In Catholic theology, is a forced baptism a real baptism?

Question

I know this doesn't happen anymore (or at least, I haven't heard that it does), but it used to - Christians would go in and baptize whole tribes which they had defeated, whether or not they wanted to be baptized. Are those baptisms valid? Please cite your sources.

(No, this isn't a homework question, I'm just interested. :P)

Answer 1

2813 In the waters of Baptism, we have been "washed . . . sanctified . . . justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."<1 Cor 6:11> Our Father calls us to holiness in the whole of our life, and since "he is the source of [our] life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and . . .sanctification," <1 Cor 1:30; cf. 1 Thess 4:7> both his glory and our life depend on the hallowing of his name in us and by us. Such is the urgency of our first petition.

By whom is God hallowed, since he is the one who hallows? But since he said, "You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy," we seek and ask that we who were sanctified in Baptism may persevere in what we have begun to be. And we ask this daily, for we need sanctification daily, so that we who fail daily may cleanse away our sins by being sanctified continually. . . . We pray that this sanctification may remain in us.
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Since Baptism is the center of Christianity (All Christians) ... this has lots of coverage in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

From this point of view, the Baptism is valid. We must remember, it is God who calls us and not our brothers & sisters ... although our brothers & sisters are the Lords tools.

In the cases of infancy Baptisms ... they're valid (washing away original sin) but the Church expects to complete the process with Confirmation when the child is older.

I have a Mormon buddy who converted to Catholicism ... and she said that the Mormon's "Baptized the Graves" of non-Christians and believe this to be valid "Baptisms" ... my Priest said that Catholics believe one has to be alive to be Baptized.

Answer 2

It's just incredible what some people will believe. The Catholic Church (unlike many Protestant churches) has never baptized anyone wihout first providing them with an in-depth course of instruction in the holy Catholic faith. In times past this course of instruction could take two years or more. Today it still takes most of a year.

I can just imagine this scenario. A group of 4 or 6 missionaries walk into a village of several hundred natives with spears and tell them they are going to be baptized or be killed. LOL Ya right! In fact, a great many Catholic missionaries were killed by the peoples to whom they tried to bring the Word of God. This is how the Church has fulfilled its divine command to "go forth and make disciples of all nations". Not by "defeating" tribes but by catechizing them.

As for baptizing babies, Scripture does not say anything whatsoever against the practice, and early Christian writings clearly show that this was the common practice of the Christian Church from the very beginning. The practice of the early Church, as revealed in the Bible, was to baptize the "whole family" of a new convert. No exceptions are mentioned. It says the whole family was baptized. Obviously this included many young children. Jesus said that no-one enters the kingdom without being born of water and the Spirit, an obvious reference to the waters of baptism. He also said that the kingdom belongs to little children. Obviously then the little children He spoke of must have been baptized or they could not be in possession of the kingdom.

Also, if baptism of babies had not been the common practice of the early Church, that would mean the Catholic Church instituted the practice sometime later. If that were true, such a radical change in policy would certainly have resulted in a great deal of controversy, with many writings both in support of and against the change. Yet throughout history we do not find a single written sentence concerning such a change. Why do you suppose that is so?

Answer 3

The Catholics baptise babies, There is no scriptiure for baptising babies, & any so called baptism is not valid, A person first must know right from wrong & realized they need to repent First, Then be Baptized in the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore any Babies being baptized is not scriptural.

Answer 4

What does the bible say about baptism? Every time it is mentioned it's after someone has believed and repented. AND it was done right away. How can a baby believe? How can a baby repent? Did those tribes do this?
A man named Simon believed and was baptized right away.

Look at the eunuch after Phillips told him the gospel he said, 'here is water, what hinders me from baptism." After Paul was blinded by Jesus, He realized Jesus was the christ and Ananias restored his sight and was baptized right away.

Answer 5

When you reach the age of reason and want to be baptized you will receive the gifts of the holy spirit and all your sins will be forgiven if you believe with all your heart if however you do not Mark 16:16 - Jesus said "He who believes AND is baptized will be saved." Jesus says believing is not enough. Baptism is also required. This is because baptism is salvific, not just symbolic. Heb. 10:22 - in baptism, our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience (again, dealing with the interior of the person) as our bodies are washed with pure water (the waters of baptism). Baptism regenerates us because it removes original sin, sanctifies our souls, and effects our adoption as sons and daughters in Jesus Christ. Children our baptized thru the faith of our parents. Parent are responsible for their childrens well being. Job 14:1-4 - man that is born of woman is full of trouble and unclean. Baptism is required for all human beings because of our sinful human nature.

Psalm 51:5 - we are conceived in the iniquity of sin. This shows the necessity of baptism from conception.

Matt. 18:2-5 - Jesus says unless we become like children, we cannot enter into heaven. So why would children be excluded from baptism?

Matt 19:14 - Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children. There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism.

Mark 10:14 - Jesus says to let the children come to Him for the kingdom of God also belongs to them. Jesus says nothing about being too young to come into the kingdom of God.

Mark 16:16 - Jesus says to the crowd, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." But in reference to the same people, Jesus immediately follows with "He who does not believe will be condemned." This demonstrates that one can be baptized and still not be a believer. This disproves the Protestant argument that one must be a believer to be baptized. There is nothing in the Bible about a "believer's baptism."

Luke 18:15 – Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” The people brought infants to Jesus that he might touch them. This demonstrates that the receipt of grace is not dependent upon the age of reason.

Acts 2:38 - Peter says to the multitude, "Repent and be baptized.." Protestants use this verse to prove one must be a believer (not an infant) to be baptized. But the Greek translation literally says, "If you repent, then each one who is a part of you and yours must each be baptized” (“Metanoesate kai bapistheto hekastos hymon.”) This, contrary to what Protestants argue, actually proves that babies are baptized based on their parents’ faith. This is confirmed in the next verse.

Acts 2:39 - Peter then says baptism is specifically given to children as well as adults. “Those far off” refers to those who were at their “homes” (primarily infants and children). God's covenant family includes children. The word "children" that Peter used comes from the Greek word "teknon" which also includes infants

Answer 6

Uhh i guess sort of, most who didn't want to ended up staying catholic. and Yes i know they would come to the tribes and tell them if they don't get baptized they get killed.