Orthodox position about Roman Catholic baptism

[MDuce]

Hi. I would like to know if the Orthodox Churches recognizing the baptism of a Catholic who want to be part of Orthodox. If someone can teach me that, I'll be thankful.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

The vast majority of Orthodox priests will recognize your Catholic baptism as legitimate. I was Roman Catholic and converted along with wife and 3 kids. We were simply chrismated, not re-baptized like a Mormon or JW would be. If you wish to convert, you'll likely just be chrismated. Chrismation is the Orthodox "confirmation" you'd experience in Catholicism only far more powerful imho.

 

[Platina]

We should clarify that in receiving someone by economia, we are not therefore saying their Catholic baptism was a true baptism, but that its accepted for receiving someone by economia.

I mean, if a Catholic baptism unites you to Christ in His Church, then converting to Orthodoxy does nothing.

 

[SeraTaru]

I must admit I was surprised.

I phoned a local Orthodox church last night and had a nice discussion with "an elder" (don't know the term sorry). As part of our discussion he said that if I visited to see what goes on, I couldn't take "communion" because my evangelical baptism didn't count.

He has a fairly similar background to myself and he said he also found this a shock before he converted to Orthodoxy over ten years ago. He told me that ironically my wife's sprinkling as a child would be accepted but not my baptism as a result of becoming born again.

I almost fell off my chair.

An unscriptural child "baptism" gets the green light but a scriptural baptism into the risen Christ as a result of becoming born again doesn't....

When I told this to my wife (Church of Ireland background) she was "O yea it's just the same in C of I".

So it seems fairly common (my parents church - the Brethern would be the same as well) but I need to ponder this. I see no scriptural justification for repeat baptisms. I'm also dead set against infant sprinkling.

 

[Platina]

Well, we also don't believe in repeat baptisms, but we believe true Baptism goes with the true faith and the true Church. Truth and Truth stick together! An Orthodox Baptism would never be repeated.

 

[SeraTaru]

But the "true church" is :

A universal church made up of every born again believer no matter which denomination they are in. If they are born again by God's spirit then they are part of that body.

When Christ returns He's not coming back for a denomination or a label. He's coming back for people from all over Earth that are regenerated by His Spirit.

There will be many in the Orthodox denomination who are not truly born again and will be left behind, the same as in every other denomination on Earth.

A local physical church made up of the born again and the non-born again. i.e. a bunch of people

When I was immersed fully in water I wasn't baptized into a local physical church. I was baptized into the body of Christ. I symbolically died with Him and rose with Him.

For someone - anyone - to say that my baptism into Christ in obedience to His command is now invalid and that to partake of the Lord's supper is now barred to me in that local physical expression is.....very strange to say the least? I'd like to see a number of scriptures that support this position.

 

[All4Christ]

For what it’s worth, I was chrismated not baptized after my immersion baptism in the Pentecostal Church. It was a Trinitarian baptism - name of the Father and if the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

SeraTaru - I recommend finding out more before making judgment. I didn’t understand at first, but it makes sense now.

 

[SeraTaru]

For what it’s worth, I was chrismated not baptized after my immersion baptism in the Pentecostal Church. It was a Trinitarian baptism - name of the Father and if the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

SeraTaru - I recommend finding out more before making judgment. I didn’t understand at first, but it makes sense now.

Yes you're very right - I do need more information, at this stage I was only going on what the guy from the local church had told me.

Thanks
D

 

[All4Christ]

Yes you're very right - I do need more information, at this stage I was only going on what the guy from the local church had told me.

Thanks
D

Please don’t take be offended by what I said...I understand that it is very personal and is something that really can be difficult to hear and experience. I was there myself

It’s great that you called the church and spoke to him. I also recommend checking out a service sometime, despite the closed communion

 

[All4Christ]

I was actually on my way back to reword what I said since I thought I worded it poorly I fear I was a bit too late!

 

[SeraTaru]

Please don’t take be offended by what I said...I understand that it is very personal and is something that really can be difficult to hear and experience. I was there myself

It’s great that you called the church and spoke to him. I also recommend checking out a service sometime, despite the closed communion

Yea I'm sorry if I'm prickly today, having a real bad day. Likely to do with no hair. Or male menopause. Likely both.

