--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was baptized as an infant. I was…" description: "\"I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university student group. I was marrie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-shelby-spong-1488_active_i-was-baptized-as-an-infant-i-was-confir_1540218.png" --- # I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an… ![“I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university student group. I was married before the church's altar; trained at the church's seminaries, ordained deacon and priest at age 24.” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-shelby-spong-1488_active_i-was-baptized-as-an-infant-i-was-confir_1540218.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-shelby-spong-1488_active_i-was-baptized-as-an-infant-i-was-confir_1540218.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-shelby-spong-1488_active_i-was-baptized-as-an-infant-i-was-confir_1540218.png) > “I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university student group. I was married before the church's altar; trained at the church's seminaries, ordained deacon and priest at age 24.” [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A concise recount of lifelong religious commitment, from infant baptism to priesthood. **In simple terms:** Life dedicated to church service. Key Takeaway Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Themes faith service growth leadership Mood respectful inspirational Type biographical testimonial When to use this quote - church ministry - academic study - family life Key Concepts vocational calling religious formation Questions to Reflect On - What motivated each step? - How do you balance personal and communal faith? A Different Perspective May overlook struggles behind the achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adolescent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescent/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Confirmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confirmed/) [Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priest/) [Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) [Youth Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth-group/) ## Related quotes > [So I was very close to ordination. I was delighted to be ordained a deacon, which is the last step between, before becoming a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keneally/so-i-was-very-close-to-ordination-i-was-delighted-to-be-ordained-a/) [Thomas Keneally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keneally/) > [When we are baptized and confirmed, when brethren are ordained to the priesthood, when we go to the temple and receive our endowment, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/when-we-are-baptized-and-confirmed-when-brethren-are-ordained-to-the/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [ In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an expression of the faith of the person being baptized. I \[do\] not see how… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-baptism-is-an-expression-of-the/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Yet church youth groups rarely teach apologetics, majoring instead on games and goodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/yet-church-youth-groups-rarely-teach-apologetics-majoring-instead-on/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [A move of the Spirit of God is coming to the Catholic Church. The youth in particular will be ignited with a fresh fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-king/a-move-of-the-spirit-of-god-is-coming-to-the-catholic-church-the/) [Patricia King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-king/) > [A Church without Youth is a Church without a future. Moreover, Youth without a Church is Youth without a future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-shenouda-iii-of-alexandria/a-church-without-youth-is-a-church-without-a-future-moreover-youth/) [Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-shenouda-iii-of-alexandria/) > [Here's what people should look at as they look at a public servant. Do they have a passion in their life that showed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/here-s-what-people-should-look-at-as-they-look-at-a-public-servant-do/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [“I’ll never forget the first time Willie asked me out. We liked each other off and on through middle school and high school, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-robertson/i-ll-never-forget-the-first-time-willie-asked-me-out-we-liked-each/) [Willie Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-robertson/) > [We want to encourage people. You are not just another kid in the youth group or the lady on the third row. God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hall/we-want-to-encourage-people-you-are-not-just-another-kid-in-the-youth/) [Mark Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hall/) > [When I interviewed the evangelical Christian youth group who were protesting the Village Voice, I wanted them to feel they could freely tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/when-i-interviewed-the-evangelical-christian-youth-group-who-were/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [“Church is important to most folks in the South. So the most important thing going is basically ruled by men as decreed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-crowder/church-is-important-to-most-folks-in-the-south-so-the-most-important/) [Trae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-crowder/) > [“This faulty model places the professional minister at the center and makes gaining and retaining students the goal. In the case of student ministry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/this-faulty-model-places-the-professional-minister-at-the-center-and/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [“When my youth group leader told all of the kids in youth group that he had burned all of his rock albums, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-swallow-prior/when-my-youth-group-leader-told-all-of-the-kids-in-youth-group-that/) [Karen Swallow Prior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-swallow-prior/) > [No other youth group like the Scouts has trained so many future leaders while at the same time being a nature organization with