Synod Approves Baptism Agreement

Delegates to Synod 2011 approved an ecumenically historic document on Monday afternoon, recognizing that baptisms in the Roman Catholic Church have the same validity as those performed in the Christian Reformed Church.

In practice, this means a person baptized in the Catholic Church need not be baptized again if he or she joins a CRC congregation. In many ways, synod’s decision formalizes a practice and view that has been held in the CRC for many years.

Titled the “Common Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Baptism,” the document was many years in the making as part of the Reformed/Roman Catholic dialogue.

The dialogue brought together theologians from the Roman Catholic Church, the CRC, the Reformed Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ to discuss ways in which beliefs on baptism and the Lord’s Supper converge.

Some delegates said they are concerned that the document might appear to some people as an acceptance of Catholic beliefs. Delegates also expressed concern over what will happen if a former Catholic wants to become a CRC member and asks to be rebaptized to celebrate and reflect the decision to change religious traditions.

But a majority of delegates agreed to approve the document, which states that baptism establishes “the bond of unity existing among all who are part of Christ’s body and is therefore the sacramental basis for our efforts to move towards visible unity.”

The ecumenical document also states: “Together, we affirm, as a sign of our unity and as a witness to ecumenical commitment, the practice of inviting the presence and, where appropriate, the participation of members of our respective communions in the celebration of Baptism.”

The agreement was approved earlier this year by the Roman Catholic Church and will be taken up by the other denominations this summer.

Also part of the Catholic/Reformed Dialogue was an in-depth look at the similarities and differences in how the traditions view the Lord’s Supper. That document was eventually passed by synod as a teaching document. It does not state that Reformed traditions believe the same thing about the Lord’s Supper as Roman Catholics.

“This agreement (on baptism) is the conclusion of seven years of work. We met two times a year. We got to know the representatives of the other traditions very well,” said Lyle Bierma, a professor of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary and one of five CRC representatives in the dialogue.

“Even though we still have significant differences with the Roman Catholics, I was impressed by how much convergence there really is between our denominations.”

The document makes it clear that baptism need occur only once, regardless of whether a person changes denominations. It also offers a common baptismal certificate.

“This is a serious and important issue,” said Ronald Feenstra, a professor of systematic and philosophical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary and also a representative to the dialogue.

The crucial element about this document, said Feenstra, is that it makes it clear that “in baptism, God is the primary agent. This agreement says nothing about agreement with Roman Catholic theology.

“This document is coming out of the historical position of the CRC’s ongoing recognition (of Catholic baptisms),” Feenstra said. “This document offers a wonderful opportunity to recognize that God in Christ by power of the Holy Spirit is doing the baptism.”

But Harold Caicedo, a CRC pastor of a Spanish-speaking congregation in California and a delegate to synod, said that he, and especially the people he pastors, are not in favor of mutual recognition of baptism with the Catholic Church.

His church is growing with people who are former Catholics who have opened their lives to Jesus Christ and have forsaken their former church, its beliefs and its practices, he said. “If I tell families in my church that it is not necessary for them to be baptized because the CRC accepts the baptism of Catholics, none of those people will be in my church the following day.”

Speaking through an interpreter, Caicedo said that his church wants to play a vital role in the CRC. “But we cannot accept baptisms from the Roman Catholic Church on the same level as people who express their faith openly and express Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation.”

Rev. Henry Vander Beek, pastor of a church in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and a delegate to synod, said he has compassion for the concerns expressed by Caicedo. “There are people who have a spiritual reawakening and want to celebrate that by re-baptism,’ said Vander Beek.

Synod, however, decided to approve the the document “as an ecumenical document on baptism and recommend it to the churches for further study and reflection.”

Synod also praised those who worked so diligently on the dialogue. Besides Bierma and Feenstra, they are Sue Rozeboom, a liturgical specialist and author, as well as David Engelhard and George Vandervelde, both of whom have since passed away.

“In these documents, our scholars’ diligent devotion to accuracy regarding both convergences and divergences in official church teachings, reflects Jesus’ prayer, ‘Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth’ (John 17:17),” wrote the synodical study committee that brought the issue and recommendations to synod.”

“The combination of depth and clarity in these documents will lead to a combination of learning and inspiration as churches respond to them with the further study and reflection to which synod calls us.”

For more coverage while synod is in session, including webcast, photos, discussion forum, reports, and more visit the Synod 2011 website.