Are pentecostal baptisms recognized as valid?

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I have a sponsor in RCIA who was baptized in the Pentecostal church, and had been received into full communion with the Catholic Church several years ago. Last week I was going over baptism and on a list of invalid baptisms the Pentecostal Church was listed. This list I had was from an RCIA teaching manual from my local diocese. Now I need to do some homework to find out if the paper I have is incorrect, or if she needs to be baptized conditionally.

Does anyone know if Pentecostal baptisms are considered valid by the Catholic Church? I also need a reference for this.

God bless you.
 
I believe there are several different Pentecostal churches. I do know there are “Oneness” Pentecostal churches who only baptize in the name of Jesus, so their baptisms are invalid. However, other Pentecostal denoms are trinitarian, so I believe their baptisms would be valid.
 
I am a cradel Catholic Revert and was baptized in the church and my husband was Mehtodist and baptized in the trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit. We got lead astray and were rebaptized in the river by Pentecostal Independant in the river in the name of Jesus. And I since came back and repented of doubting my original baptism with the faith of the Catholic Church but we were not married in the church so if my DH converts his baptism would be valid I believe. The Jesus only faiths sometimes aren’t even recognized by other faiths.
This makes me wonder just what kind of sin do they have to answer for. I mean these pastors and ministers. the Pentacostal preacher who didn’t relally like to call himself pentacostal was a Catholic brought up till age 11 or 12 and took his brother and all out of the church must have been misled himself. This happend about 30 years ago and is still preaching today. Dessert
 
tracydaisy said:
I have a sponsor in RCIA who was baptized in the Pentecostal church, and had been received into full communion with the Catholic Church several years ago. Last week I was going over baptism and on a list of invalid baptisms the Pentecostal Church was listed. This list I had was from an RCIA teaching manual from my local diocese. Now I need to do some homework to find out if the paper I have is incorrect, or if she needs to be baptized conditionally.

Does anyone know if Pentecostal baptisms are considered valid by the Catholic Church? I also need a reference for this.

God bless you.
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I believe that you already have your answer. Your diocese has published a list and your diocese is the Catholic Church.

The reference is the list published by the diocese.
 
The book Catholicism for Dummies contains a partial list of Protestant denominations whose baptism is accepted by the Catholic Church. The list includes the Church of God (the pentecostal denomination that I grew up in), and, I believe, the Assemblies of God, a larger pentecostal denominations. Both the CoG and the AoG baptise with the Trinitarian formula.

However, a baptism from the United Pentecostal Church (in the name of Jesus only) would not be accepted. If the list mentions just a “Pentecostal Church,” then there is a problem with the list, because there is no such thing.

DaveBj
 
your diocese is the proper source for what baptisms are considered valid. that is because they have researched the various sects that are in your area. for instance, there are several varieties of churches calling themselves Baptist here, besides SB, and some do not have valid baptism, some do. The same with Pentecostals, most here are oneness, deny the Trinity, and therefore have invalid baptisms, but that does not necessarily apply to all sects which use the label Pentecostal in their name. If your diocese has a list that is your authority, call the person in charge of sacraments and liturgy if you have a specific question.
 
Provide documentation from the Pentecostal prayer organization (church), hand it to the pastor and he’ll most likely ask the bishop, who has the final decision on this matter. I wouldn’t fret over the validity as the clergy will determine this for your friend.
 
If this person referred to in OP has already been received into the Church, the facts of his baptism were looked into and established at the time, so not your problem.
 
puzzleannie said:
If this person referred to in OP has already been received into the Church, the facts of his baptism were looked into and established at the time, so not your problem.
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Um, Tracy doesn’t list what her psoition is, so it is possible that it is her issue to at least explore. If she is head of the RCIA program, and the question came up due to the comments by the sponsor, then she would have at least a perceived duty to inquire further.

