Religion 195B Bob Bitterman
Magic, Science, and Religion 3/13/03
Title of System
Baptism in the Roman Catholic
Church
Keywords
Sacrament, Ritual, Rite,
Baptism, Reconciliation, Sins, Faith, Catechism
I. Abstract
Roman Catholicism is a
widely-spread religion based on firm, grounded doctrine and theology which has
helped to shape and solidify thousands of years of tradition. Adversity, protest, and schisms have failed
to change the Catholic system of belief.
Those who follow the path of this church are subject to the timeless
ritual of Catholic life that is marked by a series of holy Sacraments designed
to navigate one’s spiritual and moral life.
The first and foremost of the sacraments is Baptism, which marks the
entry of a subject into the Kingdom of God.
Baptism, complemented by the other six sacraments, allows for a clear
and straight path to salvation. Baptism
is the gate into the kingdom of God and provides for the potential to be saved
in the afterlife.
II. Scope and Purpose of the System
There are seven, holy
sacraments that are identified with the Roman Catholic Church. They are as follows: Baptism, Reconciliation
or Penance, First Holy Communion or the Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage,
Ordination, and Extreme Unction or Last Rites.
The consecration and sanctification of these rituals is provided by
Roman Catholic doctrine with the intentions of setting these rituals apart from
everyday, mundane worship of God. The
properties and practice of these rituals transcend the scope of personal
worship and prayer. The sacraments
provide for a structured, spiritual frontier that all Catholics will
encounter. Of the seven sacraments,
only four are mandatory for those who wish to seek and live the spiritual life
that entitled to them by the Church and God.
The four sacraments that all traditional, practicing Catholics will
encounter are Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation. There is no urgency for anyone to be
married, become a priest, or receive blessings for a safe passage to heaven on
his or her deathbed, however these sacraments are perceived as spiritually
significant moments in one’s life that transcend the boundaries of prayer and
individual worship. Because of this
they retain their ritual status as sacraments.
Baptism is the prerequisite for all sacraments and
certainly for salvation in the Roman Catholic Church. The sacraments mark seven very holy rituals in the Church
doctrine that are intended to instruct spiritual, moral, and personal
development. The sacraments can be seen
as a guide or a map for one’s spiritual life in accordance with one’s rite of
passage to the afterlife. Baptism
allows for one to bring his congregation closer together in the celebration of
life under God in addition to the celebration of the beginning of one‘s journey
on the path God has laid out for him.
III. Authority Structure /
IV.
A. Sources and Criteria of
Valid Knowledge
The history of the
sacrament of Baptism begins in the New Testament of the bible. The Gospels describe the work of John the
Baptist, a messenger of God, and the baptism of Jesus. In the first lines of the book of the
prophet Mark, it is said, “It is written in Isaiah the prophet: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who
will prepare your way, a voice of one calling in the desert’”(Mark 1:2-3) The one calling in the desert is John the
Baptist. The book of the prophet Isaiah
clarifies the role of John the Baptist. “Prepare the way for the Lord, make
straight paths for him. Every valley
shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways
smooth. And all mankind will see God’s
salvation” (Isaiah 40:3-5). This
passage conveys the message that John the Baptist tries to relay to the people
whom he comes in contact. His message
of baptism reports an inclination of emphasis on salvation. The imagery of making “straight paths” lends
to the idea of the correct path to salvation through the guidance of the
sacraments and more specifically from baptism.
This is just an interpretation of the scriptures however, some choose to
find a different meaning in these passages.
To dwell in God’s kingdom and seek salvation by His hand
requires being baptized. This can be
seen in the baptism of Jesus. “When all
the people are being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and
the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove”(Luke
3:21-22). God reveals himself to his
son after he is initiated into his kingdom as if to say, “congratulations, you
may continue your journey, I am proud of you.”
As John continued to travel and baptize, he let everyone know that he
was baptizing them with water, but that a greater one would come and baptize
them with the “Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11-12). The water is then used to symbolize this
“spirit” or act as a precursor to the spirit and salvation that accompanies
it. As a mortal, John came to baptize
with water. The washing away of sins
can be closely associated with the use of water as a cleanser. And to pardon the cliché, it has been said
that cleanliness is next to godliness.
