is the richest source of information on the Bulgarian 'Paulians.' In some villages near Trvono Peter Bogdan found considerable numbers of unbaptized heretics - mostly very primitive people, living in abject poverty. He also encountered most obstinate sectarians who greeted the preacher's words with ridicule. On the whole however this heretical community which had been surrounded by the hostility of the Orthodox for generations, was more ready to seek the support of Rome. Indeed the declaration of the 'Paulians' themselves, that their faith is of Rome, is recorded. All the reports which are sent from Bulgaria to Rome are agreed on that point. Reading them we cannot fail to see that what they say about the 'Paulian' heretics is always factual and definite and that the information is never contradictory, but complementary. The fundamental feature of their heretical faith, stressed in all reports, is their violent hatred of the Cross as the instrument of the death of Christ. Together with the cross they rejected the worship of holy pictures as 'idolatry.' Instead of the usual church baptism, they had a ceremony of their own, during which the 'priest' touched the candidates head with a candlestick symbolizing 'baptism by fire.' Peter Bogdan describes this rite, which was connected with the Epiphany Day, the only day they went to church. Philip Stanislavov also spoke of 'Paulian baptised by fire.' Bogdan also mentions a simple marriage ceremony. Apart from this the heretics received no sacraments and made no sacrifices, but celebrated some sort of sacrificial feast with singing and dancing. There were neither altars nor pictures in their churches, but they kept fast-days and also observed Sundays and other holidays, including some of which were peculiar to them. [Milan Loos, Dualist heresy in the Middle Ages (or via: amazon.co.uk), Volume 10 p. 338]

andrewcriddle

We do have various references to (fringe) Christian groups that used fire in initiation eg Clement of Alexandria Selections from the prophetic scriptures Andrew Criddle

aa5874

Do you have any references to Christian Groups that used SALT in initiation?

andrewcriddle

See Salt
Andrew Criddle