How can an atheist or Jew Baptize?
Upvote:2
The idea you are paraphrasing is ex opere operato, the idea that the sacrament is in itself efficacious and does not depend on the intention of either the minister or the recipient. Not all denominations hold to it. Those that do, probably have nuances in their application of it. The historical origins of this viewpoint go back to the Donatist Controversy in the 4th century. Back then the schism was between ex opere operanti and ex opere operato.
Here are a couple of links explaining them both in more detail:
Upvote:3
From your phrasing I believe you are referring to the Catholic view. The Catechism at 1256 states:
WHO CAN BAPTIZE?
In case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize, by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for salvation.
The "right intention" of an atheist does not mean that they themselves must believe the teachings of the Church, but only that they must intend to do what the Church does. For example, suppose an atheist is with a dying man who has minutes left to live, and the dying man asks for baptism. The baptism is valid as long as the atheist uses the Trinitarian formula and intends to do the same thing that a Christian would do in the circumstance. More or less, the atheist must think to themselves, "I intend to baptize this person according to the Christian teaching, even though I myself do not believe in Christianity."
More post
- 📝 Is secularizing Christian symbols blasphemy?
- 📝 Communion of saints - Is there a Greek equivalent of "ecclesia penitens"?
- 📝 The Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ created under the direction of Heavenly Father and He did not create the world "out of nothing."
- 📝 Understanding grace
- 📝 According to mainstream Christian groups, is it the soul or the body that goes to heaven?
- 📝 How do believers in present-day miraculous healings respond to skeptics requesting thorough scientific medical documentation accessible worldwide?
- 📝 According to Catholics when were names added to The Book of Life?
- 📝 How do Catholics deal with prophecies of future perpetual animal sacrifice?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the eternal existence of the lost in hell?
- 📝 Can theological trends explain reasons for male / female divide in (US) worship?
- 📝 According to Trinitarians, can beings other than God take on other natures?
- 📝 From a Catholic perspective what does it mean for all creatures to fulfill God's will whether they know and want to or not?
- 📝 Priestly hiring competitions in the Catholic Church
- 📝 In which writing(s) did Augustine assert that God exists outside of time?
- 📝 Do the scriptures indicate the physical appearance of the Israelites?
- 📝 What explanation did the Catholic Church give regarding the incorruptible bodies?
- 📝 How do the Jehovah's witnesses reconcile Isaiah 44:24 with their belief that Jesus is the only direct creation of God?
- 📝 Did Moses have an Egyptian Stepbrother?
- 📝 Why is there a need for a sacrifice by Jesus?
- 📝 In the Catholic Church, does the private Act of Contrition require a specific prayer?
- 📝 How do Latter-day Saints explain testimonies of profound experiences with the Holy Spirit in other denominations?
- 📝 By what did Jesus call Joseph?
- 📝 Does God love unconditionally?
- 📝 What do Chinese Catholics call their priests?
- 📝 Beatitudes explained in layman's terms to find true happiness
- 📝 St. Albans Psalter - history of manuscripts used to translate the Psalms
- 📝 How can one offer Christ's sacrifice to God?
- 📝 How do the Pope, Bishops, Priests relate to one another in the Catholic Church's hierarchy?
- 📝 If Jesus is the son of God then why bother listing his genealogy?
- 📝 Does the Bible give any rules for music?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How can an atheist or Jew Baptize?
- 📝 If the Ten Commandments say “thou shalt not kill” how can a Christian fight in a war?
- 📝 How can the Son not know what the Father knows?
- 📝 How can the sun be created after day and night?
- 📝 How can we trust the Bible after it has been translated to another language?
- 📝 How can one overcome lustful desires?
- 📝 How could Jacob wrestle with God if no one can see God and live?
- 📝 Can an atheist go to heaven?
- 📝 How can I tell the difference between the Moral law and other laws in the old testament?
- 📝 How can a loving God make a deal with the devil?
- 📝 How can a Wholly Good God Deliberately Create Evil?
- 📝 How can things considered bad when done by humans become good when God does them?
- 📝 How is it that someone who lived thousands of years ago can "represent" me?
- 📝 How is it that an unchanging and omniscient God can have "regret" as He did in Gen 6:7?
- 📝 How can Heaven exist if we know that people in Hell will suffer?
- 📝 How can Protestants authoritatively declare something wrong or heretical under Sola Scriptura?
- 📝 If the Holy Spirit is God, and God can not be in the presence of sin, then how can the Holy Spirit dwell in me a sinner?
- 📝 If Jesus is "God's Only Son" then how can we all be God's children?
- 📝 If jealousy is sin, how can God be jealous?
- 📝 According to the Roman Catholic church, who can baptize a new believer?
- 📝 According to Catholic doctrine, how can an angel be a saint?
- 📝 When the Bible says "forever," how can we tell it really means forever?
- 📝 How can we be sure our specific Christian confession is true, when every other Christian group claims that it's not?
- 📝 How can women be forbidden to speak and yet prophesy and speak in tongues?
- 📝 How can a Pope be chosen from outside the conclave?
- 📝 How much can holy water be diluted?
- 📝 How can these inconsistencies about Jesus' tomb be explained?
- 📝 How can I be sure someone I know is going to Heaven?
- 📝 How does 1 John 2:19 fit with the teaching that Christians can lose their salvation
- 📝 How can Christians reconcile the request to prohibit same-sex marriage and the lawfulness of h*m*sexuality itself?