April 24, 2008

Not baptized?

The Arizona senator, who was raised an Episcopalian, has attended North Phoenix for nearly two decades, but is not a member because he has not been baptized into the church.

On Wednesday, he told reporters that he had been baptized in Panama, where he was born, and talked about a photo in his memoirs of himself as a baby in a baptismal gown, with his father and grandfather.

"It's like a dress," he chuckled.

But he was more guarded about his current plans with regard to baptism, calling them "a private thing."

"I've been in discussions with Pastor Yeary, and we'll continue those discussions," he said. "It's a personal thing, it's a very personal thing concerning my faith and I am proud of my faith, I am proud of my belief and the sustenance and the redemption that I have received.

"And my faith was tested in extraordinary fashion and it was my faith that got me through not the next day, or the next hour but the next minute."

I remember reading media reports before saying he was not baptized which seemed doubtful to me considering that he was raised Episcopalian. I do find it ironic how wrong Baptists get baptism though. That they don't baptize infants and that many Baptists rebaptize. So much for one faith, one baptism, etc. But I guess if you believe that baptism is just a token of salvation and a testimony of faith then rebaptisms comes as no surprise. But it sounds suspiciously to me like St. Paul asking "were you baptized in the name of Paul" when you try to make denominations differences in regards to baptism.

Posted by Jeff Miller at April 24, 2008 1:06 PM