Pope and baptism?

Question

IS it true that the pope lightened up on baptizing infants???

Answer 1

All he did was do away with the theory of Limbo. Limbo was never a doctrine of the Church and was basically left us to the individual to decide what they believed in the matter. Infant baptism is still the same as always.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 2

Not really.

+ Limbo +

The Church has pondered the suggestion of Limbo for a few hundred years and has decided that it is not a good idea. Limbo was never official doctrine.

Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:15-16)

For centuries, people have wondered about children who died before they were baptized. The Bible does not explicitly state that they will go to heaven.

Limbo was suggested as the place where unbaptized babies went when they died. This idea was never official Church doctrine and has been rejected.

The Church now says that it is not sure what happens to unbaptized babies when they die but she entrusts them to the mercy of God.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.htm#1261

+ Infant Baptism+

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "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."

Infant baptism is not a new thing. There are non-biblical documented sources starting in the second century telling of infant Baptism.

There are even several passages in the Bible where whole households were baptized. This would include everyone who lived there, men, women, children, and infants.

Acts 16:15, "After she and her household had been baptized"

Acts 16:33, "then he and all his family were baptized at once."

Acts 18:8, "came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized."

1 Corinthians 1:16, "I baptized the household of Stephanas"

St. Paul wrote that baptism has replaced circumcision (Col 2:11-12), and in Judaism circumcision was performed primarily on infants.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.htm#1250

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 3

It would be nice when the Pope realizes that infants shouldn't be baptized in the first place. All he has to do is open the Bible to find there is no such thing as "infant" baptism. Was not Jesus 30 when he was baptized? "IS" he not the one we should follow? 1 Peter 2:21 Infants are not old enough to acquire knowledge and make a decision to follow him.

Answer 4

No. That's not even close to what has been said.

The discussion was about infant limbo. There has never been any true doctrine about infant limbo. The idea that unbaptized babies who die are sent to a place of happiness, but not the true happiness that comes from being in Heaven with God.

There still isn't a doctrine about it. But the news release states that the idea demands more study.

With the billions of infants dying from abortion - the very idea of sending all these children to limbo is painful, to say the very least. The idea that God's mercy may intercede demands investigation.

I posted a few news links.

Answer 5

No, it's not true. The Pope only reiterated that Limbo is not a teaching of the church and that unborn and unbaptized children may go to heaven.

But he still says we need to get our children baptized.

My thinking is that we just don't know. We know that God is loving and people just can't think that a loving God would throw babies into hell.

We have to remember that it's the soul we're talking about. So when we baptize a child we are removing the stain of original sin. This is important.

Answer 6

Posted & Answered- Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I have attained a ripe old age of 56, and during those years I have been witness to many changing things in this world EXCEPT THE WORD OF GOD!!! Christianity NEVER CHANGES while Mans Religion ALWAYS CHANGES!!! The Catholic Church is a Man Made Organization that is Fallable now matter what Innocent III (1198-1216) or Pius IX in 1854 say!!!!!! How ARROGANT for Pius IX to "Of his own authority, and without the cooperation of a Council," proclaim the Dogma of of the "Immaculate Conception of Mary", as a sort of feeler to the Roman Catholic World, on the question. It's reception enboldened him to call the Vatican Council (1870) for the express purpose of having Himself declared "Infallible", which, under his skillful manipulation, they did. The decree reads that it is "divinly revealed" that the Pope, when he speaks "ex cathedra" is "possessed of Infallability in defining doctrines fo faith and morals," and that "such definitions are "IRREFORMABLE." And so the Pope now claims Infallibility, because the Vatican Council, at his bidding, so voted. The Eastern Church considered this the Papacy's Crowning Blasphemy. Now ask yourselves, if what Pius IX did was "IRREFORMABLE" how is it that this "New Edict" (or ANY EDICT FROM MAN) is / was ACTUALLY "Divinley Inspired", (and it was NOT) when by the "Churchs" own "Rules / Dogma" it CAN'T BE DONE??? Christianity has always referred to an "Age of Accountability" concerning the death of children & never has been changed because it is the TRUTH & it DOES SET U FREE!!! John

Answer 7

No, not really. The Pope said that babies who die before they are baptized go to heaven and not Limbo, like the Church has taught for years. Limbo was never an official teaching of the Church, but some did teach it nonetheless. Still, infants should be baptized as soon as possible, though.

Answer 8

What do you mean by "lightened up?" The Pope has not changed any of the Church rules or laws on infant baptism. It is still recommended, and is still practiced.
Is there some particular aspect of baptism which you have in mind? Unfortunately, your question is too non-specific to permit any easy answer.

Answer 9

If he did it makes since. Think about it, baptizing is to wash away sins and be born again. A child is born sinless, without doing anything wrong. I think its more affective to baptize a teenager.

Answer 10

1st of all baptizing infants is a trap for there lives
2nd what the hell is a Pope, I thought we were suppose to follow prophets and things similiar to that order which is explained in the bible somewhere!!!