BAPTISM OF DISSIDENTS. - By dissidents are meant here those who belong either to the separated Eastern Churches or to the communions or sects derived from the so-called "Reformation" of the 16th century. For both the one and the other it is useful to know what value the baptism administered by them has for the Catholic Church.
I. SEPARATED ORIENTAL CHURCHES
As regards substance — that is, the matter, the Trinitarian form and the intention of the minister — there is agreement between the Catholic Church and the various separated churches; and therefore the baptism administered by these to their own faithful is never repeated. Other differences can be found, and in fact there are, for example on the question of the character, on certain liturgical ceremonies; but the substance remains the same.
II. COMMUNIONS DERIVED FROM THE "REFORMATION"
As a general rule the Catholic Church, faithful to its doctrine, has always recognized as valid every baptism conferred by heretics, when it was administered in conformity with the institution of Jesus Christ, that is, using natural water, the Trinitarian formula, with the intention of doing the very same thing that it does. Hence it has always condemned the practice of indiscriminately rebaptizing persons baptized by heretics. One may cite the words of St. Pius V: "The Calvinists do not err in the form of baptism, but in its effects; therefore those baptized by Calvinists must not be rebaptized" (R. Stephen, p. 10); and several other decrees of the Holy Office and of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide (R. Stephen, p. 40 ff.; E. Mangenot, in DThC, II, 1, col. 338 f.).
The current discipline, given the profound evolution undergone in theory and in practice by the Protestants, especially from the 17th century onward, is founded on the decree of the Holy Office of 20 Nov. 1878, and contains the following norms:
1. Whatever the sect and the place from which those who intend to pass over to the Catholic Church come, the validity of the baptism received in heresy must be examined case by case. It is not enough, therefore, to consider the ritual of that particular sect in order to see whether it contains anything contrary to the validity of the baptism, but in individual cases one must investigate the doctrinal position and the liturgical practice of the minister who conferred it, and the matter and form used in the first baptism. As for the intention, it must be presumed, unless there is prudent reason for doubt (Instruction of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide, 23 June 1830 [Collect. S. C. de Prop. Fide, I, Rome 1893, n. 814]). 2. If, after careful investigation, the validity of the baptism conferred is established with certainty, the Sacrament must not be repeated, but only the abjuration or the profession of faith is to be received. 3. If, on the other hand, it is established that the first baptism is null, it must be administered unconditionally. 4. If, however, there are no grounds for concluding as to validity or invalidity, or if some doubt about validity remains, the baptism must be administered conditionally.
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