Baptism with the Holy Spirit

In Christian theology, baptism with the Holy Spirit, also called baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in the Holy Ghost, has been interpreted by different Christian denominations and traditions in a variety of ways due to differences in the doctrines of salvation and ecclesiology. It is frequently associated with incorporation into the Christian Church, the bestowal of spiritual gifts, and empowerment for Christian ministry. Spirit baptism has been variously defined as part of the sacraments of initiation into the church, as being synonymous with regeneration, or as being synonymous with Christian perfection. The term baptism with the Holy Spirit originates in the New Testament, and all Christian traditions accept it as a theological concept.

Prior to the 18th century, most denominations believed that Christians received the baptism with the Holy Spirit either upon conversion and regeneration or through rites of Christian initiation, such as water baptism and confirmation. Methodism and the holiness movement, which began in the mid-18th century, teach that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the same as entire sanctification, which is believed to be a second work of grace. In the 20th century, Pentecostalism associated Spirit baptism with the gift of speaking in tongues (glossolalia) and spiritual empowerment. As Pentecostalism continued to grow, the belief that Spirit baptism is distinct from regeneration and Christian initiation became prevalent.