A friend asked me about those parents who bring their children to be baptized just because it's the socially "done thing". Are such baptisms valid?
I was not sure what to say.
Part of me says YES, because for a sacrament to be valid, three things have to be present: the correct form, the correct matter, and the correct intention, and assuming the priest or deacon doing the baptizing has the right intention, it should be valid.
But part of me says possibly NO, When adults get baptized, they must have faith. Since a baby cannot have faith, they are baptized based on the faith of their parents until they reach the age of reason, at which time they are confirmed and make their faith their own. So if, say, the parents have no faith, then I am not sure what that means.
What do you say?
I was not sure what to say.
Part of me says YES, because for a sacrament to be valid, three things have to be present: the correct form, the correct matter, and the correct intention, and assuming the priest or deacon doing the baptizing has the right intention, it should be valid.
But part of me says possibly NO, When adults get baptized, they must have faith. Since a baby cannot have faith, they are baptized based on the faith of their parents until they reach the age of reason, at which time they are confirmed and make their faith their own. So if, say, the parents have no faith, then I am not sure what that means.
What do you say?