Baptism of desire

For the justification received through martyrdom, see Baptism of blood.

In Christian theology, baptism of desire (Latin: baptismus flaminis, lit. 'baptism of the breath'), also called baptism by desire, is a doctrine according to which a person is able to attain the grace of justification through faith, perfect contrition and the desire for baptism, without the water baptism having been received.

## Contents

* 1 Denominational positions
* 1.1 Roman Catholicism
* 1.2 Feeneyism
* 1.3 Lutheranism
* 2 References
* 3 Further reading

## Denominational positions

### Roman Catholicism

The Catholic Church teaches that "baptism is necessary for salvation". It also states the desire for baptism "brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament". It furthermore states that "[f]or catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament." It also states: "Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity" (Catechism of the Catholic Church).[1]

Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin points to one canon in the Council of Trent which he claims defines baptism of desire as a dogma:[2]

> If anyone shall say that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary for salvation, but are superfluous, and that, although all are not necessary for every individual, without them or without the desire of them through faith alone men obtain from God the grace of justification; let him be anathema.[3]

### Feeneyism

The doctrine of Feeneyism is associated with the position of Leonard Feeney on the doctrine extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. Feeneyism's interpretation of the doctrine extra Ecclesiam nulla salus ("outside the Church there is no salvation") is that only Catholics can go to heaven and that only those baptised with water can go to heaven. Feeneyism opposes the doctrines of baptism of desire and baptism of blood as well as the view that non-Catholics can go to heaven.[4][5][6]

### Lutheranism

Both the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism affirms that "Baptism is normally necessary for salvation". Citing the teaching of the early Church Fathers, Lutherans acknowledge a baptism of desire "where opportunity does not present itself".[7][verification needed]

## References

1. ↑ Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2019. Paragraphs 1257–60.
2. ↑ "Baptism of Desire". https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/baptism-of-desire.
3. ↑ "Denzinger EN 1583". http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/dxa.htm.
4. ↑ Mick, Lawrence E. (2007). "Baptism - Call to Carry On the Mission" (in en). Baptism. Liturgical Press. pp. 7. ISBN 978-0-8146-3188-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=mIUTJ-2Cwk0C&dq=feeney+baptism+of+blood&pg=PA7.
5. ↑ Feldberg, Michael (2012). "American Heretic: The Rise and Fall of Father Leonard Feeney, S.J.". American Catholic Studies 123 (2): 109–115. ISSN 2161-8542. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44195416.
6. ↑ Carey, Patrick (2007). "Avery Dulles, St. Benedict's Center, and No Salvation outside the Church, 1940-1953". The Catholic Historical Review 93 (3): 553–575. ISSN 0008-8080. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25164314.
7. ↑ Larson-Miller, Lizette; Knowles, Walter (26 June 2013) (in en). Drenched in Grace: Essays in Baptismal Ecclesiology Inspired by the Work and Ministry of Louis Weil. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 55. ISBN 9781621897538.

## Further reading

* Baum, Gregory (1968-1970). Rahner, Karl. ed. "Baptism - Baptism of Desire" (in en). Sacramentum Mundi Online. doi:10.1163/2468-483x_smuo_com_000402. https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/sacramentum-mundi/*-COM_000402.

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