Are Catholic adults baptized?

Question

By baptized, I mean the biblical meaning.
The Greek word translated "baptize" means to immerse. The style of baptism practiced by Christ and his disciples was full immersion in water.

If the answer is yes....then thank you for clearing that up for me.

If the answer is no, please explain why not.

Thank you.

Jesus was baptized in a river...how was that a small pool?

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Answer 1

The method of Baptism is not as important as the fact that you are Baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. There are some instances in which full water immersion is not possible. In the case of infant Baptism it is not practical to use total immersion, in prisons there is no provisions for total immersion. These are some instances in which water should be poured on the head. Many adults and older children are Baptized by total immersion in the Catholic Church however.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 2

There is no evidence that Christ and the Apostles baptized by immersion. The lived in a desert land and many of the places they preached had no water for many miles except the town well. They certainly didn't lower people down into the well to baptize them. Also, every early work of art depicting the baptism of Jesus shows John pouring water onto Jesus' head from his hand or from a shell or other vessel. Obviously the early Church believed that this is how Jesus was baptized. The Catholic Church has nothing against baptism by immersion. It is a perfectly valid form of the sacrament. But not the only valid form, now or in apostolic times.

Answer 3

Some are baptized by full immersion and some are baptized by pouring water over thier heads.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

Baptism is performed in the most expressive way by triple immersion in the baptismal water. However, from ancient times it has also been able to be conferred by pouring the water three times over the candidate's head.

In accordance to the command of Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19-20:

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

Catholics baptize using the words, "[Name], I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The Catholic Church accepts any baptism from other Christian Church if it was done in this manner.

It has been argued by people smarter than me that not only was there not enough fresh water to baptize by three thousand people in Jerusalem but there would not have been enough time to baptize all of them by full immersion in one day even though they started in the morning.

Could these have been baptized by pouring water over them?

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

There are early Christian settlements where baptism pools would have been too small to indicate baptism by immersion.

The Greek verb 'baptizos' also means to sprinkle one with water - the style used by Catholics.

Catholics are only baptized as adults if they're converts. Otherwise all Catholics are baptized shortly after birth.

Answer 5

three drops of water on the head for the holy trinity. They are not the only ones who do that though, lutherans, methodist, episcopalians, don't practice immersion. Just because it is not in the same style as the full immersion does not give it any less value for them.

Answer 6

in case you have already been baptized via yet another non-catholic church, then you definately won't might desire to be rebaptized returned. To be shown, and attend classes to take communion is needed. I honestly have attended the teachings till now, i could say they actually tutor you many. the respond is confident each time and age.

Answer 7

Are you suggesting the possibility that a given baptism must be by immersion otherwise it doesn't count? Not according to the Bible:

Pouring and Sprinkling versus Immersion

Ezek. 36:25 - Ezekiel prophesies that God "will 'sprinkle' clean water on you and you shall be clean." The word for "sprinkle" is "rhaino" which means what it says, sprinkle (not immersion). (“Kai rhaino eph hymas hydor katharon.”)

2 Kings 5:14 - Namaan went down and dipped himself in the Jordan. The Greek word for "dipped" is "baptizo." Here, baptizo means immersion. But many Protestant churches argue that "baptizo" and related tenses of the Greek word always mean immersion, and therefore the Catholic baptisms of pouring or sprinkling water over the head are invalid. The Scriptures disprove their claim.

Num. 19:18 – here, the verbs for dipping (“baptisantes”) and sprinkled (“bapsei”) refers to affusion (pouring) and sprinkling (aspersion), not immersion.

Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16 -John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus will baptize ("baptisei") with the Holy Spirit and fire. In this case, "baptisei" refers to a "pouring" out over the head. This is confirmed by Matt. 3:16 where the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus' head like a dove and Acts 2:3-4 where the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary and the apostles' heads in the form of tongues of fire. In each case, in fulfilling John the Baptist's prophecy, the Lord baptized ("baptizo") in the form of pouring out His Spirit upon the head, not immersing the person.

