Russell Brand calls baptism ‘incredible, profound experience’

Actor Russell Brand says he feels “blessed” after being baptised on Sunday.

He has often talked about Christianity on social media and at last took the plunge over the weekend, being baptised within the River Thames.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Brand said it was an “incredible, profound experience” and gave him the peace he had been looking for.

“As a one that previously has taken many, many substances and all the time been disillusioned with their inability to deliver the sort of tranquility and peace and even transcendence that I all the time felt I’ve been searching for, something occurred within the means of baptism that was incredible, overwhelming … so I felt modified, transitioned,” he said. 

Brand said that although he still had “challenges” within the “real world”, he feels “as if some latest resource inside me has switched on”. 

He said that although he isn’t perfect and can make mistakes, he has committed to this path and already feels “blessed, relieved, nourished, held”. 

He went on to say that his latest Christian faith was a “joy” to him and he felt “so grateful” for the individuals who have embraced him.

He concluded, “I’m so grateful to be surrendered in Christ.”

Just a few days before being baptised, he shared a post talking about his plans and what it meant to him, calling it a moment to “die and be reborn”. 

He suggested that turning to Christianity was a natural alternative as the fashionable value system collapses. 

“As meaning deteriorates in the fashionable world, as our price systems and institutions crumble, all of us turn into increasingly aware that there may be this eerily familiar awakening and beckoning figure that we have all known all of our lives, inside us and around us. And for me, it’s totally exciting,” he said. 

In a recent post, he talked about wearing a cross “because Christianity and, particularly, the figure of Christ, are, it seems to me, inevitably becoming more vital as I turn into more conversant in suffering, purpose, self, and not-self”. 

London’s Metropolitan Police are still investigating allegations of rape and serious sexual misconduct levelled against Brand last yr. Brand has denied the allegations.