Matthew 28:19 — "Baptize in the Name"

The Waldensian tradition affirms Matthew 28:19 as the normative command for Christian baptism. Baptism is administered 'in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,' affirming both the Trinitarian nature of God and the proper administration of this central sacrament.

For the Waldensians, baptism is the public profession of faith in Christ and entry into the Christian community. Matthew 28:19 grounds this practice historically and biblically. The Trinitarian formula connects baptism to the Trinitarian confession that stands at the heart of Christian orthodoxy, which the Waldensians have historically affirmed against Anti-Trinitarian heresies.

The Waldensian understanding of baptism reflects the medieval and Reformation emphasis on believers' baptism following a credible profession of faith (rather than infant baptism). Matthew 28:19 is read as addressing believers capable of responding to the Gospel call and professing faith in the Trinitarian God.