Matt. 20:22-23; Mark 10:38-39; Luke 12:50 - Jesus also talks about His baptism (from "baptizo") of blood, which was shed and sprinkled in His passion. But this baptism does not (and cannot) mean immersion.

Mark 7:3 - the Pharisees do not eat unless they wash ("baptizo" ) their hands. This demonstrates that "baptizo" does not always mean immersion. It can mean pouring water over something (in this case, over their hands).

Mark 7:4 - we see that the Jews washed ("bapto" from baptizo) cups, pitchers and vessels, but this does not mean that they actually immersed these items. Also, some manuscripts say the Jews also washed (bapto) couches, yet they did not immerse the couches, they only sprinkled them.

Luke 11:38 - Jesus had not washed ("ebaptisthe") His hands before dinner. Here, the derivative of "baptizo" just means washing up, not immersing.

Acts 2:41 - at Peter's first sermon, 3,000 were baptized. There is archeological proof that immersion would have been impossible in this area. Instead, these 3,000 people had to be sprinkled in water baptism.

Acts 8:38 - because the verse says they "went down into the water," many Protestants say this is proof that baptism must be done by immersion. But the verb to describe Phillip and the eunuch going down into the water is the same verb ("katabaino") used in Acts 8:26 to describe the angel's instruction to Phillip to stop his chariot and go down to Gaza. The word has nothing to do with immersing oneself in water.

Acts 8:39 - because the verse says "they came up out of the water," many Protestants also use this verse to prove that baptism must be done by immersion. However, the Greek word for "coming up out of the water" is "anebesan" which is plural. The verse is describing that both Phillip and the eunuch ascended out of the water, but does not prove that they were both immersed in the water. In fact, Phillip could not have baptized the eunuch if Phillip was also immersed. Finally, even if this was a baptism by immersion, the verse does not say that baptism by immersion is the only way to baptize.

Acts 9:18; 22:16 - Paul is baptized while standing up in the house of Judas. There is no hot tub or swimming pool for immersion. This demonstrates that Paul was sprinkled.

Acts 10:47-48 - Peter baptized in the house of Cornelius, even though hot tubs and swimming pools were not part of homes. Those in the house had to be sprinkled.

Acts 16:33 - the baptism of the jailer and his household appears to be in the house, so immersion is not possible.

Acts 2:17,18,33 - the pouring of water is like the "pouring" out of the Holy Spirit. Pouring is also called "infusion" (of grace).

1 Cor. 10:2 - Paul says that the Israelites were baptized ("baptizo") in the cloud and in the sea. But they could not have been immersed because Exodus 14:22 and 15:9 say that they went dry shod. Thus, "baptizo" does not mean immersed in these verses.

Eph. 4:5 - there is only one baptism, just as there is only one Lord and one faith. Once a person is validly baptized by water and the Spirit in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with the intention of the Church (whether by pouring or immersion), there is no longer a need to rebaptize the person.

Titus 3:6 – the “washing of regeneration” (baptism) is “poured out” upon us. This “pouring out” generally refers to the pouring of baptismal waters over the head of the newly baptized.

Heb. 6:2 – on the doctrine of baptisms (the word used is “baptismos”) which generally referred to pouring and not immersion.

Heb. 10:22 – the author writes, “with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.” This “sprinkling” of baptism refers to aspersion, not immersion. The text also parallels 1 Peter 3:21, which expressly mentions baptism and its ability to, like Heb. 10:22, purify the conscience (the interior disposition of a person).

Isaiah 44:3 - the Lord "pours" water on the thirsty land and "pours" His Spirit upon our descendants. The Lord is “pouring,” not “immersing.”

2 Thess. 2:15 - hold fast to the tradition of the Church, whether oral or written. Since the time of Christ, baptisms have been done by pouring or sprinkling.