Marriage and Baptism (Teachings of the Orthodox Church) Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.
“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.                “You shall have no other gods before me.                “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.                “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.                “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.                “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.                “You shall not murder.                “You shall not commit adultery.                “You shall not steal.                “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.                “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
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Marriage and Baptism (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)
   

QUESTION:

In your answer to a question about Orthodox weddings, you said that an Orthodox believer could not be married in an Orthodox ceremony unless the partner was also baptized. The person who asked the question plainly said they were not a Christian. Does this mean that the Church would consider baptizing a professed non-believer just so they could participate in a ceremony?

I am currently a catechumen of the Church, and no expert, but I always thought being a Christian was really a matter of the heart, a personal decision that once made must change and color everything in your life, or it is worth nothing, no matter what ceremony or sacrament you participate in.

ANSWER:

It is a fact that an Orthodox Christian cannot marry a non-baptized individual in an Orthodox ceremony.

Baptism, as a sacrament of initiation, is a spiritual birth, our entrance into the Church -- a very serious matter. In no way does my answer imply that the Church would ever baptize a non-baptized individual simply so they could participate in a wedding in an Orthodox Church.

In answering these questions -- the answers as they appear on the web site are often shortened and edited -- I do try to leave the door open to the possibility of a genuine conversion and desire to seek baptism, and I usually end such questions in my personal answer to them by putting the questioner in contact with the nearest priest with whom they can discuss their concerns and specific situation personally.

In 25 years of priesthood, I have seen a number of non-baptized individuals in such circumstances come to the Church, take instruction, actively participate in the parish community, and eventually seek baptism -- and in every case, so far as I can know, these individuals remain active in the worship and fellowship of the Church, sometimes with greater fervency and piety than their cradle Orthodox spouses.

The Church tries to leave every door open to those who, through their relationship with an Orthodox Christian, might find themselves seriously and honestly drawn to Christ and His Holy Church.

Regardless, an Orthodox Christian cannot marry a non-baptized individual in an Orthodox ceremony, even if the non-baptized individual professes Christ. From the Orthodox perspective, if one does profess Christ yet refuses to be baptized, he/she is in a sense rejecting participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, as Saint Paul calls it, while also ignoring Our Lord's words concerning the importance of being "born again of water and the Spirit."






Published in January 2011.









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