Getting baptised or christened

[lorash]

Someone told me that anyone can baptise people - surely this can't be right is it?

[sandyRoe]

They'd need to be a Christian.

[thenry]

No. It is not right.

[askyourgran]

I don't know really, but I would have thought it would be an elder of the church at least, if not a vicar. Correct me if I'm wrong but a baptism to my mind is one where they dunk you in water, whereas a Christening is being sprinkled with holy water at a font.

[sandyRoe]

Yes it is.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02258b.htm

[Ann]

There are different kinds of Baptism, both performed by the minister of the church concerned. Infant baptism (often called christenings) and Believers baptism (total immersion together with profession of faith in Jesus) The latter is usually performed in Baptist or Evangelical church after a person becomes a Christian to show their new found faith. The new believer is put under the water in a pool for a second or two to represent Jesus dying and then raised to new life. Special baptistry pools are built under the floor at the front of many Baptist churches. The former is performed when babies are baptised (christened) at a font in the church, often with water placed on the head of the infant while prayers, promises or vows are made by the parents and/or the godparents. This is usually performed in C of E churches while in Baptist and Evangelical churches babies are not "christened" but "dedicated" - this is a simple dedication service where the Pastor or minister holds the baby and prays a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing for the safe birth and for the child's future. At each of these different ceremonies, to my knowledge, it is always the vicar, pastor or minister who performs the service, I have never heard of anyone else doing it. Hope this helps.

[Kassee]

Yes it is true - I had always believed it was like in a case of emergency - like if a child was dying - you might want to baptise them - and there would be no time to waste - couldn't wait for a priest or vicar to arrive.

[elliemay1]

I'm nearly sure that any Christian can baptize if in danger of death.

[craft1948]

I think anyone can baptise you..................

[EDDIE51]

Yes as sandyRoe's link (eventually) explains in an emergency anyone can baptise an infant or any unbaptised person. This is due to the catholic church teaching that an unbaptised person even a new born baby can not go to heaven (actually it's a bit more complicated than that) . Therefor if a new born baby was in danger of immediate death then anyone who used the correct words could baptise them and therefor allow them to go to heaven. sandyRoe's link even says a Jew or Heretic can baptise in an emergency.
In reality this would almost never happen but it is possible.

[Mosaic]

At my roman catholic primary school many years ago, we were told that any catholic can baptise a newborn if there is a risk of death or if The Heretic Throng prevented a formal baptism. And as Eddie says, this was very important as babies who died without being baptised could not enter heaven but would be in Limbo for ever, which was explained as a kind of nothingness, so baby brothers and sisters would never see their families in heaven.
WAAAAAAAAAAH medication quick!!!

[Ric.ror]

Well I was told by Father O'Hara that ANYONE christian or not can baptise a child in the case of an emergency

[Kiki-frog]

A friend who is a midwife has a Roman Catholic colleague who has been known to do an impromptu baptism if the baby's life looks in danger. Not sure if this is with the parents' consent or not though

[sandyRoe]

Kiki, it could do no harm. I'd be more concerned if i was ever in an accident and somebody started to whisper an act of contrition in my ear.

[sandyRoe]

particularly if it was a nurse or a doctor

[Kiki-frog]

Sandy - fair point!

[beso]

Whoever does it the outcome will still be the same. Absolutely nothing will change.

[lynbrown]

Yes, anyone can baptise another person, baby or adult, who wishes to be baptised. I think it is also possible to baptise yourself, in the case of for example at close proximity of death and you decided that you wished to become a Catholic before death. ( Perhaps you had been thinking about this for a few years but had not decided) If your desire is genuine, this counts as a baptism - and if you die then, you go straight to heaven!