Questions tagged [baptism]
A ritual or symbol of admission to the body of Christians, generally performed by immersion or sprinkling with water.
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What, if anything, is known about the practice of baptism for the dead in the early church?
1 Cor 15 mentions church members performing baptisms for the dead. Apart from that, no further reference to this practice exists in the Bible as far as I am aware. What, if anything, is known about ...
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Can a Catholic priest conduct a Catholic baptism upon the request of non-Catholic parents, assuming that they will raise the child Catholic?
Can non-Catholic parents ask the priest to baptize the child (infant) in the Catholic church and promise that they will give the child a Catholic upbringing? I mean, it could be a learning experience ...
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Are there involuntary Catholics?
I was just reading this answer which stated that a person could be Catholic without having gone through confirmation:
Catholics recommend that this is done to infants. 1
If that is the case, that a ...
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What mainstream sects object to infant baptism?
I recently had an interesting discussion with a person who did piercing for a living at one point in time in his life. He told me that the shop he worked had a policy where the would not pierce a baby'...
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What, exactly, happened to the good thief on the cross, and why? (Catholic perspective)
Jesus says to the thief on the cross "today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). What does this mean? Did the thief go straight to heaven when he died? Did he get to skip purgatory? If so, ...
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What is the Biblical basis for the Catholic teaching that infant baptism cleanses from original sin?
The Catholic Church, possibly the Orthodox Churches, and even some Protestant churches practice Infant Baptism. However, I understand that Catholicism teaches that infant baptism cleanses the infant ...
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Lutherans: Shells, baptism, why?
Since I am almost certain someone will come in and think the title of this question needs editing, I'm going to request that you leave it as it stands.
The full/expanded question:
I have seen shells ...
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Is there any explanation from the early church Fathers as to why there is no record of the Apostles being baptized?
I never really noticed this before but it does seem odd that everyone is to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet it does not appear that the Apostles were. At least there is ...
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Why do so many baptisms occur with regular clothes on and not swimwear?
Why do so many baptisms occur with regular clothes on, and not in a swimsuit?
On my visit to a Southern Baptist church, I saw a little girl get baptized by immersion. That was the only time when I ...
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What did the early Church Fathers (pre-Nicea A.D. 325) have to say about faith, baptism and if it is the act of baptism that saves?
This question is asked in response to this recent question: Where does the idea that faith must be a condition for baptism originate from?
I am trying to find evidence from the writings of Clement, ...
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Why does the Catholic Church consider protestant baptisms valid sacraments, but not protestant marriages?
Inspired by GratefulDisciple's comment under Geremia's answer Multiple marriages and divorces
The Catechism says:
The ordinary ministers of baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church, ...
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What is the latest position of Catholic Church on the existence of Limbo?
Catholics traditionally believe that infants who die before being baptized, go to a place called Limbo. It is not understood whether the belief comes out of a dogmatic teaching of the Church. My ...
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Catholic restricted from Communion
(Note: This is in Holland)
A Catholic Charismatic woman desired to have her baptism blessed by immersion in water (she had been baptized as a child in the Catholic church).
She presumed that it was ...
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What is the meaning of "baptism by fire"? [closed]
We all know what water baptism and baptism by the Holy Spirit are. But what does John the Baptist mean by, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and FIRE" in Luke 3:16:
John answered and said ...
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Was there baptism in the Old Testament? [duplicate]
In my Bible I discovered that the word “baptism” is not present in the Old Testament.
Was there a ceremony or practice that represented baptism before John the Baptist?
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Baptism of the Holy Spirit according to Martin Lloyd Jones' "Joy Unspeakable"
Context
To the best of my understanding of Martin Lloyd Jones' "Joy Unspeakable", the baptism of the Holy Spirit is described as
not automatically granted to all Christians upon conversion
not ...
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Why doesn't the Catholic Church view Plymouth Brethren baptisms as valid?
The Catholic Church seems to accept most mainline Protestant baptism as valid, but does not recognise the baptisms of non-Trinitarian denominations. There are a few Protestant (and Trinitarian) ...
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What is Church of England's doctrine on unbaptised dead infants and how was it formed?
The penultimate rubric in the Book of Common Prayer Public Baptism Service reads: "It is certain by God's Word, that children which are baptized, dying before they commit actual sin, are undoubtedly ...
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In whose name was Jesus baptized?
I know that people are baptized now in either:
The name of Jesus (Acts 2:38)
The name of Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19)
But according to scripture, in whose name was Jesus ...
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How does a baptismal certificate work? [closed]
How does a baptismal certificate work? Why do you even need a certificate? Would other churches disqualify your baptism, or disallow you from participating in other sacraments, if you happen to lose ...
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Would Nicene Christians consider a Unitarian Baptism sufficient for entry into the Church?
What determines entry into Christendom - baptism or belief? Say a vaguely spiritual person joins a congregation affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. Sometimes, the ...
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Why do Baptists even baptize in water at all considering their "spirit baptism" views?
It is common for Baptists to take the position that any passage in scripture that sounds like its saying baptism is required for salvation is referring to "Spirit baptism." [Examples, Acts 2:38, Gal 3:...
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Can a baby be baptized in a Catholic Church if the mother does not have papers proving she was baptized?
I tried to baptize my baby at a local Catholic Church in Toronto, but the priest told me I need to provide documents proving I was baptized. I don't have such documents because I was baptized and ...
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Are there any denominations that baptize ONLY in the Name of Jesus?
From this question, are there any Christian denominations that baptise ONLY in the Name of Jesus and not by the Trinitarian baptismal formula?
Would such a baptism be considered valid by those who ...
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Godparents in Protestantism
Without infant Baptism, do Protestants have godparents?
