Do you need to be baptized again if you become an atheist?

  • Thread starter Thread starter followingtheway
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
F

followingtheway

Guest
If an atheist becomes a revert to Catholicism, do he/she need to be baptized again?
 
As we profess in the creed, “I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins”
 
No. The Catholic Church believes in one baptism, and that valid baptism cannot be repeated. So if someone was validly baptized, then that baptism is considered valid for life and it cannot be undone by mortal sin, including that of apostasy (i.e. becoming an atheist). With that said, the Catholic Church teaches that mortal sins do destroy one’s relationship with God and thus make that person in need of reconciliation with God and the Church in order to enter the eternal beatitude (Heaven) and escape the just eternal retribution for their sin (Hell). This reconciliation is normally given by God and received by the penitent sinner through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also called Penance or Confession).
 
Once baptized, always baptized. The question would only be if it’s a valid baptism. If it’s not, then it would need to be repeated. If it was, it wouldn’t.
 
MattofTexas said:
No. The Catholic Church believes in one baptism, and that valid baptism cannot be repeated. So if someone was validly baptized, then that baptism is considered valid for life and it cannot be undone by mortal sin, including that of apostasy (i.e. becoming an atheist). With that said, the Catholic Church teaches that mortal sins do destroy one’s relationship with God and thus make that person in need of reconciliation with God and the Church in order to enter the eternal beatitude (Heaven) and escape the just eternal retribution for their sin (Hell). This reconciliation is normally given by God and received by the penitent sinner through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also called Penance or Confession).
Click to expand...
The mortal sin of apostasy? Does that mean ex-Catholic atheists go to Hell?
 
followingtheway said:
The mortal sin of apostasy? Does that mean ex-Catholic atheists go to Hell?
Click to expand...
There is no such thing as an ex-Catholic. Once a Catholic always a Catholic and such a person is either in a state of grace or a state of mortal sin. A Catholic who turns his back on the Church or indeed then rejects God is in a state of mortal sin and will go to Hell if dying unrepentant.
 
followingtheway said:
The mortal sin of apostasy? Does that mean ex-Catholic atheists go to Hell?
Click to expand...
The Church has not declared anyone to be in Hell, or said who is in Hell. We can’t judge peoples soul’s.

That being said, the Church dogmatically teaches that those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into Hell. Moral Sin, that is, Grave Sin done with full knowledge and deliberate consent destroys our relationship with God because it is a rejection of him.

Apostasy, that is, leaving God’s one ark of Salvation, The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, is a very grave sin and put’s one soul in dire jeopardy. As the Second Vatican Council said “** Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.**” You can find that in Section 846-848 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
 
TRH1292 said:
The Church has not declared anyone to be in Hell, or said who is in Hell. We can’t judge peoples soul’s.

That being said, the Church dogmatically teaches that those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into Hell. Moral Sin, that is, Grave Sin done with full knowledge and deliberate consent destroys our relationship with God because it is a rejection of him.

Apostasy, that is, leaving God’s one ark of Salvation, The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, is a very grave sin and put’s one soul in dire jeopardy. As the Second Vatican Council said “** Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.**” You can find that in Section 846-848 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Click to expand...
As stated we cannot presume to know anyone’s standing before God, if they are in Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven (with the exception of the canonized saints). The Bible tells us not to speculate about such things (cf. Rom. 10:6-7). With that said the Church teaches that those who die without repenting of their mortal sins go to hell. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean sacramental confession (for God is not bound by His sacraments and may show mercy to anyone, especially those who wish to repent but die before having the chance to put their desire into action).

As stated, anyone who knows the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation and still leaves or refuses to join would be mortally sinning. So if a faithful Catholic lost his or her faith and completely repudiated the Christian faith (apostasy) by denouncing the very existence of God, he or she could be in a state or mortal sin. I say could because there are factors that might reduce his or her culpability for these actions. After all maybe they don’t really know that the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation because after being baptized as an infant their parents stopped taking them to Church, etc. We can’t judge or speak to any particular situation, but only state what the Church teaches.

In any case re-baptism is not possible given the nature of the Sacrament of Baptism (it can only be performed once, so if it was done validly it can’t be undone and if it was done invalidly it’s as if the “baptized person” was never baptized and they are truly an unbaptized person), so said Catholic turned atheist would not be baptized again and would need to confer with the pastor at their parish to determine what they need to do in order to be returned to a state of grace and receive Holy Communion. If the person was never catechized and confirmed they might need to go through RCIA in order to revert to the Catholic Church.
 
MattofTexas said:
As stated we cannot presume to know anyone’s standing before God, if they are in Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven (with the exception of the canonized saints). The Bible tells us not to speculate about such things (cf. Rom. 10:6-7). With that said the Church teaches that those who die without repenting of their mortal sins go to hell. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean sacramental confession (for God is not bound by His sacraments and may show mercy to anyone, especially those who wish to repent but die before having the chance to put their desire into action).

As stated, anyone who knows the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation and still leaves or refuses to join would be mortally sinning. So if a faithful Catholic lost his or her faith and completely repudiated the Christian faith (apostasy) by denouncing the very existence of God, he or she could be in a state or mortal sin. I say could because there are factors that might reduce his or her culpability for these actions. After all maybe they don’t really know that the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation because after being baptized as an infant their parents stopped taking them to Church, etc. We can’t judge or speak to any particular situation, but only state what the Church teaches.

In any case re-baptism is not possible given the nature of the Sacrament of Baptism (it can only be performed once, so if it was done validly it can’t be undone and if it was done invalidly it’s as if the “baptized person” was never baptized and they are truly an unbaptized person), so said Catholic turned atheist would not be baptized again and would need to confer with the pastor at their parish to determine what they need to do in order to be returned to a state of grace and receive Holy Communion. If the person was never catechized and confirmed they might need to go through RCIA in order to revert to the Catholic Church.
Click to expand...
👍
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top