ИСТОРИЈСКИ РАЗВОЈ ИНСТИТУЦИЈЕ КУМСТВА У СВЕТОТАЈИНСКОМ ЖИВОТУ ДРЕВНЕ ЦРКВЕ
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSTITUTION OF GODPARENTS IN SACRAMENTAL LIFE OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is a brief overview of the origin and development of the institution of godparents in the first five centuries of the Church. The scientists often suppose number of external factors that caused the emergence of godparents in Church, but nevertheless, it is the institution which is par excellence Christian. Final shaping of the godparenthood as we know it today is related to the period of the fifth century, while in the time that preceded there are two mutually independent institutions with characteristics that we recognize in the later godparenthood. The first of these institutions was directly related to the Baptism of adults and concerned with the testimony of their faith and sincere intention to become Christians. The second one was related to administering Baptism of children and concerned with the answering and active participation in the Baptism in the name of the child, and was closely related to the very act of the Sacrament of Baptism, which was not the case with the aforementioned, which had strictly prebaptismal character. Each of these institutions was conditional, therefore, not legally binding. Predominace of baptizing children after the fourth century caused the synthesis of these two institutions, which will result in the emergence of godparenthood and in godparenthood becoming the indispensable part of every Baptism.

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