its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/no-other-youth-group-like-the-scouts-has-trained-so-many-future/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [When my kids were growing up, I wanted their teachers to teach them science, reading, math and history. I also wanted them to care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-my-kids-were-growing-up-i-wanted-their-teachers-to-teach-them/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) ## More by John Shelby Spong > [The way that I see Christianity is that its role is to enhance the life of every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-way-that-i-see-christianity-is-that-its-role-is-to-enhance-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Sins of Scripture is an interesting title; most people don't put sins and scripture together in the same title. It jars people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-sins-of-scripture-is-an-interesting-title-most-people-don-t-put/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-humanity-can-be-humanity-and/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. The primary reason the old idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-see-jesus-as-rescuing-the-fallen-i-see-jesus-as-expanding-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible interprets life from its particular perspective; it does not record in a factual way the human journey through history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-interprets-life-from-its-particular-perspective-it-does-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [My basis of morality is this: does this action enhance life, or does it denigrate life? Does it build up or does it tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/my-basis-of-morality-is-this-does-this-action-enhance-life-or-does-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I want the traditional family upheld, but I don't want it upheld to the detriment of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-want-the-traditional-family-upheld-but-i-don-t-want-it-upheld-to/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible was written between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago, and it's filled with the knowledge that people had in that period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-was-written-between-3-000-and-2-000-years-ago-and-it-s/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We are in a survival mentality, and that's hard-wired into our humanity, because we are the winners of an evolutionary struggle of millions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-are-in-a-survival-mentality-and-that-s-hard-wired-into-our/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Some people think prayer stops bullets or rockets or land mines. It doesn't. That's magic, that's not God. Sometimes, you're just in the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/some-people-think-prayer-stops-bullets-or-rockets-or-land-mines-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-hebrew-scriptures-say-it-s-okay-to-enslave-anybody-except-your/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I know Jerry \[Falwell\] fairly well, and he's probably not bright enough to recognize all of the implications of what he said. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-know-jerry-falwell-fairly-well-and-he-s-probably-not-bright-enough/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Benedict XVI kept saying that homosexuals are deviant. They're not deviant. They're deviant only if you say that anyone who is different from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/benedict-xvi-kept-saying-that-homosexuals-are-deviant-they-re-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I find it fascinating that Paul \[the apostol\], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apostol-writing-to-the-galatians/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) [Explore all 236 John Shelby Spong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## More Active quotes > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I eat healthy most of the time. Whole foods are the best for you when you are super active, so I get plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/i-eat-healthy-most-of-the-time-whole-foods-are-the-best-for-you-when/) [Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/) > [Art shows us how to see things that are constructive and good, and to be an active part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/art-shows-us-how-to-see-things-that-are-constructive-and-good-and-to/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/love-like-truth-and-beauty-is-concrete-love-is-not-fundamentally-a/) [Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/) > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [I stayed in L.A. long enough to get on my feet, and then I moved back to New York. The reason I moved here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-stayed-in-l-a-long-enough-to-get-on-my-feet-and-then-i-moved-back/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [The answer to any challenge you are having has nothing to do with God's willingness to help. It has to do with your acceptance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/the-answer-to-any-challenge-you-are-having-has-nothing-to-do-with-god/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/pete-townsend-for-me-was-a-huge-influence-because-essentially-they/) [Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/) > [There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/there-is-an-enemy-there-is-an-intelligent-active-malign-force-working/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Few, if any, creatures are equally active all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/few-if-any-creatures-are-equally-active-all-night/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You need to enjoy yourself and just get into the routine of keeping fit and enjoying being active. That's always easier once you've made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-brownlee/you-need-to-enjoy-yourself-and-just-get-into-the-routine-of-keeping/) [Alistair Brownlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-brownlee/) Browse all 2,212 Active quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university student group. 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