Did catholic church change water baptism?

Answer 1

Absolutely! They made a number of changes to water baptism, check them out below:

Since the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches teach that baptism is a sacrament having actual spiritual and salvific effects, certain criteria must be complied with for it to be valid (i.e. to actually have those effects.) These criteria are actually broader than the ordinary practice. Violation of some rules regarding baptism renders the baptism illicit (in violation of the church's laws) but still valid. For example, if a Priest introduces some variation in the authorized rite for the ceremony, the baptism may still be valid (provided certain key criteria are met).

One of the criteria for validity is that the correct form of words be used. Roman Catholics use the form "I baptize you.."; some Eastern Rite Catholic Churches and the Orthodox Churches use the form "Let this servant of Christ be baptized..." or "This person is baptized by my hands...". However, both churches recognize the other's form as valid. The Catholic Church teaches that the use of the verb "baptize" (or "baptize") is essential.

It is also considered essential that the Trinitarian formula is used; thus they do not accept as valid baptisms of non-Trinitarian churches such as Oneness Pentecostals. There was an ancient controversy over baptism using the formula that Oneness Pentecostals use, with some ancient authorities holding it to be valid. Baptising "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" is essential for validity.

Invalid forms for baptism include "I baptize thee in the name of the Trinity", "I baptize thee in the name of Jesus", "I baptize thee in the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier", etc. If these forms are used, the Sacrament of Baptism does not take place.

Another condition is that water be used. Some Christian groups historically have rejected the use of water for baptism, for example the Albigensians. These baptisms would not be valid, nor would a baptism in which some other liquid was used.

Another requirement is that the celebrant intends to perform baptism. This requirement entails that the theology of baptism that the baptizer holds be sufficiently similar to that of the Catholic Church, although an exact identity is not required. However, where another denomination has a somewhat different, somewhat similar, theology of baptism, it can be difficult to be sure whether the requirement of intention is met. This is why conditional baptisms are often performed in these cases.

Another requirement is that the water must poured on the skin of the forehead; the water must flow across the skin.

Yet another is that the person must say the words "I baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" or "I baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" as he (or she) is pouring the water or immersing the individual. The person saying the words must pour the water. If one person said the words and another poured the water, the "baptism" would be invalid.

Some conditions expressly do not affect validity; for example, whether immersion, infusion or aspersion is used. However, if water is sprinkled, their is a danger that the water may not touch the skin of the unbaptized. If the water does not touch the skin, the "baptism" is invalid.

Water must be poured on the head. If the water is poured over another principle part of the body, such as the chest in the case of an emergency, then the person will be conditionally baptized later.

In many communions it does not affect validity for a single immersion to be performed rather than a triple, but in Orthodoxy this is controversial.

According to the church, the act of baptism imparts an indelible "seal" upon the soul of the baptized. Thus, once baptized, an individual cannot be baptized again. There was an ancient practice in some areas of rebaptizing those who had returned to the church from heresy, but that practice has been rejected.


[edit] Baptism by other denominations
The Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist churches accept baptism performed by other denominations as valid, subject to certain conditions. It is only possible to be baptized once, thus people with valid baptisms from other denominations may not be baptized again upon conversion or transfer. Instead, for these individuals, either the sacrament of confirmation or a reaffirmation of faith is performed. However, in some cases it can be difficult to decide if the original baptism was in fact valid; if there is any doubt, a conditional baptism is employed, in which the officiant says something of the form of "if you are not yet baptised, I baptise you...". The need for conditional baptisms is motivated not only by factual uncertainties regarding the original baptism, but also by the uncertainty of some of the baptismal theology regarding the precise conditions for the validity of baptism (the Church holds one cannot be certain that opinions offered by pious theologians, but on which the Church has not made an authoritative pronouncement, are in fact correct, and even authoritative pronouncements can have multiple interpretations which the Church has neither definitively endorsed or rejected).

Practice in the Eastern Orthodox Church for converts from other communions is not uniform, but the original baptism is generally not regarded as valid even when no new baptism is performed. Situations where a new baptism is not done might arise where the form of the original baptism was acceptable, consisting of a triple immersion in the name of the Holy Trinity. Instead, whatever form is used to receive the convert is taken as retroactively filling with grace an acceptable form that is held to have been graceless. If the original baptism was unacceptable in form then it is more likely, although not certain, that a new baptism will be required. Otherwise, a convert might be received by chrismation or confession. The exact procedure is dependent on local canons and is the subject of some controversy.

