RC DOCTRINE

Vatican rules on Baptismal language

Baptismal liturgies that omit the masculine names of the persons of the Trinity are invalid, the Roman Catholic Church has declared.

In a statement released on Feb 29, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said variations or approximations of the words “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” were impermissible. While “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” were interchangeable, persons baptized in the name of the “Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer” were to be treated as being “unbaptized” under Catholic Canon (church) law.

"Baptism conferred in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," the explanatory note accompanying the statement said, “obeys Jesus' command as it appears at the end of the Gospel of St Matthew [28:19].”

"Variations to the baptismal formula, using non-biblical designations of the Divine Persons” that have arisen “from so-called feminist theology" that seek “to avoid using the words Father and Son which are held to be chauvinistic” will “undermine faith in the Trinity."

“The baptismal formula must be an adequate expression of Trinitarian faith; approximate formulae are unacceptable,” the explanatory note said.

The question of inclusive language liturgical formularies was offered in response to two questions asked of the Vatican.

"Is a baptism valid if conferred with the words 'I baptize you in the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer, and of the Sanctifier,' or 'I baptize you in the name of the Creator, and of the Liberator, and of the Sustainer'?"

And, "Must people baptized with those formulae be baptized 'in forma absoluta'?" The Vatican stated: “To the first question, negative; to the second question, affirmative."

Liberal clergy in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican and Protestant churches have used gender-neutral descriptors for the three persons of the Trinity in recent years. The Vatican statement seeks to end liturgical experimentation within the Roman Catholic Church as well as setting parameters for Baptism in its ecumenical dialogues.

Editors note:  Supporters of the biblical designations also argue that the persons and relationships of the Trinity are stressed rather than simply roles or functions.