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By Kent Larsen
Catholic Decision to Exclude Mormon Baptisms Attracts Wide Attention
ROME, ITALY -- A Catholic Church decision, announced Tuesday in the official
Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, says that LDS baptisms will no
longer be accepted as valid by the Catholic Church. Since Tuesday's
announcement, the change in policy has made national news in the US, carried
in the Associated Press' wire service and printed in newspapers worldwide.
The newspaper indicated that the decision was based purely on theological
grounds. The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reviewed
the policy after it received a request to look at the validity of Mormon
baptisms in conversion. The source of the request was not specified. The
Congregation cited critical doctrinal differences between the LDS Church and
Catholics which mean that, in the Catholic view, LDS baptism "is not the
Baptism that Christ instituted."
Generally, the Catholic Church accepts the baptisms of other Christian
denominations, as do many other traditional Christian denominations. The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not accept the baptisms of
other churches, and LDS spokesman Michael Otterson told the Salt Lake
Tribune Wednesday that the LDS Church is "neither concerned nor offended" by
the Vatican's decision. "We believe that all people have a God-given right
to worship how, where or what they may," he said. "Latter-day Saints embrace
revelations both ancient and modern that proclaim Jesus Christ as the
living, divine Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world."
Both LDS and Catholic officials stressed that this decision only affected
Catholic practice -- converts from Mormonism must now be baptized into the
Catholic Church. It does not affect the way the Church's treat each other,
Utah's Catholic Bishop, George Neiderauer, said it was important that his
church's baptism statement not be construed as "judging or measuring" the
validity of the "spiritual relationship" Mormons have with Christ. "There's
a danger of misunderstanding in all this," he said. "This is an internal
church decision to guide our sacramental practice and that's really all it
is." Otterson agreed: "We often work with other religions to strengthen
home, family and community and to serve those in need. We value our
long-standing relationships with Catholic Charities and other benevolent
organizations sponsored by the Catholic Church."
But the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith did specify doctrinal
issues behind the decision, saying that it could not accept the belief that
"God the father had a wife, the Celestial Mother, with whom he procreated
Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit." It also specified the differences in
beliefs about the Trinity, or Godhood, and LDS belief that God and Christ
have bodies of flesh and bone.
Bishop Neiderauer, unlike many evangelical christians, was also careful
about the issue of whether Mormons can be called Christian, in spite of the
doctrinal differences between the two Churches. He observed that the LDS
Church's commitment to moral conduct and service to others is praiseworthy
and worthy of emulation. And he added, "If a man or woman of whatever church
says to me, 'I believe Jesus Christ is my savior and I try to follow him and
live my life according to his teachings and therefore I am a Christian,' who
am I to say I know better?" he said.
Sources:
LDS Baptism Not Valid for New Catholics
Salt Lake Tribune 19Jul01 N1
By Bob Mims: Salt Lake Tribune
Catholic Church decides not to accept Mormon baptisms
New Orleans LA Times-Picayune (AP) 19Jul01 N1
Associated Press
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