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These words are quoted in literal conformity to a command of Jesus according to the Bible, commonly called the great commission of : " Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in [or into] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

According to Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and most forms of Protestantism, a baptism is not valid if the trinitarian formula is not used in the administration of that sacrament. Consequently, they may not presume that religious communities that baptize without the trinitarian formula (e.g. Unitarians, who deny the Trinity) are Christian religions.

As well as baptism, the formula is used in other prayers, rites, liturgies, and sacraments.

From the late twentieth century onwards, many Christians have become uncomfortable with the traditionally male representation of God and have sought to de-emphasise or eliminate altogether gender-specific references to God. Some of these indiviuals and groups prefer the formula "in the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier". Others respond that all persons of the Trinity are involved in creation, redemption and sanctificationSanctification means literally to make holy or sacred (compare Latin sanctus 'holy'). The concept of sanctification is widespread among religions, but is perhaps especially common among the various branches of the Christian religion. The core of the conce, and that attempting to redefine the Trinity in terms of "functions" is essentially a form of modalismIn Christianity, Sabellianism (also known as modalism is the second-century belief that the three persons of the Trinity are merely different modes or aspects of God, rather than three distinct persons. It is attributed to Sabellius, who taught a form of. The Catholic church has declared that baptisms carried out under such a formula are not only illicit, but also invalid.

In the University of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is the second-oldest academic institution in the English-speaking world (after Oxford). According to legend, the University was founded in 1209 by scholars escaping Oxford after a fight with locals. Cambridge and the University students are graduated using the formula.