It is my understanding that if a person is baptized originally in a church that does not use the Trinitarian formula or for other reasons is not recognized as a valid baptism (LDS comes to mind), the individual is not conditionally baptized; they are just baptized. Conditional baptism only occurs where there was a baptism that cannot be confirmed as valid or denied as invalid. For example, someone says they were baptized in, for example, an evangelical church, but there are no records of the baptism and no one who can provide evidence one way of the other as to the validity as the church no longer exists.
 
ByzCath said:
I believe that you already have your answer. Your diocese has published a list and your diocese is the Catholic Church.

The reference is the list published by the diocese.
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Not really.
The RCIA list of invalid baptism stated Pentecostal Baptisms are invalid, but this sponsor’s baptism was accepted.

I questioned the sponsor about the form and matter used during her baptism, and they were valid. I told her that it most likely meant that not all Pentecostal baptism are done with the correct form and matter, but her’s was.
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otjm:
Um, Tracy doesn’t list what her psoition is, so it is possible that it is her issue to at least explore. If she is head of the RCIA program
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I wouldn’t define myself as the head of the RCIA, but I am the teacher, and since I brought a question into the sponsor’s mind I thought I should check into it.

After reading your comments I have one defining question to ask.

In this sponsor’s case there was a correct form and matter present, so her baptism is valid, correct?
I know that the intention of the minister or priest are also important, but how does one know that what it was?
 
tracydaisy said:
Not really.
The RCIA list of invalid baptism stated Pentecostal Baptisms are invalid, but this sponsor’s baptism was accepted.

I questioned the sponsor about the form and matter used during her baptism, and they were valid. I told her that it most likely meant that not all Pentecostal baptism are done with the correct form and matter, but her’s was.

I wouldn’t define myself as the head of the RCIA, but I am the teacher, and since I brought a question into the sponsor’s mind I thought I should check into it.

After reading your comments I have one defining question to ask.

In this sponsor’s case there was a correct form and matter present, so her baptism is valid, correct?
I know that the intention of the minister or priest are also important, but how does one know that what it was?
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The Church presumes the correct intent. The level of intent is not very high: if it were an aetheist doing the baptism, they would only have to have the intent to do what the Church would do; that is, they do not have to believe that there is even a God, or that baptism does anything; they would just have to intend that the baptism did what the Church believed; they would not even have to know what that belief was.

In short, given that it was a minister and the minister did what the church did, using correct form and matter, the intent is presumed by the act itself, the pouring of water (or submersing) and the Trinitarian formula. One does not need to inquire further.
 
It is not really a matter of “what church or religion” the person was baptized in.

The Catholic belief is that a baptism is valid if certain criteria are met.
Proper matter is used (water)
Proper form is used (In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit)
Proper Intent (The person baptizing intends to do what the Church does when it baptizes.)

V. WHO CAN BAPTIZE?

1256 The ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church, also the deacon.57 In case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize58 , by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for salvation.59
 
gvogt4 said:
It is not really a matter of “what church or religion” the person was baptized in.

The Catholic belief is that a baptism is valid if certain criteria are met.
Proper matter is used (water)
Proper form is used (In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit)
Proper Intent (The person baptizing intends to do what the Church does when it baptizes.)

V. WHO CAN BAPTIZE?

1256 The ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church, also the deacon.57 In case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize58 , by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for salvation.59
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That is not entirely correct; some Churches we specifically do not recognize as having a valid baptism; the one that comes to mind immediately is the LDS Church. A person who was baptized in that Church and not elswhere will be baptized (not re-baptized, as we recognize only one baptism, and theirs we do not recognize as a baptism).

Where someone says they were baptized, but cannot show a record of it, they will be conditionally baptized, as there is insufficient evidence one way of the other.
 
otjm said:
That is not entirely correct; some Churches we specifically do not recognize as having a valid baptism; the one that comes to mind immediately is the LDS Church. A person who was baptized in that Church and not elswhere will be baptized (not re-baptized, as we recognize only one baptism, and theirs we do not recognize as a baptism).

