Tuesday, April 22, 2008

John McCain Has been Baptized

I am pretty darn sure of that fact. Like 99.9 percent. I don't have his Baptism certificate in my hands but being he being raised Episcopalian is a pretty good indication he was baptized as an infant. Just like Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and others were . One cannot take Communion in the Anglican Church without being baptized and needless to say one cannot be receive confirmation if one is not baptized. A man of his age would truly have to be raised by some darn strange radical Episcopalian parents not have done any of this.

I first heard of the "issue" of John McCain's Baptism or lack there of when I was among the Huckabee supporters. It was a not major issue with the vast majority a few like their counterparts in other camps were raising it. Various Democrats are raising it too in a sly way.

John McCain was raised Episcopalian but for the past 15 years has attended a Baptist Church in Phoenix. His wife and two of his kids are baptized in that Church. McCain for whatever reason has not been baptized in the Baptist tradition.

Newspapers that hit this issue always mentioned he has not been baptized a Baptist, but seem to go out of their way not to mention the fact that he was a baptized as a infant. I have to think this is on purpose to create more controversy. The Headline "McCain not baptized" is more titillating than "McCain baptized Episcopalian does not get Re Baptized in his Baptist Church"..

Now what mixture of Anglican and Baptist beliefs McCain has would indeed be interesting to know I guess. However we are not beating down the door to ask President Bush , who was raised Episcopalian, has declared himself a Methodist, but still receives communion on a regular basis at the Episcopal Church across the street from the White House what he believes he is "Amening" too when he receives communion.

McCain's situation is not much different than one would find in a average Southern Baptist Church. There the necessity of Baptism to be "saved' or to be considered Christian is often a hotly debated fact depending where you go. However in my experience there are quite a few people that were baptized as Methodist and Presbyterians as infants that later go Baptist and never saw the need to get re baptized. I suppose some in the Church might think this is a issue but depending where you go it is often not.

Anyway , I have seen this asserted for the 1000th time today that McCain is not Christian because he is not baptized and that is false. I think it is important to correct this misconception. I think these misleading headlines could have an effect and should be corrected if one encounters it.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"However in my experience there are quite a few people that were baptized as Methodist and Presbyterians as infants that later go Baptist and never saw the need to get re baptized"

In one of the biggest mistakes in my entire life I allowed myself to be re-baptized as an adult. There is a very strong push in some churches that you be rebaptized .. in fact, I have seen some argument that St. Cyprian was right on the rebaptism of heretics and it was the Pope that was wrong. In my case I consider it a shame and I regret ever having given credence to the idea that my infant baptism was not real.

If McCain has not been "rebaptized" I consider that a credit. As it is adherants of an adult-only "believers baptism" (especially those that DO believe along with us Catholics that baptism necessary for salvation) would see McCain as not a Christian because they reject his infant baptism.

Anonymous said...

I will bet you that he was baptized AS AN INFANT, as most liturgical religions do.

It would not surprise me if he were baptized aboard his father's vessel, using the ship's bell as a font (it's a Navy tradition), by the ship or station chaplain.

There are a number of eager, hate-filled, left-wing sites that are drooling over this story, and that's a shame. As a liberal myself (though one who will probably sit out this election because my choice, Senator Clinton, was robbed, unfairly, of delegates and the nomination), I find this kind of absurd "gotcha" games embarassing.

Anonymous said...

Come on anonymous, vote for McCain. We know you're not a liberal. Do what your gut tells you & show some guts. If there's anything worse than liberal, it has to be a damned cowardly liberal who would "sit out" an election.

Anonymous said...

But John McCain's church is Southern Baptist. They categorically reject the notion that infant baptism serves as a replacement for adult baptism. Here's a link from a Southern Baptist pastor:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/septemberweb-only/139-52.0.html