Is there a law that supports one Baptism?

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dhgray

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In the creed we say, “one baptism for the remission of sins.” I understand that is why when a Christian person converts to Catholicism they do not need to be baptized again (if done in the proper form the first time).

What is the Canon or other law that supports this?

Thank you.
 
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These two canons in the Code of Canon Law seem to apply:
Can. 864 Every person not yet baptized and only such a person is capable of baptism. (source)
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Can. 869 §1. If there is a doubt whether a person has been baptized or whether baptism was conferred validly and the doubt remains after a serious investigation, baptism is to be conferred conditionally.

§2. Those baptized in a non-Catholic ecclesial community must not be baptized conditionally unless, after an examination of the matter and the form of the words used in the conferral of baptism and a consideration of the intention of the baptized adult and the minister of the baptism, a serious reason exists to doubt the validity of the baptism.

§3. If in the cases mentioned in §§1 and 2 the conferral or validity of the baptism remains doubtful, baptism is not to be conferred until after the doctrine of the sacrament of baptism is explained to the person to be baptized, if an adult, and the reasons of the doubtful validity of the baptism are explained to the person or, in the case of an infant, to the parents. (source)
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dhgray said:
What is the Canon or other law that supports this?
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It is important to note that the reason for One Baptism is doctrinal. The Creeds and Canon Law codify and enforce the underlying doctrine. They do not define the doctrine, which has been in place since the days of the apostles, and reaffirmed at numerous early councils of bishops.
 
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Some sacraments are by their nature repeatable. Confession, the Eucharist, Matrimony in the case of a widow or widower.

Some sacraments are by nature one-time-only. Holy Orders, which makes a man a priest. Confirmation. Baptism.
 
The Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders confers a “character”, which is why they can only be received once. If any of these sacraments was doubtful or invalid (e.g. I baptize you in the name of the Creator, Redeemer & Sanctifier - don’t laugh; the CDF actually condemned this under then-Cardinal Ratzinger), then it is administered conditionally (I.e. "If you are not baptized, then I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit), as @Todd_Easton and @Zaccheus posted. (N.B. The Eastern Catholic Churches have a different formula of Baptism.)
 
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As runningdude says, the creeds and church laws reflect theology, not the other way around. It is Divine law that baptism can only be administered once. This is reflected in the creeds, the Code of Canon Law and the rubrics of the relevant liturgical books.
 
CCC #1272-1274
1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark ( character ) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.83 Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.

1273 Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship.84 The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity.85

1274 The Holy Spirit has marked us with the seal of the Lord (“Dominicus character”) "for the day of redemption."86 "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life."87 The faithful Christian who has “kept the seal” until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith,"88 with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.

Footnotes
83 Cf. Rom 8:29; Council of Trent (1547): DS 1609-1619.
84 Cf. LG 11.
85 Cf. LG 10.
86 St. Augustine, Ep. 98,5:PL 33,362; Eph 4:30; cf. 1:13-14; 2 Cor 1:21-22.
87 St. Irenaeus, Dem ap. 3:SCh 62,32.
88 Roman Missal , EP I (Roman Canon) 97.
 
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Divine teaching (law) preempts and predates Canon law.

The Apostle Paul clearly teaches that there is One baptism.

Since the vast majority of Protestants have valid baptisms, converts are rarely baptized from those denominations.

Deacon Christopher
 
Some non-Catholic baptisms need to be investigated before being accepted into the Catholic Church due to non-uniform practices including Mennonite, Moravian, Pentecostal, and Seventh Day Adventist.

Some non-Catholic Baptism are considered invalid or non-existent such as the Apostolic church, Bohemian Free Thinkers, Christadelphians, Christian Community of Rudolf Steiner, Christian Scientists, Church of Divine Science, Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons), Church of the Universal Brotherhood (Doukhobors), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Masons, the New Church of Mr. Emmanuel Swedenborg (Church of the New Jerusalem in the USA), People’s Church of Chicago, Reunification Church (Moonies), Salvation Army, Shakers, Quakers, and Unitarians.
 
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I’m surprised it isn’t standard practice to always conditionally baptize protestant converts.
 
The creed isn’t a law it is a statement of the common core tenets of faith, something we all hold as true.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
 
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MiserereMeiDei said:
I’m surprised it isn’t standard practice to always conditionally baptize protestant converts.
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My guess is, and this is only a guess, is that they don’t want conditional baptism to be treated as a “second baptism”.
 
It’s TRUE. So its law. The creed is law. It didnt just appear one day because someone thought it sounded good. It was decided upon by the Church. As law.
 
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We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

The above is a statement of belief.

Thou salt not kill
Thou salt not commit adultery
Thou shall not steal

These are laws

Believing in baptism isn’t a law

How it is administered can be.

Hope that helps

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
 
No it doesnt help. Your definitions are faulty. The truths (not beliefs) in the creed are law. We profess our belief in those truths or laws when we say the creed. It’s the same as saying “I believe the 10 commandments” you believe the truth if the law.
 
law1

/lô/

noun
the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.

"they were taken to court for breaking the law "

creed

/krēd/

noun
  1. a system of Christian or other religious belief; a faith.
a formal statement of Christian beliefs, especially the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed.

noun: Creed ; noun: the Creed

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
 
I really have no idea what you are saying. The creed is law. It isn’t the entirety of the law. I cant make it any more plain than I have. I guess we can move on rather than continue fruitlessly.
 
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