From news@ee.gatech.edu Tue Mar 11 00:30:47 1997 Return-Path: news@ee.gatech.edu Received: from relay4.UU.NET (relay4.UU.NET [192.48.96.14]) by aramis.rutgers.edu (8.6.12+bestmx+oldruq+newsunq+grosshack/8.6.12) with ESMTP id AAA24993 for ; Tue, 11 Mar 1997 00:30:44 -0500 Received: from didier.ee.gatech.edu by relay4.UU.NET with ESMTP (peer crosschecked as: didier.ee.gatech.edu [130.207.230.10]) id QQcgje27635; Tue, 11 Mar 1997 00:30:43 -0500 (EST) Received: from freep.ee.gatech.edu (freep.ee.gatech.edu [130.207.224.8]) by didier.ee.gatech.edu (8.8.4/8.8.4) with ESMTP id AAA19996 for ; Tue, 11 Mar 1997 00:30:40 -0500 (EST) Received: (news@localhost) by freep.ee.gatech.edu (8.6.10/8.6.10) id AAA21945; Tue, 11 Mar 1997 00:31:06 -0500 To: soc-religion-christian@uunet.uu.net Path: urbs!casinovi From: casinovi@ee.gatech.edu (Giorgio Casinovi) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Apostolic Succession Date: 11 Mar 1997 05:31:02 GMT Organization: Georgia Tech, School of ECE Lines: 46 Message-ID: <5g2qmm$ldn@freep.ee.gatech.edu> References: <5e8skc$m8v@geneva.rutgers.edu> <5fo2k7$719@geneva.rutgers.edu> <5g2ddv$f9e@geneva.rutgers.edu> <5g2n17$gae@geneva.rutgers.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: urbs.adgrp.gatech.edu In article <5g2n17$gae@geneva.rutgers.edu>, Edward Thorne wrote: >[...] >Concerning the baptisms that Lane mentioned above, it would seem to me >from what I have learned about the beliefs of many Protestant >denominations about baptism, I don't see how the Catholic church can >recognize them as valid. > >After all, many of those denominations reject baptism as a sacrament, >working ex opere operato, instead saying that it is a mere symbol done >in obedience to Christ's command. The following excerpts are from the Directory concerning Ecumenical Matters, Part One (Secretariat for the Promotion of the Unity of Christians, "Ad Totam Ecclesiam," May 14th, 1967): "13. In respect of other [than Eastern Orthodox] Christians a doubt can sometimes arise: [...] (b) Concerning faith and intention. Because some consider that insufficiency of faith or intention in a minister can create a doubt about baptism, these points should be noted: The minister's insufficient faith never of itself makes baptism invalid. Sufficient intention in a baptizing minister is to be presumed unless there is serious ground for doubting that he intends to do what Christians do. (Cf. Response of the Holy Office, 30 January 1833: "It is sufficient to do what Christians do"; Sacred Congregation of the Council. Decrees approved by Pius V, 19 June 1570, cited by the Provincial Council of Evreux, France, 1576). [...] 14. Indiscriminate conditional baptism of all those who desire full communion with the Catholic Church cannot be approved. The sacrament of baptism cannot be repeated (cf. Code of Canon Law, Can. 732, 1), and therefore to baptize again conditionally is not allowed unless there is prudent doubt of the fact, or of the validity, of a baptism already administered (Cf. Council of Trent, Session 7, Can. 4; Code of Canon Law, Can. 732, 2)." -- Giorgio Casinovi, Senior Research Engineer | Georgia Tech has Information Technology & Telecommunications Lab | no right to claim Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA 30332-0832| my opinions as its Giorgio.Casinovi@ee.gatech.edu | own.