Emergency baptism
The emergency baptism (also baptism in need ) is available in several denominations , a baptism , which in mortal danger not of the candidate deviating from the normal practice of a priest but a layman will be donated. The exact definition and application differs in the different denominations, but the basis is always that a proper baptismal donor cannot be brought in in time to donate the baptism, for example in the event of an approaching death. Emergency baptisms take place in the Roman Catholic Church , in Orthodox , Lutheran , Evangelical Uniate , Anglican and Old Catholic churches, and more rarely in Reformed and Methodist churches.
If, on the other hand, the baptism is donated by a proper baptismal donor in such an emergency, this is also referred to as "sudden baptism".
history
Old Church and Catholicism
Until the 3rd century there was no emergency baptism. Baptism at this time was only possible through the bishop . At the Synod of Elvira (305), emergency baptism was legitimized by any Christian in the face of death, only not if a church was present in the immediate vicinity. At the council of Basel / Ferrara / Florence (1431–1445), emergency baptism was confirmed for the first time at a council by a pious man or woman. Nevertheless, after an emergency baptism, the person to be baptized had to be baptized again in a church after his recovery. The council assumed that through emergency baptism the child would be torn from the hands of the devil and received by God. Up until the Council of Trent (1545–1563), emergency baptism was closely related to infant baptism , or one, since in Basel / Ferrara / Florence only the addition was made that emergency baptism could take place.
It was not until the Tridentinum that a clear distinction was made between infant and emergency baptism. The need for salvation of baptism was also placed in the foreground through the doctrine of original sin . Accordingly, only he who is baptized into Jesus Christ is free from this sin.
On April 20, 2007 (AP), Pope Benedict XVI approved the results of the International Theological Commission and thus enabled the devaluation of the doctrine of Limbus puerorum to an older theological opinion that is not supported by the Church's teaching office. This means that liberation from original sin and damnation as a reason for an emergency baptism of dying children is no longer applicable.
reformation
Unlike Martin Luther , of his Small Catechism , a manual for emergency baptism enclosed with, rejected John Calvin ( Inst. IV, 15, 20) and Heinrich Bullinger ( Confessio Helvetica Posterior XX) Nottaufen from. In 1818 it was established that the Reformed parishes in Bavaria and the Uniate Church of the Palatinate "absolutely rejected" emergency baptism. In their dialogue with the Lutherans, the Methodists also pointed out that they did not see baptism as necessary for salvation in the same way as the Lutherans and that emergency baptism was therefore rare among them.
Emergency baptism in the Roman Catholic Church
requirements
Baptism must be performed using water and the Trinitarian formula “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ”. The person to be baptized must be poured with water. As far as the circumstances allow, witnesses should be called in. Canon law provides that baptism should be donated “except in an emergency” in a church or chapel.
execution
If there is an acute danger of life, the act of baptism can be reduced to speaking the baptismal formula "I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit". When saying this baptismal formula, the person to be baptized is poured three times with water. If more time is available, the emergency baptism should be embedded in a short liturgical celebration. In particular, the person to be baptized or their godparents or parents must confess their faith, e.g. B. by answering the baptismal questions or by speaking the creed . The use of holy water and interpretive rites such as anointing with catechumen oil and chrism can be dispensed with.
Baptism of unborn children
Emergency baptisms by midwives were also carried out on children who had not yet been born “when their lives were in dire danger”. If the unborn child was not yet safely accessible for the midwife's baptizing hands, a baptismal syringe was used. For the baptism to be effective, the baptismal formula to be spoken had to be correctly mastered by the midwife. There were also corresponding baptismal exams by the pastor. For children who died unbaptized there were a. "Traufkindverattungen".
validity
If no proper donor is present, according to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, anyone who has the right intention may baptize in an emergency, that is, he must want to do what the Church does when she baptizes. For baptism to be permitted, in an “urgent emergency” “only what is necessary for the validity of the sacrament” ( can. 850 CIC ) (the right intention, Trinitarian formula, pouring or immersion in water) must be observed . The giver of an emergency baptism does not even have to be a Christian himself , but baptism can in an emergency according to cann. 861§2 CIC can be donated by every “person guided by the necessary intention”. The faithful should be taught and taught the correct manner of baptism from the outset by the local pastor or a pastor. The pastor must be notified of the baptism as soon as possible so that he can enter it in the baptismal register.
Emergency baptism in the Anglican and Old Catholic churches
The Churches of the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Church also practice emergency baptism. In the Church of England it is sufficient for the head of the person to be baptized to be poured with water and the words "NN, I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" are spoken. In Anglican churches, too, emergency baptism can be performed by a lay person if there is no bishop, priest or deacon present. After the completion of the baptism, the person responsible for the pastoral care of the newly baptized person must be notified. At a later date, other elements of the baptismal service, such as B. the anointing with chrism , to be made up.
Protestant churches
Emergency baptisms can be carried out in the EKD churches if an unbaptized person is very ill and threatens to die. Such an emergency baptism can be undertaken by any Christian.
Other denominations
In other denominations , emergency baptism can be performed in a similar way. In all churches, everyone is allowed to baptize, but not without the consent of the sick person or the custodian. The introduction to the congregation does not have to be made up for, but the emergency baptism is only entered in the baptismal register. In the Orthodox churches , the baptismal ritual is limited to the essential gestures in an emergency; it can be carried out even when no priest is present.
In churches that do not regard baptism as a sacrament necessary for salvation and (mainly) practice the baptism of believers as an act of confession, no emergency baptism takes place.
literature
- Mark Searle: Infant Baptism Reconsidered . In: Maxwell E. Johnson (Ed.): Living Water, Sealing Spirit. Readings on Christian Initiation . Collegeville 1995, pp. 365-409.
- Hans Paarhammer: Emergency baptism as a canonical and pastoral problem - canonical comment on the role of the donor "in casus neccessitatis". In: Georg Ritzer (Ed.): With you I am human . Tyrolia-Verlag, Innsbruck - Vienna 2008, pp. 501-528.
- Evangelical hymn book (regional edition Lower Saxony-Bremen; regional edition Anhalt, Berlin-Brandenburg etc.), No. 791.
Web links
- Martin Luther: Appendix 6. Instructions for emergency baptism. (No longer available online.) In: Kleiner Katechismus. Evangelical Lutheran Free Church, 1529, archived from the original on August 31, 2011 ; accessed on May 14, 2014 .
- Baptism rites (catholic)
Individual evidence
- ^ Mark, Searle: Infant Baptism Reconsidered . In Maxwell, Johnson: Living Water, Sealing Spirit. Readings on Christian Initiation . Collegeville 1995, pp. 365-409.
- ↑ The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized (English)
- ^ Spiegel.de: Churches: Vatican abolishes limbo
- ↑ Christian Modehn To believe without original sin , Publik Forum No. 11, June 9, 2017, p. 42ff
- ↑ Marion Stadlober-Degwerth: (In) Heimliche Niederkunften: Obstetrics between midwifery and medical science . Böhlau Verlag, Cologne - Weimar 2008, p. 174
- ^ Documents of increasing consistency . Volume II, pp. 244f
- ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church , §1284: [1]
- ↑ Instructions for emergency baptism
- ↑ Emergency baptism of the unborn by the midwife
- ↑ Old regulations for baptisms and burials
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia
- ^ The Church of England: Emergency Baptism. Retrieved May 22, 2015 .
- ↑ What is emergency baptism? , accessed on July 29, 2015
- ↑ Susanne Hausmann, Sergius Heitz (ed.): Christ in you: Hope for glory. Orthodox book of faith for adult and adolescent believers. Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, Göttingen 2002, p. 116