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Most denominations recognize baptisms in other denominations. (See, for example Eph 4:4-6), "one Lord, one faith, one baptism".) The World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission published Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry in 1982. Are there major Christian denominations (in the 21st century) who don't go along with this, and who require members to be rebaptized? |
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I started attending Southern Baptist churches 9 months before I was born and have been a member for over 30 years. Each of 5 congregations that I have belonged to recognized baptism "of like faith and order" by other denominations. In each church, when someone who was baptized as an infant in another denomination wanted to join, they would have to be rebaptized. Similarly, anyone wanting to join who had been baptized by sprinkling would have to be baptized by immersion. For completeness, someone joining from a Church of Christ background would also have to be rebaptized even though they were baptized as a believer and by immersion, because their previous belief that baptism was a requirement for salvation was inconsistent with our belief that baptism is a testimony of salvation. Southern Baptists are not part of the WCC, but they are a major denomination in the U.S. |
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This would seem to be somewhat common among any church that believes in Believer's baptism. Since baptism under that view is a profession of faith in Christ, it would seem that any previous baptism based upon the same faith would be valid. However, if there is a large doctrinal difference between the former and current fellowship (and thus the believer accepts a new "Gospel") there would be reason to baptize that person as a new believer. It also would be appropriate to re-baptize those who may have experienced an infant baptism as there would have been no profession of faith at that time. |
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Mormon's don't recognize any baptism of other faiths because they believe the person doing the baptizing needs to have the correct authority. |
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Baptism has different meanings to differnt denominations. Some believe that in infant baptism, a parent is giving their child to Christ, and committing to raise that child as a Christian. Confirmation is when the Child chooses to continue their relationship with Christ on their own, and the parents are no longer responsible for their childs faith journey (although this does not mean that they quit! It just means that their child as "moved out of home" per-se). Others believe that baptism is more along the lines of Confirmation in the above example - that Baptism is the individual committing themselves to Christ. If you change denominations within the same belief structure in regards to baptism, then most churches will accept your previous baptism. The right to Holy Communion is a very different story though, most churches will not permit you to take Holy Communion unless you go through their confirmation procedures, to prove that you know what you're doing, and that you understand what they believe about Communion, and that you agree with what they believe. For example, my wife is Catholic and I am Lutheran. She has had discussions with our church pastor, and he has admitted her to the sacrament without requiring her to become Lutheran, but it is unlikely that I would be permitted to take communion in a Catholic church. If you are ever in doubt about whether a church will recognise your baptism/confirmation/beliefs, then the best thing to do is to ask the priest/pastor/layperson in charge. There may even be differences within denominations, depending on the personal beliefs of the pastor. |
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