Dr. Francis Schaeffer, my favorite Evangelical Presbyterian theologian wrote a booklet entitled Infant Baptism in favor of the practice – my wife Janet was raised Presbyterian and was baptized as an infant. I, however, born and raised a Baptist, was not baptized since that was considered “a man-made Catholic tradition”.
It continues to be a problem between Catholics and many Protestants. If you want to know more about it and why we as Catholics practice it with joy based on Scripture and early tradition, read my article here.
St. Augustine wrote,
“Who is so impious as to wish to exclude infants from the kingdom of heaven by forbidding them to be baptized and born again in Christ?”
and
“This [infant baptism] the Church always had, always held; this she received from the faith of our ancestors; this she perseveringly guards even to the end.”
The picture is our granddaughter Elizabeth Arabella Rose Ray getting baptized 14 years ago — a little pagan becomes a Christian.
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thanks!– as usual, great quotes, well-written, straight & to the point! where is the “common ground” page mentioned at the end? the link didn’t work for us (could be our computer)..?
I fixed the link to the Common Ground site. Use this link(http://www.shasta.com/sphaws/commonground.html) and scroll down to Infant Baptism.
Its difficult for me to express, because I don’t quite understand, the opposition which many have to infant baptism. It seems to me, those who profess belief in “grace alone”, should readily embrace this doctrine. And yet, they do not.
Normally, those who believe in “grace alone” also believe in “faith alone” claiming that one does not earn their way into heaven with works. Yet, they adhere to this idea that one must earn their way into heaven by “faith alone”. Otherwise, why can’t they overcome the obstacle that God is giving to our children the pure gift of deliverance, without any conditions.
Certainly, adults must profess faith and prove their faith in works of love before God will justify their souls. But the promises of God are to us and to our children. That is why the Canaanite woman could pray to Jesus with great faith and her daughter was healed at that hour.
And we do the same when we bring our children to the Living Water and call out His Name.
Sincerely,
De Maria
Have just read your article. I was baptised aged 9 weeks: when I was 15 I attended a Baptist Church and felt the pressure to be baptised by immersion.
I am now 70 and have come in the last thirty years to affirm God’s gracious hand on my little 9 week old self and thank him for my true baptism into Christ.
Catholics believe baptism is necessary for salvation.
VATICAN II declared this in #7 of it’s decree Ad Gentes:
“Therefore, all must be converted to Him, made known by the Church’s preaching, and all must be incorporated into Him by baptism and into the Church which is His body. For Christ Himself “by stressing in express language the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mark 16:16; John 3:5), at the same time confirmed the necessity of the Church, into which men enter by baptism, as by a door. Therefore those men cannot be saved, who though aware that God, through Jesus Christ founded the Church as something necessary, still do not wish to enter into it, or to persevere in it.” (Dogmatic constitution by Vatican II: Lumen Gentium 14) Therefore though God in ways known to Himself can lead those inculpably ignorant of the Gospel to find that faith without which it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6), yet a necessity lies upon the Church (1 Cor. 9:16), and at the same time a sacred duty, to preach the Gospel. And hence missionary activity today as always retains its power and necessity.”
Steven K.:
In your article on Infant Baptism, it begins “Infant Baptism is a rite by which children who have not yet attained the age of reason are initiated in the Family of God—the Church. Original sin, which destroyed the life God in soul of our first parents, has been inherited by all their descendants.” It looks like there is a word or two missing from the second sentence. Would you kindly check and let us know.?
We have a Baptist friend who, as you know, does not believe in infant baptism. We wanted to send him an article by a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church in order to see how they came to believe in infant baptism, through the “lens” of a former Baptist. We read “Crossing the Tiber,” which has an entire chapter consisting of 92 pages on baptism and infant baptism – much to long to send to him, although we have referred to the book should he care to read it.
So, we saw this abridged version which we wanted to forward to him from your website.
Thank you for your time and cooperation in this matter. We look forward to your reply and are prepared to amend your Word document on infant baptism.
God bless,
Les & Jill Taylor
Sorry if I happen to be off topic but what do I respond to someone who asks me whether I have confessed Christ as my personal and saviour? Do we catholics do it at some point in our lives? An answer will be highly appreciated.
STEVE RAY HERE:
Catholics and protestants use different words and phrases and this phrase about “accepting Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior” is not found anywhere in the Bible. You cannot find the word “personal” anywhere in the New Testament. It is protestant tradition.
However, in Catholic terms we have faith in Jesus Christ as our savior and we acknowledge him as our Lord. We do this through faith and baptism. We have confess our sins and asked him to save us. That’s part of what the whole baptism service is about but it’s also something we say every time we go to mass.
Plus, you receive Christ in a very special way every time you go to Mass and you take the Eucharist which is the real body and blood of Christ. The protestant does not believe this nor does he have this great gift. He says it’s just crackers and grape juice. But Jesus said “this is my body” and “you must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood.” Every time you do this you are receiving Christ in a very special way.
So, bottom line is that we DO declare Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Not just once but over and over again.
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