Where someone says they were baptized, but cannot show a record of it, they will be conditionally baptized, as there is insufficient evidence one way of the other.
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Dear otjm,

I stand corrected…to a degree. I stated that the Proper Form was “In the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The correct verbage is that the person must be baptized using the Trinitarian formula. Although, the LDS baptizes in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost", they do not technically use the Trinitarian formula as they do not believe in the Trinity. To them “Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and Holy Ghost” are three completely seperate and individual entities. Thus, the intent to do what the Church does is also not present as the Church intends to baptize in the Name of three persons in One God. Hope this clarifies. Thanks.
 
the original advice to OP to check with her diocesan authority is the correct advice. DRE, RCIA catechist, sponsor, cannot make these decisions on their own, which are pastoral decisions, and require the pastor, and in some cases, the local ordinary to decide. She is quite right in inquire and investigate, but nothing we say here is a final answer.
 
tracydaisy said:
I have a sponsor in RCIA who was baptized in the Pentecostal church, and had been received into full communion with the Catholic Church several years ago. Last week I was going over baptism and on a list of invalid baptisms the Pentecostal Church was listed. This list I had was from an RCIA teaching manual from my local diocese. Now I need to do some homework to find out if the paper I have is incorrect, or if she needs to be baptized conditionally.

Does anyone know if Pentecostal baptisms are considered valid by the Catholic Church? I also need a reference for this.

God bless you.
Click to expand...
hi tracydaisy!tell when was the apostle peter baptized? in fact, when were the twelve disciples baptized? please study your bible -k- it’s alright to open it
 
tracydaisy said:
I have a sponsor in RCIA who was baptized in the Pentecostal church, and had been received into full communion with the Catholic Church several years ago. Last week I was going over baptism and on a list of invalid baptisms the Pentecostal Church was listed. This list I had was from an RCIA teaching manual from my local diocese. Now I need to do some homework to find out if the paper I have is incorrect, or if she needs to be baptized conditionally.

Does anyone know if Pentecostal baptisms are considered valid by the Catholic Church? I also need a reference for this.

God bless you.
Click to expand...
Lists of Christian Communities who’s Baptisms are accepted or rejected should always be guides. Each persons Baptism is required to be investigated for validity, some more specifically then others. But each must have a basic set of questions asked about it and if truly questionable, private conditional Baptism should be done ASAP.
 
puzzleannie said:
the original advice to OP to check with her diocesan authority is the correct advice. DRE, RCIA catechist, sponsor, cannot make these decisions on their own, which are pastoral decisions, and require the pastor, and in some cases, the local ordinary to decide. She is quite right in inquire and investigate, but nothing we say here is a final answer.
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hello puzzleannie, i find it fascinating that their are so many following this religion without any questions whatsoever. and if there is any questions, it’s not the bible that is turned too. its the dogma of a religion. i’m not trying to be mean, just baffled that noone wants to give tracydaisy scripture references but thet do want to give her rules and regulations. help me understand why this is so…thank you
 
meandean said:
hello puzzleannie, i find it fascinating that their are so many following this religion without any questions whatsoever. and if there is any questions, it’s not the bible that is turned too. its the dogma of a religion. i’m not trying to be mean, just baffled that noone wants to give tracydaisy scripture references but thet do want to give her rules and regulations. help me understand why this is so…thank you
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there may be certains rules and laws that are federal and there may be certain rules and laws that are state-mandated and expand on the federal laws as is allowed. Same thing with the Church–what one ecclesiastical community allows does not hae to be what the Church allows. this question is about CATHOLIC practice–so your ‘answer’ and interruption is irrelevant and shows your ignorance. If you don’t know the CATHOLIC answer–then don’t answer. It only shows you up for a troll when you speak out of the aperature that is not your mouth.

"are pentecostal baptisms recognized as valid? " (TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH not TO THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH–duh!) Are you CATHOLIC? Then how would you know the answer?

I am very grouchy today. sick and tired of being attacked on a CATHOLIC forum by PROTESTANT TROLLS.

pray for me.
 
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