Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: paulk@caen.engin.umich.edu (Usenet @ CAEN) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Baptism Message-ID: Date: 4 Aug 89 01:44:02 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U of M Engineering, Ann Arbor, Mich. Lines: 38 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu OFM writes: > [I would be very surprised if a Catholic church would withhold baptism > from your child because of something you did. Baptism may be withheld in certain circumstances, but for another reason. When baptized, a person makes a vow to "renounce Satan in all his pomps." Implicit in this vow is the promise to study and practice the Catholic Faith, and be a member of the Catholic community. Adult converts can make this promise for themselves. With infant baptisms, another person makes this promise for them, and assumes the responsibility of instructing and raising the child as a practicing Catholic. If, in the opinion of the priest, the parents are incapable of raising the child properly, the priest is not obliged to perform the baptism. Infants of notorious public sinners who show no sign of repentence can be refused baptism. A person cannot be baptized into a life of sin. The parent is then responsible for any spiritual damage incurred by the child as a result of no baptism. At first glance, it does not seem fair for an infant to suffer, but sin is never fair. The children unfortunately suffer the consequences of the parents' sins. In danger of death the infant would be baptized, though. The immediate concern then would be dying in the grace of God more than living and practicing the Catholic Faith. > The Presbyterian view on this issue is that baptism is intended to > indicate the entry of a child into the church, and that it should only > be done if the parents intend to be a part of the church. Thus we > would not encourage you to baptize your child if there was some reason > that prevents you from participating in the church. I would encourage > you to think not just about baptism, but about creating a Christian > home for your child. Good advice, and also very similar to the Catholic view. Paul Kominsky