Topic Suggestion/Request:
Complex Baptism Questions for Ex Jehovah’s Witnesses
Sorry for the long multi-layered question.
My wife and I are former Jehovah’s Witnesses. We understand our JW baptism was invalid and meaningless (non-trinitarian, submitted to under false instruction, and basically a pledge to their organization). We are now facing questions about getting baptized properly.
- The non-denom church we’ve been attending will only admit “members” baptized as believers. This presents no issue for me. However, my wife was baptized in the Catholic Church as an infant, and we are concerned that “re-baptizing” her would offend God. Would it be wrong for her to get baptized to formally join the church we’re attending? Could other circumstances make her Catholic baptism invalid? For example, she recalls taking communion on some occasions as a child, but she recalls neither finishing catechism nor the ceremony that follows it. She was taken into the foster care system at age 10 and the god-parents involved in her baptism did not remain in her life to spiritually shepherd her as they ostensibly promised.
- We’ve been attending a non-denom church for about 1.5 years that is basically “MacArthurite”. Thankfully, they are not pushy about doctrine and have yet to even discuss Israel. Theologically, we are attracted to Lutheran or Anglican, but have yet to find one locally that isn’t sorely lacking. We’ve visited 1 WELS and 1 NALC which were extremely small and literally dying. Majority White, but elderly, few or no children, and the NALC is more feminized, despite having a male pastor. Our non-denom church is almost “mega” sized, very conservative, vastly majority White (which is extremely rare where we live), and absolutely teeming with conservative, young families and children of all ages. We are raising 2 boys under 4 and are incredibly lucky just to find a place in our state only 10 minutes away with so many young White families, which feels essential for how we want to raise our children. Setting aside my wife’s baptism… Their baptism application basically expects me to profess belief, in writing, in “believers baptism”. Would it be wrong for me to “carefully word” or “equivocate” in my answer so they don’t just outright reject me or drag be into a debate then reject me? Would “passing” their “quiz” in this way harm my baptism? Or… would baptism in this church by itself be less than valid due to their professed beliefs?
- This church obviously uses grape juice and holds the “memorial” view of communion, which is disheartening. I am now tempted by the following prospect: Formally join the very near NALC church and just endure the objectional stuff, or join the WELS that is 30 minutes away (a burden on Sunday at 8am with a toddler + newborn) so that my family can be part of church with real baptism and communion… while continuing to regularly attend the non-denom church for the social aspects so my sons can actually have friends and one day find White wives. Would this be wrong? (there is also an LCMS, also 30 min away, which we have yet to visit)
- While I would love to be a Lutheran in a Lutheran church full of young White families, this may not even exist near me, and it could even be difficult to find in some new place we (or my children, once adults) move to in the future. Thus, it is conceivable that, whatever we choose to do now, my sons could one day face the same dilemma my wife and I now face. Given the potential for limited options in the future, would it be wrong for me to hold my sons back from baptism until they reach such an age that any future church they join would recognize their “believer’s baptism” and have no cause to demand “rebaptism”, thus sparing my sons this silly yet extremely weighty dilemma?