The books of the Gospel recount God’s revelation to Jesus
after he is properly and formally baptized by John in the Jordan river. In Matthew, it is written that Jesus
gathered eleven disciples in Galilee where he told them, “All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19) The stage has been set for a long stint of
tradition and importance for the ritual of Baptism in Christianity and the
Church. Upon the establishment of the
Roman Catholic Church, doctrine is created to provide foundations for the
rituals and all aspects of religious dogma that require explanation or clarity.
The sacrament of
baptism was instituted by Jesus.
He told his disciples to go out and baptize everyone. John’s message to those he was to baptize
sounded like a warning. It was
interpreted by many to be a warning against the wrath of God and the attractiveness
of heaven (Beasley-Murray, 94). For
this reason, people began bringing their children to be baptized when they
themselves were getting baptized (Baille, 83).
The spread of the ritual seems to be evolutionary, as Jesus‘ followers
began growing in number. This ritual
was bestowed upon John as a revelation from God and has since then developed as
the Church has developed.
Infants began to be baptized into the Church. With this practice came controversy. Many do
not understand why infants, who cannot understand the importance of the ritual
at that age, are baptized under these circumstances. Those who object to infant baptism object to the idea that the
Church is baptizing infants for the sake of tradition and ignoring the profound
need for the recognition of baptism as, “not only an ecclesiastical act, but
especially a divine act”(Berkouwer, 162).
This was the typical thought process of Calvinists. Catholics, however, take a different
approach to the question raised. The
grace that comes from the union of body and spirit in God’s kingdom is
confirmed by baptism. Faith is
available to the anointed after the ceremony is completed. This marks the period in which one looks
back upon as their faith filled life; from the present back to their day of
baptism (Baille, 88-90). Baptism has
remained with the Church since it was introduced to John by God, Jesus was
baptized, and Jesus’ disciples went out to baptized all who followed Christ’s
teachings.
B. Methods of Inquiry
Many Christians identify
their baptisms with the baptisms performed by John. For this reason the water is still used to show a washing away of
sins. This was the baptism adopted by
the Church. John was simply preparing
the road for the messiah to get his message across, effectively to the
people. Christ wanted to show the
splendor that awaited those who were initiated into his kingdom through the
sacrament (Berkouwer, 98-101). However
this is further exemplified by the idea that baptism was more than just a
ritual in relation to its spread, but symbolic of the spread of
Christianity. When Jesus instructed
that people of all nations were to be baptized, this marked the spread of the
Word and faith (Berkouwer, 102-103).
Wherein lies the necessity of baptism in the Church? This is easily answered by the fact that
Jesus Christ was the one who enforced this ritual upon his followers. The inherent question about the necessity of
baptism for salvation is answered by the one who entrusts his faith in the
ritual of sacraments and accepts them for what he believes is the purpose they
serve him. “It is faith, desiring the
sacraments and making use of them, that will speak of the necessity of the
sacraments”(Berkouwer, 109).
Knowledge of the sacrament of baptism is spread everyday,
everywhere there is a christening mass in a church. People witness this sacrament whether they adhere to its
fundamental assumptions of faith or if they have devoted themselves to a
completely different creed. Whether one
believes in the power of the water that is used to forgive one’s sins is up to
the individual. The Roman Catholic
church has been set apart from the Protestants because the Protestants believe
that ritual is merely symbolic of the original act, whereas the Catholics
believe that there is something supernatural occurring every time the sacrament
is performed. The notion of
transubstantiation and ex opere operato, or from the working of the deed
itself, is strongly rooted in Catholic tradition and solidified in The Roman
Catechism. The Lollards, a movement
founded by John Wycliffe went as far as
to say that baptism was not needed for salvation. They also believed that the notions of transubstantiation and
consecration by a priest were completely bunk. This goes against much of what is written in the bible.
The proof of the effectiveness of the sacrament can only
be found in the individual as he begins to develop a lasting relationship in
the dominion of God (Berkouwer, 110).