Furthermore, are there any traditions common to most Protestant denominations concerning who should see to it that a child is raised in the ...
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Do Baptists consider immersion baptisms of adults performed to be valid if performed by other denominations?
Baptists are often distinguished by their belief in "believer's baptism" (i.e. that an adult must believe the tenets of faith in order to be baptized) and rejecting infant baptism (a.k.a. paedobaptism)...
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According to Catholicism, what are the requirements for baptism?
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for example, everyone who desires to enter the waters of baptism must first be interviewed to see if they qualify for baptism:
Qualifications for ...
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Are Protestants with valid baptism Catholics, from a Catholic perspective?
From a Catholic perspective:
The Catholic Church considers Protestant baptisms valid.
Baptism removes all penalty of sin, so whoever is validly baptized is saved.
There is no salvation outside the ...
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Are foster children considered covenant children in Presbyterianism?
Foster children are on the one hand a part of the household but on the other hand not legally adopted and may be ultimately reunited with their birth parents. So do Presbyterians of a confessional ...
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Catholic Baptism Process Pre-Vatican II
Today the Catholic Church makes potential converts participate in the RCIA program. Before Vatican II could someone go into a Church and tell the priest he wants to be Catholic and receive baptism on ...
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Is confirmation part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) doctrine?
In my research I have concluded that infant-baptisms and confirmations are practiced in the PCA, however it's not clear whether the latter is a necessary part of PCA doctrine.
The clarify, I regard ...
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What is the basis for baptism being the new circumcision?
I was recently listening to Dr. Scott Hahn on Pints with Aquinas. In that interview, Dr. Hahn mentions baptism as the new circumcision in relation to covenantal theology. His main point was that if ...
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Was there a period in the history when all who believed in Christ allowed infant baptism?
Martin Luther lived from 1483 – 1546 and John Calvin from 1509 – 1564. Both thse men wrote about the importance of infant baptism which can be read in The Large Catechism by Martin Luther & ...
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What does the Catholic Church require for a parent's name to appear on the child's baptism certificate?
Does the pastor of a parish, or his representative, have the right in canon law to prevent a parent's name from appearing on the baptismal certificate of their child to be baptized for any reason, ...
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Do infant-baptizing Protestant denominations have any requirements on names?
Catholicism views infant baptism as the norm; a child born to a Catholic parent or parents is ordinarily to be baptized soon after birth:
Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized ...
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Do any church fathers interpret Luke 18:17 as teaching the necessity of infant baptism?
Luke 18:15-17 (DRB) And they brought unto him also infants, that he might touch them. Which when the disciples saw, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to ...
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Why were Anabaptists called Anabaptists?
Anabaptism, according to the OED, means "a second baptism, re-baptism", but the answer to this question says that Anabaptists only baptize once. Why were Anabaptists called Anabaptists, then?
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In what manner did Christian baptism differ from ritual washing as part of Jewish Teshuva (repentance.)
When one believes in Christ as Lord and King, and undergoes a water baptism, in what document is the method described? What immediate effect did this baptism have? How does this baptism compare to ...
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Why keep baptismal fonts full in the Roman Catholic Church?
In our (Presbyterian) church, we have a stone baptismal font in which we fill with water whenever we need to baptize somebody. At other times, it's empty, more for reasons of plumbing than doctrine - ...
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Why did John the Baptist preach repentance through water baptism and specifically how is that different than repentance through ashes and sackcloth?
Are there any records that explain why baptism was used for repentance when the Jews already had a method of repentance by putting ashes on them and wearing sackcloth? This seemingly worked as noted ...
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Was Apollos ever baptized in the name of Jesus?
Regarding Apollos, the Bible states:
Acts 18:25 (ESV Strong's) 25 He had been instructed in the way of the
Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the
things concerning ...
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What is the will of the (Catholic) Church when she baptizes?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that, in an emergency, any person with the right intention can baptize. And “the intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes.” (...
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What is the biblical basis for restricting administration of the sacraments to ordained church leaders?
What is the biblical support for the practice that only ordained church leaders should administer the only sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper?
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What does the Lutheran Church teach about Justification by Faith and is the sacrament of Baptism essential to salvation?
Recently I have been doing research into the Lutheran Church and it seems that they believe in baptismal regeneration. My understanding is baptismal regeneration is the belief that baptism is ...
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What is achieved by baptism in Eastern Orthodoxy (compared with Catholicism)
In Catholicism, a big part of baptism is the idea that it washes away original sin. As I understand things Eastern Orthodoxy denies original sin, so I'm wondering what the significance of baptism is ...
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In Catholicism, in case of emergency Is it valid to baptise a large assembly of people with a fire hose?
In an emergency is it possible to baptise a large group of catechumens (around 100 or more) with a firehose or some other "group baptism" method, such as walking outside during rain? The catechumens ...
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Receiving the Holy Spirit after conversion Acts 8:14–17
How would [Southern] Baptist (SBC) churches explain Acts 8:14–17 in the giving of the Holy Spirit after initial conversion or belief? It had always been my understanding that the argument was the Holy ...
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When should Water Baptism be done on a candidate? [closed]
Could you please give me any biblical supports as to when should water baptism be done to a candidate (assuming the candidate has already met the so called "requirements" before being baptized, such ...
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Is Nessa or Vanessa a Catholic name?
I was looking for a suitable name for my future daughter. I visited this Catholicity website and I got Nessa as an interesting name. But then my friends and home people said it is not a catholic ...
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Great commission applies to all believers, but the laity does not baptize. Why?
I just noticed that while we are told that the great commission applies to all believers in the sense that we are to share the gospel, we don't normally baptize those we help believe. Instead, we ...