On July 17, 2001, the Roman Catholic Church officially declared baptisms performed by the Latter Day Saints or Mormons to be invalid, due to a difference in beliefs concerning the Holy Trinity, and the nature of God.


[edit] Who may administer a baptism
In normal circumstances, a licit baptism must be performed by a priest (for the Orthodox) or by a priest or deacon (for Roman Catholics and Anglicans) or by a duly ordained or appointed pastor or minister for Methodists and many other Protestant denominations. However, in cases of a genuine emergency, anyone may perform the baptism - if, for example, an unbaptized person, in danger of imminent death, desires baptism, but a priest is not available to perform one, and there is a real danger the person may die before a priest can baptize them. However, if serious doubt exists about the validity of the baptism performed, a conditional baptism by a priest may occur at a later time. The concern would be any deficiency in the celebration of the sacrament.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that even when a baptism is illicit, it may be valid if done with water and by the proper form (Trinitarian formula), with intent to baptize, by any person, even a non-Christian. In the Orthodox Church, the baptism must be performed by another Orthodox Christian based on the understanding that a person cannot convey that which he himself does not possess, in this case membership in the Church. The teaching of the Eastern Catholic Churches on the matter coincides with that of the Orthodox Church.

Answer 2

The word baptism comes from a Greek Word "baptizo" which means to bathe in water, or submerge in water. The Greek Orthodox churches, who also baptize babies, baptize them by total immersion in water.
It wasn't the Catholic church that changed it. The Catholic church started a few centuries after Christ. By that time there were already a variety of beliefs concerning baptism as well as prayer to the saints, and for the dead, and the place of the Virgin Mary. The Catholic church gradually adopted their particular views on these things.
I believe they are changes from the original practices and beliefs.

Answer 3

I don't think so. I think sprinkling and pouring came about early in church history before the Catholic church was even thought of. It came up because there were lame and infirmed converts who could not go to the river or pool. So the water was brought to them, in smaller amounts. The first church split had to do with baptism in part, and that was in 251. The Catholic church was not official until after 600.

Answer 4

I don't know that they changed it. They choose to baptize by sprinking instead of immersion. I get the feeling that you are referring to the Council of Nicea, where it is rumored that the Catholic Church changed the mode of baptism from "In Jesus Name" to "Father, Son and Holy Ghost", and from immersion to sprinkling.

This is only a half-truth, and it is a theory promulgated by some cults, most notoriously the Apostolic/United Pentecostal Church, in an attempt to win converts. Please don't get caught up in that. Serve God the best way you can in whatever church you feel God wants you to be in, and don't waste your time picking apart other doctrines from other churches. We were freed from all of that by Jesus' death on the cross. Galatians Chapter 5 deals with some of that issue.

Answer 5

No, the Catholic Church still uses water for baptism. They usually offer two different kinds though. I know in my Church we have a huge baptismal fountain where one can just have water poured over their head or they can be completely submerged.

Answer 6

The catholic church only sprinkles and that is at infancy. When Jesus was baptized, He was a man, He made the choice himself and He was completely immersed in water.

If you look at the greek for baptize is it baptidzo, which means to completely immerse. It also represents being buried in Christ with baptism and risen to walk in newness of life.

A baby doesn get the opportunity to accept Christ because they are not at the age of understanding. It is something that happens after faith in Jesus Christ.

Answer 7

No. The Catholic Church baptises with water.

Answer 8

dont know who changed it or when all i know is what the bible tells me and and in matt ch3,mk ch1:8-10, LK CH 3:3-21,and in acts ch 8 :26-39 is all i need to know and if i want to know more i will ask the holy spirit for more info on the subject . but a person has to fully understand what is going on and repent there sins and on there own omission be baptize in the name of the father ,the son and the holy spirit. for it to be a true baptism according to the holy bible .

Answer 9

I think they haven't changed the water, it's still dirty. Just kidding.
What they changed was from full immersion to sprinkling, and from a person capable of making the decision to be baptized to babies. These changes are not Biblical.

Answer 10

Change it?
No we still baptise with water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit.