The Case Against Rebaptism
In a work known as the Commonitorium, St. Vincent of Lerins wrote: "Agrippinus of venerable memory, who was once bishop of Carthage, first of all mortals, against the divine Canon, against the rule of the Universal Church, against the opinion of all his fellow priests, against the custom and institutions of the elders, thought that rebaptism ought to be practiced... Then Pope Stephen of blessed memory, bishop of the Apostolic See, together indeed with the rest of his colleagues but more than the others, resisted, thinking it fitting, I think, that he exceed all the rest as much by the devotion of his faith as he did by the authority of his place. What happened in the end? What force was there in the African Council or decree? By God’s gift, none. Everything, as if a dream or a story, was trampled upon as if useless, abolished, superseded... [PL 50: 645-6].
St. Augustine stated: “I do not accept what Blessed Cyprian thought about baptizing heretics and schismatics, because the Church, for which Blessed Cyprian shed his blood, does not accept this.” [Contra Cresc. II, 32].
The ancient church historian Sozomen records that Pope Julius criticized the Eusebians (Arians) for having violated the law of the Church, for having innovated against the Council of Nicea, and for failing to convoke him [Julius] to the council [at Antioch], “because it is a law that actions taken without the consent of the bishop of Rome are invalid.” [HE III, 10].
The ancient church historian Socrates also writes that Pope Julius rebuked the Eusebians on the grounds that “it is unlawful to legislate for the churches without the consent of the bishop of Rome.” [HE II, 17].
Certain Spanish bishops were rebaptizing converts from Arianism, “which is illicit, as the apostle forbids it [cf. Eph. 4, 5] and it goes against the canons,” Pope St. Siricius noted, adding that after the Council of Rimini, Pope Liberius had sent “general decrees throughout the provinces” prohibiting rebaptism. Such converts were to be reconciled by imposition of the bishop’s hand, and invocation of the sevenfold Spirit, as was the practice of east and west, the pope wrote, adding: “from this path you must not deviate, if you do not want to be separated in mind from our synodal college.” [PL 13: 1133-4].
According to Pope Siricius (399 AD) Montanists and Novatians were to be received not by rebaptism, but by the imposition of hands. Priests and deacons were to observe continence with their wives. [PL 13: 1155 sq.].
Pope Innocent I (417 AD) taught that individuals returning from the Novatians and Montanists, were to be received by the imposition of hands only, because they had been baptized in Christ’s name, “albeit by heretics.” On the other hand, individuals who left the Church and allowed themselves to be rebaptized by these sects were to be readmitted only through long penitential satisfaction. [PL 20: 475]
Regarding the Africans, Canon 8 of the Council of Arles (314) states that those who use their own law to rebaptize, it has been enacted that if anybody comes to the church from heresy, let them ask him the Creed: and if they see that he has been baptized in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, let the hand be imposed upon him only, that he may receive the Holy Spirit. But if the person questioned does not answer with this Trinity, let him be baptized. [Mansi 2: 472].
THE COUNCIL OF TOLEDO [633] AND POPE ST. GREGORY THE GREAT ON SINGLE IMMERSION
The Fourth Council of Toledo [633] addressed a controversy about baptism. Certain priests insisted on one immersion for baptism, because the Arians used a triple immersion. Canon 6 decrees, “let us be informed by the precepts of the Apostolic See, about what must be done,” and cites a
letter of Pope Gregory I [590-604], “who not only enlightened the regions of Italy, but thoroughly instructed far flung churches with his doctrine.” Noting that either usage was valid, Gregory had favored the retention of the simple immersion, which was customary in Spain, lest the Arians exploit a return to the triple immersion for propaganda purposes. [PL 84: 367-8].
Pope Gregory, who died in 604, is one of only three popes called “Great.” The Byzantine Church commemorates “our holy father Gregory, Pope of Rome,” on March 12. [Menaion, March, Athens 1904, 73].
Pope St. Leo on Baptism
"Some of the captives, out of hunger or fear, had eaten foods sacrificed to idols. Such individuals must be cleansed by penitential satisfaction. Others had submitted to rebaptism through error or fear; Leo decreed that they were to be received through the imposition of hands by the bishop, and penance, although the elderly or seriously ill could receive a milder sentence and be restored to communion by the priests. Those who had been baptized by heretics, but otherwise were properly disposed, were to receive confirmation through the imposition of hands and invocation of the Holy Spirit. [PL 54: 1135-40].
According to Leo, those who had been validly baptized by heretics were to receive the Holy Spirit through the imposition of hands. [PL 54:1191-6]
Pope Leo is venerated as a saint by the Latin and Byzantine churches. The orthodox eastern church, whose tradition venerates his dogmatic tome as a “pillar of orthodoxy,” commemorates St. Leo on February 18, eulogizing him in these terms: You have acted as heir of the throne of Peter, the Coryphaeus... having his mind and... zeal for the faith... as the dawn... O thrice blessed one, you sent your tome of pious dogmas as rays of light to the Church... The successor of Peter, enriched with his presidency and possessed of the grace of his zeal, composes his tome, divinely moved... you wrote the teachings of religion as on tablets divinely engraved, appearing as a second Moses to the people and assembly of venerable teachers, shouting: “O priests, bless Christ; o people, exalt him forever.” [Menaion, Athens 1966- 1980, February, 100-102].
Dom Chapman writes: "In the East there were others in the fourth century besides St. Basil who thought it might be well sometimes to rebaptize heretics; but such peculiarities were apparently only put in practice in rare cases. It was certainly not the custom anywhere to rebaptize Arians or Semi-Arians. From the fifth century onwards the East is absolutely in line with the West, and St. Basil theoretical opinion remains a dead letter. All of St. Cyprian's torrents of argument, eloquence, and invective against the teaching of Rome were in vain." (Studies on the Early Papacy, p. 50).
Please note, not one single rebaptizer has responded to this article. The facts do not support their position.
St Maximus the Confessor [580-662] spoke of:
... Rome, that is, the Apostolic See, which from God the Incarnate Word Himself as well as all the holy Councils, according to the sacred canons and definitions, has received and possesses supreme power in all things and for all things, over all the holy churches of God throughout the world, as well as power and authority of binding and loosing. For with this church, the Word, who commands the powers of heaven, binds and looses in heaven. [PG 91: 144].
If anyone claims that the above quote from St. Maximus is a corrupted text, tell them to give evidence for their claim. There is no evidence that this text was ever tampered with. The only reason a person would assert the text is corrupted, is because it so obviously and powerfully discredits their Eastern Orthodox eccesiology.
The Ancient Document Rule: "Every document, apparently ancient, coming from the proper repository or custody, and bearing on its face no evident marks of forgery, the law presumes to be genuine, and devolves on the opposing party the burden of proving it to be otherwise."
St. Augustine stated: “I do not accept what Blessed Cyprian thought about baptizing heretics and schismatics, because the Church, for which Blessed Cyprian shed his blood, does not accept this.” [Contra Cresc. II, 32].
The ancient church historian Sozomen records that Pope Julius criticized the Eusebians (Arians) for having violated the law of the Church, for having innovated against the Council of Nicea, and for failing to convoke him [Julius] to the council [at Antioch], “because it is a law that actions taken without the consent of the bishop of Rome are invalid.” [HE III, 10].
The ancient church historian Socrates also writes that Pope Julius rebuked the Eusebians on the grounds that “it is unlawful to legislate for the churches without the consent of the bishop of Rome.” [HE II, 17].
Certain Spanish bishops were rebaptizing converts from Arianism, “which is illicit, as the apostle forbids it [cf. Eph. 4, 5] and it goes against the canons,” Pope St. Siricius noted, adding that after the Council of Rimini, Pope Liberius had sent “general decrees throughout the provinces” prohibiting rebaptism. Such converts were to be reconciled by imposition of the bishop’s hand, and invocation of the sevenfold Spirit, as was the practice of east and west, the pope wrote, adding: “from this path you must not deviate, if you do not want to be separated in mind from our synodal college.” [PL 13: 1133-4].
According to Pope Siricius (399 AD) Montanists and Novatians were to be received not by rebaptism, but by the imposition of hands. Priests and deacons were to observe continence with their wives. [PL 13: 1155 sq.].
Pope Innocent I (417 AD) taught that individuals returning from the Novatians and Montanists, were to be received by the imposition of hands only, because they had been baptized in Christ’s name, “albeit by heretics.” On the other hand, individuals who left the Church and allowed themselves to be rebaptized by these sects were to be readmitted only through long penitential satisfaction. [PL 20: 475]
Regarding the Africans, Canon 8 of the Council of Arles (314) states that those who use their own law to rebaptize, it has been enacted that if anybody comes to the church from heresy, let them ask him the Creed: and if they see that he has been baptized in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, let the hand be imposed upon him only, that he may receive the Holy Spirit. But if the person questioned does not answer with this Trinity, let him be baptized. [Mansi 2: 472].
