What is baptism on behalf of the dead? Is the Catholic Church still doing anything like this?

[iaskquestions]

“Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?” (1 Cor 15:29)

 

[YADA]

Paul is speaking to the people from their experiences. In a city named Eleusis near Corinth a pagan religion flourised where baptism in the sea was practiced to guarantee a good afterlife. The Corinthians may have even practiced this before becoming Christian …

Read the passage in context … Paul is speaking about the certainty of resurrection from the dead … with Jesus being the first … he alludes to this pagan practice … he uses the word THEY … not the communal WE … as in “They are baptized for the dead” … NOT … “We baptize for the dead” …

Paul quotes and uses pagan stories in several places … quoting Epimenides … read the story of Epimenides [you can google search] and will learn how the altar to the Unknown God came to be built in Athens … we don’t hear the old story in Paul’s address to the men of Athens … but the Athenians know the story … Paul intoduces that “unknown God” to the Athenians as Jesus Christ …

A similar tactic is being usd here …

Now the Mormons use this text as a basis for baptizing live individuals non behalf of the dead … no historical evidence has Christians dooing this …

Homer does make reference to this pagan practice …

 

[adstrinity]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=251968

 

[YADA]

Here ar some links to articles that deal with this questions …

Here is one that discusses the pagan practice I had read about before:

carm.org/questions/baptismfordead.htm

This one atcually has some historical references to rare Christian practice *

fairlds.org/Misc/Baptism_for_the_Dead_the_Coptic_Rationale.html

This is a site that discusses the practice from a Mormon perspective: I do not advocate this position but some of the LDS on CAF might choose to present this information:

jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_BaptDead.shtml

AS Paul twice quites Epimenides and makes references to the Stoics and Epicureans and uses the Socratic arguemnent well INMO, the arguement that this is an appeal to some other groups practice to illustrate the efficacy of Christ’s sacrafice seems to me the most plausible …*

 

[thistle]

“Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?” (1 Cor 15:29)

D-R Bible, Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 29. Who are baptized for the dead.[1] He still brings other proofs of the resurrection. This is a hard place, and the words are differently expounded. 1. Several late interpreters understand a metaphorical baptism, and that to be baptized for the dead, is to undertake self-denials, mortifications, and works of penance, in hopes of a happy resurrection; and this exposition agrees with what follows, of being exposed to dangers every hour, of dying daily, &c. But if this had been the apostle’s meaning, he would rather have said, Who baptize themselves. Besides, this exposition is not so much as mentioned in any of the ancient interpreters. 2. Some think that St. Paul tells the Corinthians that they ought not to question the resurrection of the dead, who had a custom among them, if any one died without baptism, to baptize another that was living for him; and this they did, fancying that such a baptism would be profitable to the dead person, in order to a happy resurrection. Tertullian mentions this custom in one or two places, and also St. Chrysostom on this place. But it does not seem probable that St. Paul would bring any argument of the resurrection from a custom which he himself could not approve, nor was ever approved in the Church. 3. St. Chrysostom and the Greek interpreters, who generally follow him, expound these words, who are baptized for the dead, as if it were the same as to say, who receive baptism with hopes that they themselves, and all the dead, will rise again; and therefore make a profession, when they are baptized, that they believe the resurrection. So that St. Paul here brings this proof among others, that they who have been made Christians, and continue Christians, cannot call in question the resurrection, which they professed to believe in their creed at their baptism, the creed being always repeated before they were baptized. 4. Others, by being baptized for the dead, understand those who begged and called for baptism when they were in danger of death, and would by no means go out of this world without being baptized, hoping thereby to have a happy resurrection of their bodies; so that to be baptized for the dead is the same as on the account of the state of the dead, which they were entering into. See St. Epiphanius, hær. viii. p. 144. Edit Petavii. (Witham) Some think the apostle here alludes to a ceremony then in use: but others, more probably, to the prayers and penitential labours performed by the primitive Christians for the souls of the faithful departed: or to the baptism of afflictions and sufferings undergone for sinners spiritually dead. (Challoner)