baptism of desire

See also the Catholic concept of the "Baptism of Desire".

The doctrine of baptism of desire seeks to address some of the implications of these teachings.

Later, the Catholic Church identified a baptism of desire, by which those preparing for baptism who die before actually receiving the sacrament are considered saved.

The question of baptism of desire often does not arise within Protestant denominations, because their underlying theology of baptism is different.

The Church recognizes two equivalents of baptism with water: "baptism of blood" and "baptism of desire".

Among Eastern Orthodox Christians, the basic doctrine of baptism of desire is accepted, although it is not so rigorously defined.

In event of their martyrdom prior to baptism by water, this was held to be a "baptism by blood" (Baptism of desire), and they were honored as martyrs.

Baptism of blood is that undergone by unbaptized individuals who are martyred for the Faith, while baptism of desire generally applies to catechumens who die before they can be baptized.

There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of Blood (Martyrdom) and of the Spirit (Baptism of Desire).

Feeney felt that, in the previous two centuries, some tended to broaden the notion of "baptism of desire" to cover the situation of all who try to live good lives, even to those who desired no relationship with the Catholic Church.

The provincial Council of Cologne: "Faith teaches us that infants, since they are not capable of this desire (Baptism of Desire), are excluded from the kingdom of heaven if they die [unbaptized]."

In regards to baptism of desire, Aquinas stated that only adults were capable of this, and this view seemed to be accepted by the Council of Florence, which quotes Aquinas in its Eleventh Session concerning baptism of infants.

It sounds as though the mourners may have been confused by the term "baptism of desire" - not something performed, but a disposition of an unbaptized person sometimes defined as "perfect contrition joined with at least the implicit intention of doing whatever God wills that people should do for salvation."