Question on the validity of a baptism

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ChickenFingers

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I was baptized in a Baptist church when I was in elementary school, one dunk in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When I converted to the Church it didn’t seem like an issue. A few years ago I left the Church and ventured into Orthodoxy. The priest there baptized me again, saying that one dunk was not correct. Now I want to return to the Church.

My question is was the Orthodox priest correct and the baptism of one dunk was invalid in some way? What kind of implications would that have for my confirmation? If the Orthodox priest was incorrect, would I need to confess my second baptism as a sacrilege?

Thanks!
 
It’s a moot point as to whether the Baptist baptism was valid, since you got baptized in the Orthodox Church. That baptism would’ve certainly been valid. You don’t need to confess that as sacrilege. It’s not like you intended such. You were doing what is fairly standard practice in Orthodoxy.

As for the implications it has for your confirmation, were you not chrismated when you entered the Orthodox Church? If you were, you don’t need to be confirmed again.

-Fr ACEGC
 
edward_george1 said:
You were doing what is fairly standard practice in Orthodoxy.
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Its interesting that Orthodoxy has a very low bar for “re-baptism”, while Catholicism seems very hesitant to conditionally baptize…despite both Churches professing “one baptism”.
 
I should say, it’s standard practice in some jurisdictions. It varies across Orthodoxy. Some Dioceses will happily receive a former Roman priest and acknowledge his orders. Some will go so far as to rebaptize him. Depends on where you’re at and which Church we’re talking about.
 
twf said:
Its interesting that Orthodoxy has a very low bar for “re-baptism”,
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a college classmate of mine who converted to Orthodoxy was actually re-baptised. he converted to the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
 
That’s not the reason. Conditional baptism is only to be done in case of a doubt about the validity of baptism. If someone is baptized validly outside the Church, it would not respect the sacrament to baptize them again. If anything it highlights the position of the Church as being the one Church, since it sends the signal that even those who are outside her visible confines are perhaps more Catholic than they realize.
 
It’s valid. You were Catholic at one point, from what I recall reading another thread of yours, right?
 
Then I’m assuming you were confirmed Catholic, then rebaptized and chrismated Orthodox?
 
Okay so your first confirmation was valid. All you need to do to return to the church is go to Confession. Mention that you joined the Orthodox Church for a time.

@acanonlawyer can give you more information on potential canonical issues that might arise.
 
From a Catholic perspective, the Baptist baptism was valid - as long as the Trinitarian formula was used with water - which appears to be what happened and what was decided when you converted to Catholicism.

As to Orthodoxy, it’s a bit more complicated. Many Orthodox take the position that “sacraments” performed by non-Orthodox are “graceless” i.e., invalid. Others take the position that whatever was lacking in those “sacraments” is supplied by an exercise in “economy” when the person converts. hence, some Orthodox will insist on all new sacraments and some will not. Very few Orthodox take a more “Catholic” view akin to ex opere operato .

As to the single dunk, the Orthodox formula includes a 3x immersion. (Note even in an emergency, Orthodox will ease up on requirements - but this was not an emergency) So…from that Orthodox priest’s perspective it apparently was invalid. The Orthodox, while believing in only one Baptism, take a view that a “second” Baptism is not really a “second” if the first was valid - God will know. Hence they are more willing to do it again as compared to Catholics.

Catholics, as you know, take a more structured view and insist on a conditional Baptism if a second try is needed.

As to Chrismation - if you received that in the Orthodox Church, you do not need Confirmation - you are Confirmed.

As to confessing if you are concerned, just do it…

Be sure you mention all this to the priest you are involved with…relying on a Forum in such matters is not definitive.
 
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Again, all of this is moot. The OP was baptized and confirmed as a Catholic between being baptized Baptist and being baptized and chrismated Orthodox.
 
Oh - missed this. Just talk to your priest and confess if you are at all concerned.
 
twf said:
Its interesting that Orthodoxy has a very low bar for “re-baptism”, while Catholicism seems very hesitant to conditionally baptize…despite both Churches professing “one baptism”.
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Even if you were baptized with a totally correct formula in a Protestant denomination, many Orthodox priests would still allow you to have an Orthodox baptism if you wish. There are extra prayers before our baptisms (exorcistic prayers), and with an Orthodox priest administering there’s no doubt whether everything was “by the book”.
ChickenFingers said:
I was baptized in a Baptist church when I was in elementary school … A few years ago I left the Church and ventured into Orthodoxy. The priest there baptized me again, saying that one dunk was not correct. Now I want to return to the Church.
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It sounds like you’ve had quite the spiritual adventure! (Baptist - Catholic - Orthodox). Are you fully intent on changing, then?
 
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ReaderT said:
Even if you were baptized with a totally correct formula in a Protestant denomination, many Orthodox priests would still allow you to have an Orthodox baptism if you wish.
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That’s cool to know. It’s a shame the RCC seems so hung up on ecumenism to make sure a sacrament is performed correctly.
 
ReaderT said:
It sounds like you’ve had quite the spiritual adventure! (Baptist - Catholic - Orthodox).
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It isn’t that exciting! I was raised in a liberal Protestant household and didn’t really take religion seriously until college when I started looking into Catholicism. And I am not 100% set in stone on anything. It really feels like a game of ping pong where I bounce back between Catholicism and Orthodoxy
 
ReaderT said:
Even if you were baptized with a totally correct formula in a Protestant denomination, many Orthodox priests would still allow you to have an Orthodox baptism if you wish. There are extra prayers before our baptisms (exorcistic prayers), and with an Orthodox priest administering there’s no doubt whether everything was “by the book”.
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My aunt converted from Protestantism to Orthodoxy, and she was received via chrismation only. She wasn’t even coming from a mainline denomination…she most likely had a pretty bare bones Evangelical style single dunk baptism.
Of course the priest who received her is himself a convert from Pentecostalism…not sure if that makes a difference. OCA btw.
 
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