Is it possible to be both baptist and Catholic?

Question

I am presently baptist. My wife is catholic. We attend mass and an occastional service. I would like to be a member with her in the catholic church, but want to know if I have to give up my letter of membership in the baptist church.

Many thanks in advance to you cannon law folks out there.

Please no flames from protestant folks; i already know what you will say.

Just a point of clarification. I am completely interested in a educated well written protestant response. I was just trying to tell folks that get groucy when folks are thinking of leaving the baptist chruch to not waste either my time nor theirs. It was not an assumption. I have sadly read it in other posts.

I really appricate all the honest answer. It was about what I expected.

My wife loves me very much and she understands my struggle. As I understand hers. This issue has occured because of the sacraments (ie. Communion). As I do not particiapate, and am looking for a way to reconcile this issue.


Many thanks again,

I do find it very encouraging that the catholics out there are very understanding to the issue.

Answer 1

Yes you have to give up membership in the Baptist Church.

To be Catholic means that you recognize that the Catholic Church's teachings are more than human and that She and She alone holds the fullness of truth when it comes to matters of devine revelation.

That means excepting the Eucharist as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ.Excepting the teachings of the Magisterium. Excepting the Dogma of Mary's Assumption as well as her Immaculate Conception.

Their are other things but you will cover all that in RCIA.
Although you have to give up membership in the Baptist Church you still can volunteer and help out the congregation in your free time.

I assume your by this question that you do not wish to give up membership do to some emotional ties you still have for your Church.

I hope I helped. I am glad that you are considering coming home to the Church.

With love in Christ,

Merry Christmas.

Answer 2

Bo Diddly, that is ABSURD. The Baptists were formed in Switzerland in the mid 1600's, an offshoot of the Anabaptist sect. Actually, the Baptist denominations we know today have only been around for a couple hundred years. The Baptist church is indeed Protestant. As a matter of fact, the common Baptist doctrine (I say "common" because there is about 1000 different variations) is one of the most far from the original Faith of the Early Church of the 1st century on, which is the Catholic Church. I strongly suggest that you study Christian history, and see that the early Christians celebrated the Holy Mass, not a Baptist service with an alter call and a "sinner's prayer." These were all fabrications created by modern day Protestants, namely Baptists.

To answer the question, No - you cannot be both. You would do very well do re-enter the Catholic Church. I say "re-enter" because all who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, at that exact moment, are members of the one true Faith of the Church. It is not until they begin excepting false doctrine and practices do they fall into heresey and excommunicate themselves from the one true Faith. So, come back home. The Catholic Church is the one true Church of the Living God. I was raised Southern Baptist. I converted about 2 years ago. I began to seek God through careful study and prayer. I let go of pre-concieved notions and found out, for myself, that Jesus came to set up ONE Church, not 40,000 different denominations that all differ doctrinally. So, seek God out - and I promise you if you clear your mind and let go of pre-concieved notions, study and pray, God will lead you into His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. God Bless and good luck.

* DougLawrence, By the way, if you are a claimed baptist, you are NOT united to the Catholic Church. This kind of false ecumenism is what is damaging the souls of millions. If you call yourself Catholic, then you understand that it is a DOGMA of the Faith that: Outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation. Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. Look it up. The Church actively taught this all the way up until the advent of modernism and the Vatican II council. But, just because it is not actively taught doesn't mean that it is not true. As a Catholic you know - if it was true then, it is true now. Dogma CANNOT change, only be misinterpreted by a modernist generation with ideals of false ecumenism and allowing people to believe that all "Christian" denominations are somehow united with the Catholic Church. The Church has never taught this, just the opposite.

Answer 3

I think it would be really challenging to identify as both a Catholic and a Baptist, but you could always just call yourself a non-denominational Christian. When people ask, you can always elaborate further about your strongest influences and so on. Baptist Christianity is pretty much a direct reaction against Catholicism. Baptists rejected the whole church hierarchy, the need to have church fathers interpret the bible for the people, and all the pomp and circumstance of the church. They believe in direct bible study, direct inspiration from god, and have pretty stripped-down churches without all the statuary and ritual that the Catholic church has.

Answer 4

Lot of mixed answers here. I am a former Catholic who went to Baptist Churches and has since returned to the fullness of the Catholic Church.

I would recomend calling the church office and making an appointment to speak with a priest.

He will be able to help you with any questions you might have

Answer 5

As a baptist, you're already united to the Catholic church ... the one and only universal Christian church, by your faith in Jesus Christ, along with your baptism ... even though baptists typically claim that baptism is not necessary for salvation.

To be Catholic, one must accept and believe all that the Catholic Church officially teaches and practices, for the purpose of our salvation.

So, the two positions are NOT reconcilable ... and you have a choice to make.

In the mean time, you should definitely avoid receiving ANY Catholic sacraments.

For some deep background on the Catholic faith, along with much of the best Catholic scholarship and theology of the past 2000 years, send for my Catholic Resource CD. It's easy to use, and it's free.

Answer 6

I'm afraid neither the Baptists nor the Catholics recognize "dual membership." If you decided to take instructions in the Catholic faith to join the Catholic Church, they wouldn't make you give you your letter of membership in the Baptist church, but the Baptists might.

Answer 7

Credentials: former RC, still Christian

The first 2 answers are technically accurate. The Roman Catholic (RC) Church demands adherence to canon law, which includes faith in "one holy, catholic and apostolic church" (i.e. the RC church). However, as a RC you are permitted to attend services in other Christian churches.

Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/

Answer 8

to be a catholic and be baptized in the catholic church, it is required that you become a full fledged catholic, you can still attend baptist masses however, you cannot take the bread or wine, and it cannot interfere with going to catholic mass.

Answer 9

No. It's not. By the way, Baptists are not protestants. The word "protestant" refers to the denominations that broke off of the catholic church in protest. Baptists were around loooong before that ever took place.

Answer 10

No, it's not possible.

You have to leave the baptist church to be a Catholic.

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BTW, your crude assumption of what protestants would say is grossly annoying. You do not know the billion protestants in the world, nor do you have any clue what they would say.