Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!know!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mib@geech.ai.mit.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Validity of Baptism (Was Re: In Communion with Rome?) Message-ID: Date: 25 Oct 90 06:28:31 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: /home/fsf/mib/.organization Lines: 15 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Charley Wingate seemed to make reference to a "chain of baptisms" leading back through the ages, by which we all descend from the Roman church. Leaving aside Christian groups in India and the middle east which have never been associated with Rome, he forgets that a large number of churches, including both his own Episcopalian and the Roman church accept baptisms as valid even if performed by the unbaptized. There is no chain of baptisms necessary. If this were not so, there would be a tendency toward Donatism. -mib -- Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE \ And it must follow, as the night the day, mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man. CARPE DIEM / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!