Do Baptists Baptise?

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Oxford_Cleric

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A random thought popped into my head the other day - am I baptized? I received immersion baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Baptist denomination at the age of fifteen upon profession of faith (I didn’t really grasp what I was doing, but that’s another story).

I know that the Trinitarian form was OK, but did the pastor have the intention of doing what the Church does? (BTW, I converted to Catholicism in 1992). In Baptist thought, baptism is merely an initiatory rite performed in obedience to Christ’s command, but does not itself save; only the profession of faith does that.

I’m asking this because of the distinctive, and ironic, Baptist belief in the relative unimportance of baptism. If this has already been discussed somewhere, I plead sloth and crave your counsel. Thanks!
 
Oxford_Cleric said:
A random thought popped into my head the other day - am I baptized? I received immersion baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Baptist denomination at the age of fifteen upon profession of faith (I didn’t really grasp what I was doing, but that’s another story).

I know that the Trinitarian form was OK, but did the pastor have the intention of doing what the Church does? (BTW, I converted to Catholicism in 1992). In Baptist thought, baptism is merely an initiatory rite performed in obedience to Christ’s command, but does not itself save; only the profession of faith does that.

I’m asking this because of the distinctive, and ironic, Baptist belief in the relative unimportance of baptism. If this has already been discussed somewhere, I plead sloth and crave your counsel. Thanks!
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If you’re talking about Catholicism, Catholicism accepts Baptist baptism.

I’m sorry you were exposed to those who thought it was relatively unimportant. Not all of us think that way. It’s a stereotype.
 
Gaelic_Bard said:
If you’re talking about Catholicism, Catholicism accepts Baptist baptism.

I’m sorry you were exposed to those who thought it was relatively unimportant. Not all of us think that way. It’s a stereotype.
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Thanks for you response, Gaelic Bard (nice name). I expressed myself badly when I wrote “relatively unimportant”. What I meant was “non-regenerative”. Its importance in Baptist thought is of course huge.
 
Oxford_Cleric said:
A random thought popped into my head the other day - am I baptized? I received immersion baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Baptist denomination at the age of fifteen upon profession of faith (I didn’t really grasp what I was doing, but that’s another story).

I know that the Trinitarian form was OK, but did the pastor have the intention of doing what the Church does? (BTW, I converted to Catholicism in 1992). In Baptist thought, baptism is merely an initiatory rite performed in obedience to Christ’s command, but does not itself save; only the profession of faith does that.

I’m asking this because of the distinctive, and ironic, Baptist belief in the relative unimportance of baptism. If this has already been discussed somewhere, I plead sloth and crave your counsel. Thanks!
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Yep! Valid! If it were no valid or in question, the CC would have performed a conditional baptism.
 
The Catholic Church’s view of a valid baptism does not have to do with the intention per say. It does have to be done with the intention to baptize, but whether the person doing it believes in what we believe it does or not, does not matter. The Church even says that an atheist can validly baptize in extreme circumstances.

For the baptism to be valid (based on my knowledge of Church teaching), it must meet the following criteria:
  1. The one baptizing should have the intention to baptize.
  2. The one being baptized is doing so of their own will, or the will of the parents/guardians for those under the age of reason.
  3. Must be done in the Trinitarian form (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
  4. Must be done with the proper understanding of the Trinity
The last part is why Mormon, JW, and a few other baptisms are not seen as valid.
 
bzkoss236 said:
The Catholic Church’s view of a valid baptism does not have to do with the intention per say. It does have to be done with the intention to baptize, but whether the person doing it believes in what we believe it does or not, does not matter. The Church even says that an atheist can validly baptize in extreme circumstances.

For the baptism to be valid (based on my knowledge of Church teaching), it must meet the following criteria:
  1. The one baptizing should have the intention to baptize.
  2. The one being baptized is doing so of their own will, or the will of the parents/guardians for those under the age of reason.
  3. Must be done in the Trinitarian form (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
  4. Must be done with the proper understanding of the Trinity
The last part is why Mormon, JW, and a few other baptisms are not seen as valid.
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Another important requirement of the Sacrament of Baptism is matter. In this case it is water. So we have (1) form (the Trinitarian formula) and (2) matter (water).

*THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM (from the CCC)

1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua),and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.”

WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT CALLED?

1214 This sacrament is called Baptism, after the central rite by which it is carried out: to baptize (Greek baptizein) means to “plunge” or “immerse”; the “plunge” into the water symbolizes the catechumen’s burial into Christ’s death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him, as “a new creature.”

1215 This sacrament is also called “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without which no one “can enter the kingdom of God.”
*
 
Reuben_J said:
Another important requirement of the Sacrament of Baptism is matter. In this case it is water. So we have (1) form (the Trinitarian formula) and (2) matter (water).

*THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM (from the CCC)

1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua),and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word.”

WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT CALLED?

1214 This sacrament is called Baptism, after the central rite by which it is carried out: to baptize (Greek baptizein) means to “plunge” or “immerse”; the “plunge” into the water symbolizes the catechumen’s burial into Christ’s death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him, as “a new creature.”

1215 This sacrament is also called “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without which no one “can enter the kingdom of God.”
*
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How in the world could I have forgotten WATER!?!..
Can you tell it’s been a long day…
 
bzkoss236 said:
How in the world could I have forgotten WATER!?!..
Can you tell it’s been a long day…
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No, you didn’t. 😉 It is just that sometimes the unspoken is what we often take for granted. I am not correcting you. I thought for the information of non-Catholics I was just saying the obvious. 🙂
 
Reuben_J said:
No, you didn’t. 😉 It is just that sometimes the unspoken is what we often take for granted. I am not correcting you. I thought for the information of non-Catholics I was just saying the obvious. 🙂
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And this, by the way, is what I have long thought is at least a reasonable response to the question of why XYZ Catholic doctrines and practices are not explicitly spelled out in the New Testament. The Christian communities to whom the New Testament letters were written had already been catechized on them and were actively practicing and believing these things. They were not in dispute by anybody; therefore Peter and Paul and the others didn’t need to address or emphasize them in their sometimes “emergency” letters.
 
Oxford_Cleric said:
And this, by the way, is what I have long thought is at least a reasonable response to the question of why XYZ Catholic doctrines and practices are not explicitly spelled out in the New Testament. The Christian communities to whom the New Testament letters were written had already been catechized on them and were actively practicing and believing these things. They were not in dispute by anybody; therefore Peter and Paul and the others didn’t need to address or emphasize them in their sometimes “emergency” letters.
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This makes me feel better
 
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