Catholic Acceptance of Baptist Baptism

[runningdude]

A bit of background on why I’m asking this. A friend of mine was secretly baptized Catholic by her Grandmother, and subsequently raised Baptist by her parents, and eventually chose an adult Baptism by immersion when she was older. I have no doubt that the first Baptism was valid (if not necessarily licit due to lack of parental consent).

Now, she isn’t going to convert to Catholicism anytime soon, but my question is about those who receive only the Baptist Baptism. According to my friend, Baptist’s don’t believe that Baptism has any spiritual effect, but is merely a public profession of one’s faith. They believe accept Jesus Christ as their savior is enough. They do believe however that they are Baptizing in the Christ commanded for their understanding of the church. My question is they come home to the Catholic Church, do we recognize this as a valid Baptism?

Does this Baptism confers Christ’s saving grace despite their difference in understanding of what happens in Baptism?

 

[crazzeto]

For the sacrament to be valid you need proper Form + Matter & Intent. I guess it’s hard to speak to the intent part there, but I would say actually the CC is pretty accepting of interfaith baptisms. As long as it uses the trinitarian forumla… Unfortunetly intent (beyond proper form) isn’t something the CC can really judge, particularly with such a disjointed faith as the baptist churches. Anyway, your friend is properly baptised, so they have no need to go through it again.

 

[TriuneUnity]

A bit of background on why I’m asking this. A friend of mine was secretly baptized Catholic by her Grandmother, and subsequently raised Baptist by her parents, and eventually chose an adult Baptism by immersion when she was older. I have no doubt that the first Baptism was valid (if not necessarily licit due to lack of parental consent).

Now, she isn’t going to convert to Catholicism anytime soon, but my question is about those who receive only the Baptist Baptism. According to my friend, Baptist’s don’t believe that Baptism has any spiritual effect, but is merely a public profession of one’s faith. They believe accept Jesus Christ as their savior is enough. They do believe however that they are Baptizing in the Christ commanded for their understanding of the church. My question is they come home to the Catholic Church, do we recognize this as a valid Baptism?

Does this Baptism confers Christ’s saving grace despite their difference in understanding of what happens in Baptism?

While not coming from precisely the same angle as Roman Catholicism, we (Lutherans) are pretty much the same as regards validity. In the case of your friend, her first baptism was valid, but illicit. Therefore, her Baptist immersion was not a baptism because she was already baptized as an infant.

However, someone who was not baptized as an infant but later on in a Baptist church would be receiving a valid baptism. That they don’t believe it regenerates has no bearing on its validity because its validity comes from being baptized according to Christ’s institution. Incidentally, we do believe it grants the gifts of rebirth and the Holy Spirit, even if they don’t.

 

[UNITE_MY_WILL]

I was baptized in the Baptist faith at the age 13 after “accepting Christ” before converting to catholicism at age 20. It was accepted by the Church as a valid baptism due to the fact that the trinitarian formula was used.

Peace,
T

 

[Nicea325]

**A bit of background on why I’m asking this. A friend of mine was secretly baptized Catholic by her Grandmother, and subsequently raised Baptist by her parents, and eventually chose an adult Baptism by immersion when she was older. I have no doubt that the first Baptism was valid (if not necessarily licit due to lack of parental consent).

Now, she isn’t going to convert to Catholicism anytime soon, but my question is about those who receive only the Baptist Baptism. According to my friend, Baptist’s don’t believe that Baptism has any spiritual effect, but is merely a public profession of one’s faith. They believe accept Jesus Christ as their savior is enough. They do believe however that they are Baptizing in the Christ commanded for their understanding of the church. My question is they come home to the Catholic Church, do we recognize this as a valid Baptism?

Does this Baptism confers Christ’s saving grace despite their difference in understanding of what happens in Baptism? **

If one is baptized in the Trinitarian Formula,it is valid regardless of which Christian traditon one followed in the past. Does not matter your friend was baptized ‘again’ because God does not need to know twice. Baptizing people again with the same formula is like telling God the first one was not valid.

As for when your friend was baptized ‘secretly’ by her grandmother? If I am correct,it is licit due to the fact anyone can baptize,of course under specific circumstances.

 

[DorianGregorian]

The Trinitarian formula does not guarantee validity of a Sacrament. If somebody “baptizes” without beliving that it is necessary for Salvation, it is not a “baptism.” This obviously puts positive doubt on the validity of a Baptist baptism.

Now, (correct me if I’m wrong), the RCC has to follow procedure that a Sacrament is valid until positive doubt occurs (obviously, otherwise the people could start calling every Baptism and Eucharist into question). However when this is not a Sacramental Baptism (unlike those in the Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran) there is a positive doubt. I believe those in the Baptist and the “brands” of Christianity native to the US should be conditionally re-baptized. This is a tricky question.

And BTW the form can vary as long as the Trinity is named which is why Orthodox Baptisms are certainly and doubtlessly Valid (Eastern Christians generally administer Sacraments in the third-person, This servant of God N. is Baptized ITNFSAHS).

Mormons and Pentecostal (“oneness” Churches who teach the modalist heresy) are certainly Invalid as they do not teach the Trinity in accord with Apostolic, Biblical, and Nicene doctrine. This is why they are unconditionally re-baptized, along with so called “auto-baptism” (Baptizing onesself).