#baptism

The Church does not dispense the sacrament of baptism in order to acquire for herself an increase in membership but in order to consecrate a human being to God and to communicate to that person the divine gift of birth from God. ↗

— Hans Urs von Balthasar

#birth #catholicism #christianity #faith #god

...Of the Hindu, of whatever caste, it may be said, as of the poet, nascitur non fit. His birth status is unalterable. But with the Sikh the exact reverse is the case. Born of a Sikh father, he is not himself counted of the faith until, as a grown boy, he has been initiated and received the baptism of the pahul at the Akal Bungah or some equally sacred place. ↗

— Lepel H. Griffin

#caste #sikh #equality

It would be unjust toward children to introduce them to Christian teaching and existence only as little pagans and catechumens, in order to leave it up to them to choose the Faith on their own responsibility at a point in time difficult to determine. ↗

— Hans Urs von Balthasar

#catholicism #christianity #faith #infant-baptism #theology

For the spiritual efficacy of the Sacrament doth not depend upon the nature of the thing received, supposing we received what our Lord appointed, and receive it with a right preparation and disposition of mind, but upon the supernatural blessing that goes along with it, and makes it effectual to those spiritual ends for which it was appointed. ↗

— John Tillotson

#communion #eucharist #god #lord-s-supper #sacraments

Fascism wants Baptism coast to coast. ↗

— Ken Kesey

#coast #fascism #wants

When my children were born, I didn't have them baptized because I felt baptism was about erasing Original Sin - something the Church said children got from their mother - and I absolutely refused to believe women carry Original Sin. ↗

— Olympia Dukakis

#absolutely #baptism #baptized #because #believe