Regarding Baptism (and Re-baptism)
leylatov said...
I used to have a paper that said I was baptized on whatever day in November, 1990, by pastor L.W. of a church that closed two years later. If I could locate that paper, or if I could locate the video that might still exist somewhere among the 27,183,654 videos my parents have stashed throughout their property, then no, I would not have to be baptized again, technically speaking.
The creed says "I acknowledge one baptism..." and they take that seriously. If I could somehow verify that I was indeed baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then the question would go to the bishop. More than likely, when the time came, I would then be chrismated instead. (It might also have helped matters that, as a Baptist, it was definitely by immersion.)
It's a strange thing. I have never liked the idea of re-baptism. (I have been willing to make one exception, but my situation doesn't fit the necessary scenario.) I have never liked the idea that a person could not fully participate in certain church-type communities without being baptized into that community. (This probably comes from growing up surrounded by hard-line Church of Christ people.) So what's the deal? Why am I doing this if I'm so definitely opposed to such things?
The answer is actually quite simple. Anyone who is an Orthodox Christian, having been so sealed by baptism or chrismation, can participate in Holy Communion. The Orthodox Church is the only church I've seen that manages to be exclusive (preserving the holiness of Communion, rather than cheapening it by giving it away wholesale) without being exclusionary. Infants are baptized, thereby explicitly allowing even very young children to participate. Those of us who have not been baptized or chrismated cannot, not because the Church wants to keep people out, but because it has such a high view of Holy Communion that it must be this way. And even then, at least in my experience, being on the outside in this way has not been a means of being left out in an oppressive or arrogant manner. In fact, rather than being an obnoxious barricade, this process has actually created a sense of anticipation.
why do you have to be baptized again?Sam Gamgee said...
I'll eventually be baptized again for one important reason. I can't find any actual proof that the first one happened. 1990 was a long time ago, but I suspect the paper disappeared as recently as the hasty move out of the condo.Paddy O. said...
Would you have to be baptized again if you did have proof? I'm curious.
I used to have a paper that said I was baptized on whatever day in November, 1990, by pastor L.W. of a church that closed two years later. If I could locate that paper, or if I could locate the video that might still exist somewhere among the 27,183,654 videos my parents have stashed throughout their property, then no, I would not have to be baptized again, technically speaking.
The creed says "I acknowledge one baptism..." and they take that seriously. If I could somehow verify that I was indeed baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then the question would go to the bishop. More than likely, when the time came, I would then be chrismated instead. (It might also have helped matters that, as a Baptist, it was definitely by immersion.)
It's a strange thing. I have never liked the idea of re-baptism. (I have been willing to make one exception, but my situation doesn't fit the necessary scenario.) I have never liked the idea that a person could not fully participate in certain church-type communities without being baptized into that community. (This probably comes from growing up surrounded by hard-line Church of Christ people.) So what's the deal? Why am I doing this if I'm so definitely opposed to such things?
The answer is actually quite simple. Anyone who is an Orthodox Christian, having been so sealed by baptism or chrismation, can participate in Holy Communion. The Orthodox Church is the only church I've seen that manages to be exclusive (preserving the holiness of Communion, rather than cheapening it by giving it away wholesale) without being exclusionary. Infants are baptized, thereby explicitly allowing even very young children to participate. Those of us who have not been baptized or chrismated cannot, not because the Church wants to keep people out, but because it has such a high view of Holy Communion that it must be this way. And even then, at least in my experience, being on the outside in this way has not been a means of being left out in an oppressive or arrogant manner. In fact, rather than being an obnoxious barricade, this process has actually created a sense of anticipation.
Labels: Becoming Orthodox
posted by Sam Gamgee at
10:02 AM
2 Comments:
So do you have to be baptized into the Orthodox Church in order to share the Communion or would I as a non-Orthodox church baptized Christian still be able to take Communion say if I came to visit you.
Thanks :) Very informative
You would not be able to receive communion, just as I and the other catechumens are not. But you would, at least at my church, be welcomed by a handful of people, who would bring you blessed bread.
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