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy
Spirit”(Titus 3:5). In addition to
these sentiments people begin to identify themselves with the death and
resurrection of Christ as a result of their infinite union with him (Berkouwer,
114). “And you were buried with him in
baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of
God, who raised him from the dead”(Colossians 2:12).
C. Institutions and Professional Structure
From a scientific standpoint,
there is no possible way to determine the effectiveness of the sacrament. This means that most people who attempt to
see the physical washing away of sins will not be satisfied. Sins, by definition, are not objects that
can be held in one’s hand. They are a
unit assigned to the act of doing immoral deeds that do not coincide with the
will of God. It is impossible to see
the washing away of one’s sins with a naked eye, but complimented with the
faith in Christ and his sacrifice for the salvation of everyone, one can allow
faith to be his sixth sense and reveal the power of the sacrament. This power works in the same manner as the
power of Reconciliation. Upon
confessing one’s sins to a priest, one is given a penance, or an act of
redemption to cleanse the sins of which they just confessed. The completion of the penance in compliance
with the recommendation of the priest (usually saying prayers), will provide
for the forgiveness of sins and the removal of the guilt and burden that
accompanied them. This too, however,
can only be seen through the eyes of faith.
Because baptism occurs regularly, it became part of the
education of the priest to perform the sacrament. Though the original baptism took place in the Jordan river,
modern baptism has taken place in the church with a supply of water that is
blessed by the priest. This water is
symbolic of the water that John used to baptize. A series of prayers are said by the priest who blesses the
participant and makes the sign of the cross with a blessed oil known as
chrism. The participant then has his
head dunked under the water or has the water lifted and poured over his head to
signify forgiveness and the washing away of sins. This provides the newly-christened Christian access to their
faith and their being recognized by God, as a part of his kingdom (Catechism).
It is important to understand the role of the priest who
carries out the sacrament of baptism, similarly to reconciliation. The priest is a trained messenger of God who
spreads His Word and acts as a liaison between God and the people of the
church. The priest has taken vows of
devotion to the helping of others to become closer to God. Those who reject the faith usually have
trouble accepting the authority and power of the priest. Though he is not a magician or a sorcerer,
his message and job is powerful and is in the likeliness of what was intended
for the people by God. Faith in the
institution of the church is part of faith in the creed. Furthermore, priests decide to become
priests when they receive a personal message from God asking them to live a
life of devotion with didactic principles.
Not everyone believes that these men are actually receiving a message
from God, but these men obviously do if they have gone and devoted their lives
to the faith. The priest has a strong
impact on the community of participants in Catholicism, as the order of priests
dictate the will of God upon the public.
It is believed that the priest is acting under the same ordinance that
was bestowed upon John, to clear the road to salvation. “And now why do you wait? Rise and be
baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name”(Acts 22:16).
IV. History
The history of baptism dates
back to biblical times when God sends John out to baptize with water. Ever since this moment, baptism has held its
place in the Roman Catholic Church. The
Church interprets the promotion of baptism in the bible as a crucial part of
Catholic doctrine. Jesus spoke of being
baptized and consequently being saved, thus the practice of baptism has never
been removed from Roman Catholic catechism.
It is difficult, however, to put a timetable to the development of
sacramental tradition within the church.
Pope Pious IV assembled the Council of Trent in 1564 to
combat the writings of Martin Luther and other Protestants (Britannica). This was in addition to the need to have the
purpose and scope of all Catholic dogma laid out for its practitioners. This would prevent the rise of heresy and
the false words of false prophets. The
Council of Trent among other things, produced the framework for the
sacraments(Catechism). Every issue
regarding baptism, from its definition to the procedure is outlined in the
Roman Catholic catechism that was created at the Council of Trent. The documentation in the Council of Trent is
still used as the correct procedure and argumentation for the validity of the
practice of the sacrament of baptism under the sovereignty of the Roman
Catholic Church. As it was previously
noted, the Church is based firmly on its traditions and thus has not changed
its views of the Sacraments since the Council of Trent.
V. Representative Examples
of Argumentation
The validity of the sacrament
of baptism can only be secured through the faith of those who have received it
and by the historical documentation of the Bible. The Gospel was created with the intention of documenting the life
and times of Jesus and the impact he made on earth while he was walking among
men created in His image. By believing
that Christ is the embodiment of God, one must also believe that the words of
Jesus are those dictated to him by God.