They have a service (a full service) on 23rd December that they're also combining with their nativity service. Which sounds kind of nice.

I might go there and check it out. It's the only one in my area and it's very small. I asked him what sort of "things they have on" like bible studies / groups etc., and he said that with the small size they only have a weekly service on a Sunday and nothing else.

 

[SeraTaru]

I was actually on my way back to reword what I said since I thought I worded it poorly I fear I was a bit too late!

Silly you! No offence taken

 

[MDuce]

The vast majority of Orthodox priests will recognize your Catholic baptism as legitimate. I was Roman Catholic and converted along with wife and 3 kids. We were simply chrismated, not re-baptized like a Mormon or JW would be. If you wish to convert, you'll likely just be chrismated. Chrismation is the Orthodox "confirmation" you'd experience in Catholicism only far more powerful imho.

Thank you very much.

 

[All4Christ]

Silly you! No offence taken

So glad to hear that! 6:30am...and I am sooo not coherent at this point of day. I’m seriously in need of some coffee!

 

[SeraTaru]

Thank you very much.

Sorry! I kind of derailed your thread.

 

[All4Christ]

Yea I'm sorry if I'm prickly today, having a real bad day. Likely to do with no hair. Or male menopause. Likely both.

They have a service (a full service) on 23rd December that they're also combining with their nativity service. Which sounds kind of nice.

I might go there and check it out. It's the only one in my area and it's very small. I asked him what sort of "things they have on" like bible studies / groups etc., and he said that with the small size they only have a weekly service on a Sunday and nothing else.

I love the Nativity service...absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend it.

 

[TerryWoodenpic]

It is the same in the Anglican church we accept only Tritarian Baptisms at the Eucharist, or to become full Church members. (To be baptised twice has no effect) so we would not re-baptise, Catholics or Orthodox or any church members we are in communion with.

Many more Anglican churches now Chrismate, by Baptising with water and anointing with Oil.
This is done in my own church.

 

[ArmyMatt]

two things here. first, to the OP, it's not that we recognize any baptism as valid or not. it's that your reception into the Orthodox Church completes what was lacking.

and secondly, infant baptism is Scriptural in the sense that the Trinity is Scriptural. it's there, you just gotta find it.

 

[buzuxi02]

Hi. I would like to know if the Orthodox Churches recognizing the baptism of a Catholic who want to be part of Orthodox.

What do you mean by be 'part' of Orthodox? If you are looking to convert to the Orthodox Church it would be up to the bishop to decide whether you will be received into the Church either through (re)baptism or by chrismation only.

I phoned a local Orthodox church last night and had a nice discussion with "an elder" (don't know the term sorry). As part of our discussion he said that if I visited to see what goes on, I couldn't take "communion" because my evangelical baptism didn't count.

He has a fairly similar background to myself and he said he also found this a shock before he converted to Orthodoxy over ten years ago. He told me that ironically my wife's sprinkling as a child would be accepted but not my baptism as a result of becoming born again.

Neither you nor your wife can receive Holy Communion if you are not Orthodox. To become Orthodox you can be recieved into the Church either through the Church's one true baptism or by eikonomia (Leniency). Eikonomia uses only the empty 'form' (the external ritual) of your previous baptism and completes it and makes full what was lacking through an Orthodox confession of faith and Chrismation (anointing; known as laying on of hands in NT).

It is the same in the Anglican church we accept only Tritarian Baptisms at the Eucharist, or to become full Church members. (To be baptised twice has no effect) so we would not re-baptise, Catholics or Orthodox or any church members we are in communion with.

Many more Anglican churches now Chrismate, by Baptising with water and anointing with Oil.
This is done in my own church.

To clarify Orthodoxy has a strict closed Communion. Are you saying anglicans believe they are in communion with Latins and Orthodox? I think you may have your terminology mixed up. Chrismation means annointing its the second sacrament following baptism. You are baptised, the normal strict Orthodox form is triple immersion in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit. You will then be immediately chrismated putting on the seal of the Holy Spirit and finally Communed being added to the Body of Christ, all in the same service.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

My childhood baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a Baptist church was accepted through economia, so I was Chrismated. There are so many weird and wonky beliefs out there anymore that I think some Bishops are more careful at what prior baptisms are accepted now.