Infant baptism?

Question

My fiance and I are both Catholic. We don't have children yet (we're not married), but already we disagree on whether it is the best choice to baptise an infant or to allow them to be baptised when they choose. Some believe that unbaptised infants will not be recieved into heaven. Some believe that baptism is an outward sign of your acceptance of God and could not be done as an infant. What does the scripture say? What do you think? Where does the Catholic church stand on this? Our priest recommended a baby dedication and later a baptism upon the child's choosing. Is this acceptable to those of you who believe that infants should be baptised? Please, serious answers only!

Answer 1

It is totally up to you, but...

my wife and I baptized our first son a few years ago, and are about to baptize our second infant boy. Sure it's basically a ceremony and an excuse for the family to get together, to assign Godparents, and a photo-op for grandma and grandpa.

Now, when they get older and decide for themselves...that's what the Sacrament of Confirmation is all about. Confirmation is a way for the adolescent to re-affirm their belief in the Church (if they so choose).

Answer 2

Well, I am Christian and I agree with your priest. I dedicated my children as infants. I personally think that Baptism needs to be a personal choice, kind of a public confession of faith. I actually have done it twice. The first time I just did it because I hadn't ever done it (and i was pretty young). The second time I did it was right after I rededicated my life to Christ when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. Hope this helps a little. Scripture regarding Baptism: Matthew 3:1-12; 28:16-20; Romans 6: 1-5

Answer 3

I'm not Catholic, and I don't believe in infant baptism. The Bible doesn't say that infants should be baptized. Besides, a little baby has no knowledge of sin anyway. I love the idea of your priest. A baby dedication is a beautiful event for everyone, and when your child wants to be baptized into the church he/she will tell you. I think it's important for a child to remember being baptized because it's such a special event, just like the dedication will be special to you and your husband.

All that being said, if it's that important to your husband to have your babies baptized, what's the harm? Love your God, love your husband and family, and teach your children to do the same. You'll all be fine. Don't argue about the small stuff.

Answer 4

Baptism does not make one a Christian, and therefore I do not believe that baptism is a ticket to heaven for a baby. I know the Catholic church was debating taking the idea of "Limbo" (where unbaptised babies go) out of the Catholic Faith, but I am unsure of what came of the debate. Personally, I think a dedication is a great thing, and allowing the baby to get baptised later in life.

Answer 5

When people started to have adult baptisms (the anabaptists) people thought that they were evil, terrible people because at the time, babies and children had a really high mortality rate and to not baptise your infant as quick as you could put the child in alot of danger of going to hell/purgatory. The anabaptists argued that their children couldn't have full and informed consent to entering into the religion, so they had no right to force a baptism on them and it wouldn't mean very much anyways.

Basically, with medical advances being what they are, children aren't very likely to die without a priest handy and very few Christians believing in a literal hell (and I believe Catholics abolished purgatory for unbaptised infants, you'll have to ask your priest) there's no reason to baptise your infant unless you think that when and if they die before their adult baptism they'll go to hell or purgatory.

I think your priest has the right idea. Have a dedication promising basically to raise your child in the ways of the church and then let them decide later.

Answer 6

Jesus said "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16)

Peter taught in Acts 2 that they needed to believe ("know assuredly" verse 36) that Jesus was the Christ. After it was clear they believed and they asked what they needed to do to be saved, he told them, "Repent and be baptized". (Verse 38) Belief and repentance both precede baptism in this chapter.

When the eunuch recognized the need to be baptized, he asked "See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized?" Phillip's response was, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." (Acts 8:36-37) Belief is required for one to be scriptural be baptized.

Those who say an infant may, or even must, be baptized base their argument on the "households" that were baptized. They assume these households included infants that were baptized. Their idea is mere assumption rather than what the Word says.

Also the scriptures in some of these accounts say a certain individual believed with his whole house. If the whole house believes, then it can be concluded they were capable of believing, and therefore not infants.

Finally, the conversions of these households would not contradict the other verses that teach belief comes before baptism. Again "If you believe you may (be baptized)".

In addition to this, an infant has no need of baptism. Baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). A baby is not capable of sinning.

"Sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) If a baby is guilty of sin, then which law has he transgressed? What law is he capable of transgressing?

Also, a baby is not guilty of inherited sin.

Notice Ezekiel 18:20; "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

Since a baby cannot believe, cannot repent, cannot sin, and does not inherit sin, why would he be qualified to be baptized and why would he need baptism?

Answer 7

Read what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about it.


The Baptism of infants

1250 Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. the Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.

1251 Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them.

1252 The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole "households" received baptism, infants may also have been baptized.

1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

Also, try reading this about it:
http://www.ourcatholicfaith.org/teaching-infantbaptism.html
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Answer 8

It is the view of the Catholic Church that we baptize infants because we are all born with original sin, the sin of Adam and Eve (Romans 5:19). Scripture tells us that we cannot enter heaven with sin on our soul (Rev. 21:27).

There are many Scripture verses that speak of children. For example: Matt. 18:2-5 - Jesus says unless we become like children, we cannot enter into heaven.

Matt 19:14 - Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children

Mark 10:14 - Jesus says to let the children come to Him for the kingdom of God also belongs to them.


So it is clear that Jesus feels that children are important and should not be excluded from baptism.

Also, Scripture tells us that baptism is a prerequisite for heaven (jn 3:5; Mk 16:16)


There are also scripture in which the early church fathers were baptizing entire households which would include any infants that would be in those households (Acts 16:15, 33; 1 Cor. 1:16)

I hope that I have helped and I wish you all the best in your lives together.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 9

If you want to have a good marriage, do this: BEFORE getting married, the two of you must agree as to what will be the base, the foundation, the cornerstone by which decisions will be made. If you cannot do that, don't get married.

This is an either/or situation. Either both of you need to be Catholic and agree that your foundation is the Catholic Catechism (and whatever the most up to date rules are handed down by the Pope) OR the two of you need to be Christian and agree that your foundation is the Bible. Trying to pick and choose and take some parts from Catholicism and some from the Bible will result in divorce. That's why the Bible says not to be unequally yoked. It does not work.

Answer 10

Baptisms are symbols of spiritual rebirth... an infant can't understand that.

i think that baptisms are only valid if the person getting it actually knows what it means, and chooses to get one. Babies can't accept jesus as their lord because they dont have the mental capacity, so i don't think that it matters whether a baby gets baptized when they are a baby or not... I am an atheist and i was baptized at birth.