THE COUNCIL OF TOLEDO [633] AND POPE ST. GREGORY THE GREAT ON SINGLE IMMERSION
The Fourth Council of Toledo [633] addressed a controversy about baptism. Certain priests insisted on one immersion for baptism, because the Arians used a triple immersion. Canon 6 decrees, “let us be informed by the precepts of the Apostolic See, about what must be done,” and cites a
letter of Pope Gregory I [590-604], “who not only enlightened the regions of Italy, but thoroughly instructed far flung churches with his doctrine.” Noting that either usage was valid, Gregory had favored the retention of the simple immersion, which was customary in Spain, lest the Arians exploit a return to the triple immersion for propaganda purposes. [PL 84: 367-8].
Pope Gregory, who died in 604, is one of only three popes called “Great.” The Byzantine Church commemorates “our holy father Gregory, Pope of Rome,” on March 12. [Menaion, March, Athens 1904, 73].
Pope St. Leo on Baptism
"Some of the captives, out of hunger or fear, had eaten foods sacrificed to idols. Such individuals must be cleansed by penitential satisfaction. Others had submitted to rebaptism through error or fear; Leo decreed that they were to be received through the imposition of hands by the bishop, and penance, although the elderly or seriously ill could receive a milder sentence and be restored to communion by the priests. Those who had been baptized by heretics, but otherwise were properly disposed, were to receive confirmation through the imposition of hands and invocation of the Holy Spirit. [PL 54: 1135-40].
According to Leo, those who had been validly baptized by heretics were to receive the Holy Spirit through the imposition of hands. [PL 54:1191-6]
Pope Leo is venerated as a saint by the Latin and Byzantine churches. The orthodox eastern church, whose tradition venerates his dogmatic tome as a “pillar of orthodoxy,” commemorates St. Leo on February 18, eulogizing him in these terms: You have acted as heir of the throne of Peter, the Coryphaeus... having his mind and... zeal for the faith... as the dawn... O thrice blessed one, you sent your tome of pious dogmas as rays of light to the Church... The successor of Peter, enriched with his presidency and possessed of the grace of his zeal, composes his tome, divinely moved... you wrote the teachings of religion as on tablets divinely engraved, appearing as a second Moses to the people and assembly of venerable teachers, shouting: “O priests, bless Christ; o people, exalt him forever.” [Menaion, Athens 1966- 1980, February, 100-102].
Dom Chapman writes: "In the East there were others in the fourth century besides St. Basil who thought it might be well sometimes to rebaptize heretics; but such peculiarities were apparently only put in practice in rare cases. It was certainly not the custom anywhere to rebaptize Arians or Semi-Arians. From the fifth century onwards the East is absolutely in line with the West, and St. Basil theoretical opinion remains a dead letter. All of St. Cyprian's torrents of argument, eloquence, and invective against the teaching of Rome were in vain." (Studies on the Early Papacy, p. 50).
Please note, not one single rebaptizer has responded to this article. The facts do not support their position.
St Maximus the Confessor [580-662] spoke of:
... Rome, that is, the Apostolic See, which from God the Incarnate Word Himself as well as all the holy Councils, according to the sacred canons and definitions, has received and possesses supreme power in all things and for all things, over all the holy churches of God throughout the world, as well as power and authority of binding and loosing. For with this church, the Word, who commands the powers of heaven, binds and looses in heaven. [PG 91: 144].
If anyone claims that the above quote from St. Maximus is a corrupted text, tell them to give evidence for their claim. There is no evidence that this text was ever tampered with. The only reason a person would assert the text is corrupted, is because it so obviously and powerfully discredits their Eastern Orthodox eccesiology.
The Ancient Document Rule: "Every document, apparently ancient, coming from the proper repository or custody, and bearing on its face no evident marks of forgery, the law presumes to be genuine, and devolves on the opposing party the burden of proving it to be otherwise."
The Church Fathers on the Primacy of the Bishops of Rome.
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/3608385727154145229/9185558786653008642
Comments
Post a Comment