The closest thing to proof of the validity of the sacrament is the word
of God dictated to the people through the Bible. “And he said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, and
he that disbelieves shall be condemned”(Mark 16:15-16).
The conflict in the ritual is the conflict in the faith
in the ritual. As previously mentioned,
the Lollards did not want to accept the necessity of baptism for
salvation. This was their conflict with
the ritual. Their liberal attitude
toward their faith allowed for them to dictate their own principles of worship
and faith that might not have agreed with the principles provided for us in the
Bible. Lollard doctrine denounces the
ability of a priest to consecrate actions and objects in addition to denouncing
any form of transubstantiation. The
aforementioned evidence of the validity of the sacrament in the Gospel is the
closest thing to hard evidence, however the Bible is not a scientific journal. In the beginning of a Catholic mass, the
priest guides us and says, “let us proclaim the mystery of faith,” because that
is just what faith is, a mystery.
VI. Suggested Position in
Comparative Scales
a. traditional authority(1)
----- testimony of experience(10).
2
Baptism is almost completely based with an emphasis on traditional
authority as the sacrament was given to John the Baptist in the Bible to allow
for the spread of Christianity and to pave the way for the coming of the
Messiah. There is no evidence to support
baptism’s relationship with testimony of experience except for witnessing the
act and forming one’s own view of the ritual.
b. centralization of authority(1) ----- decentralization(10). 3
The root of authority behind
baptism lies within the church and the priests who perform the sacrament. The logistics are settled by the
church. However, the effectiveness of
the sacrament is based on individual faith of the participant.
c. emphasis on spiritual world(1) ----- material world(10). 2
The material world is rarely
searched for the power of baptism and the forgiveness of sins. Having one’s sins forgiven is a spiritual
journey that involves only God, the participant, and the participants faith in
the power of the ritual.
d. spiritual or moral objectives(1) ----- pragmatic aims(10). 2
Performing the sacrament of
baptism provides the means for an almost completely spiritual experience with
the spiritual goal of reconciling the sins of man and preparing him for
salvation in the kingdom of God. The ritual
itself, is a physical act of tradition providing the vehicle for the much more
sacred spiritual act.
e. power of the divine(1) ----- power of the individual(10). 2
The power of baptism lies in
the mystery of faith that is made sacred by the individual, however it is
completely created and performed through the divine power of God. If the faith of the individual is there, the
power of God will have its way with your moral ledger.
Bibliography
Primary Sources
New International Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Bible Publishers.
1996.
This was the most useful
record of events regarding the earliest baptisms recorded on paper. This was extremely useful in providing the
reasons behind the necessity of getting baptized in the church.
Secondary Sources
Baille, Donald M. The
Theology of the Sacraments. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1957.
This source was helpful in
my understanding of basic church theology surroundin the sacraments
Beasley-Murray, G.R. Baptism
in the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Erdmans, 1962.
This book was crucial in
developing ideas about baptism from the scriptures and applying them to the
sacrament which is practiced everyday
Berkouwer, G.C. The
Sacraments. New York: Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Erdmans, 1969.
This source was by far the
most clear and structured of the secondary sources I used. Its outline of baptism in relation to the
Bible, the church, and the individual was most helpful
“Catechism of Trent: The
Original Order.” The Roman Catechism. James Akin. 1996 <http://www.cin.org/users/james/ebooks/master/trent/tindex.htm>
This website provided the
necessary information about Roman Catholic doctrine for my paper
Guzie, Todd. The Book of
Sacramental Basics. New York: Paulist Press, 1981.
This source was partially
useful in gaining a broad spectrum about the sacraments as a group of rituals
that hold sacred positions in the hearts of those with faith in them and God
"Trent, Council
of." Encyclopædia Britannica 2003 Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 31 Mar, 2003
<http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=75214>
This site was used only to
find a date for the Council of Trent
What is the Meaning and
Purpose of Baptism? Jeff McFadden. 12
March, 2003
<http://www.bebaptized.org/>.
This site was very useful for finding passages from the Bible that held relevance to Baptism and its origins and use