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Baptism for the Dead in Context

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Baptism for the Dead in Context family units, stretching back for generations, and no Irenaeus Against Heresies 1.27.1-2, 4 in The Ante- one attain it without including previous members of Nicene Fathers; Translations of The Writings of the Baptism for the Dead in their families by being baptized on their behalf. Fathers down to A.D. 325, edited by Alexander Mormon family values are not altruistic: a person Roberts and James Donaldson. American reprint ed. Context cannot see heaven unless his lineal relatives do also. by A. Cleveland Coxe (Buffalo, NY: Christian In addition to 1 Corinthians 15.29, Mormons Literature Publishing Co., 1885-96; reprinted Grand David W. T. Brattston quote Malachi 4.5-6. The last two verses of the Old Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1985) vol. 1 pp. Testament prophesy that in the last days God will 352f. Only Latter-day Saints baptize living people on turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and vice Karen L. King “Valentinus” in Encyclopedia of Early behalf of the dead. The LDS maintain that such versa. Latter-day Saints interpret this to be evidence Christianity, edited by Everett Ferguson (New York: baptism is endorsed by the Scriptures and was part of of the grand celestial design by which LDS families Garland, 1990) the original Christian faith as established two and their ancestors will be sealed and bound together thousand years ago. However, a study of Christian in heaven, beginning by the baptism of the living on Robert Rea “Theodotus” in Encyclopedia of Early antiquities reveals that baptism for the dead was not behalf of the dead progenitors. Christianity, edited by Everett Ferguson (New York: practiced by the first followers of Jesus and had a However, in its original historical and Biblical Garland, 1990) very different meaning from that given to it by context, and in the sense of the phrase as understood Mormons. by the earliest Christians, baptism for the dead meant Hendrik F. Stander “Marcion” in Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, edited by Everett Ferguson (New Was it really ever part of the standard Christian something radically different from Mormon theology York: Garland, 1990) faith that living people be baptized on behalf of the and practice. In early Christianity, it was distinctive dead? The Scripture passage Mormons cite for of fringe cults opposed by mainline Christians and, Tertullian Against Marcion 5.10 in The Ante-Nicene support of their practice is 1 Corinthians 15.29: even so, was probably never practiced by or on Fathers; Translations of The Writings of the Fathers Else what shall they do which are baptized human beings. As the first heirs of the Apostle Paul, down to A.D. 325, edited by Alexander Roberts and for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are Clement and the other orthodox authors shared the James Donaldson. American reprint ed. by A. they then baptized for the dead? (KJV) Apostle’s culture and language to an extent that they Cleveland Coxe (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature The concept is not mentioned elsewhere in the knew the background of his writings and how he Publishing Co., 1885-96; reprinted Grand Rapids, Bible or in other early Christian documents, with two meant them to be understood. An interpreter loses Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1986) vol. 3 pp. 449f. exceptions. If it had been as important or as frequent, these advantages, and thereby the meaning of Paul’s a part of the original Gospel as it is to one of our statements, if s/he works only in the milieus of the latter-day denominations, we would expect to find th st Copyright © 2006, 2011 David W. T. Brattston, 19 or 21 centuries or confines oneself to the Bible many references to it in writings by Christians who alone. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. Used with permission. lived a short time after Jesus. Yet, barring one reference by Clement of Alexandria in Excerpt 22 of References The Evangelization Station Excerpta ex Theodoto and one by Tertullian in Clement of Alexandria, Saint (ca. AD 153 to 217) Hudson, Florida, USA Against Marcion 5.10, 1 Corinthians 15.29 stands The Excerpta ex Theodoto, edited with translation, E-mail: [email protected] alone in the age of Saint Paul and for centuries introduction and notes by Robert Pierce Casey www.evangelizationstation.com afterwards, (London: Christophers, 1934) Series: Studies and Clement of Alexandria lived from about AD 153 Documents, vol. 1 Pamphlet 561 to 217. A native of Greece, he traveled and studied widely before settling in Egypt, where in the AD Clement of Alexandria, Saint (ca. AD 153 to 217) 190s he was the principal or dean of Christianity's Extraits de Théodote: texte grec, introduction, foremost theological school and one of the most traduction et notes de François Sagnard (Paris: Cerf, prominent Christian teachers of his age. He was well 1970) Series: Sources chrétiennes no. 23 versed in the science of the day, in philosophy and in Doctrine and Covenants 124 (AD 1841) religion, including Christian sects. Among his writings against deviations from Christianity, he Doctrine and Covenants 128 (AD 1842) mentioned baptism for the dead as a tenet of a particular Gnostic sect. “Gnostic” meant a person who claimed to world of true life with the original divine spirit good, but they did not believe in the great number possess a secret religious knowledge. The Gnostics parents. Note also that one of the main themes in 1 and genealogies of gods propounded by the Gnostics. were a strange species of Christians, if they were Corinthians 15 is the resurrection and incorrect views Nevertheless, Marcionites did believe in more than Christians at all. They believed that only the spirit is about it. It is not a discussion about baptism. It does one deity. Like the Gnostics and Mormons, good and pleasing to God and that all matter is evil touch on baptism for the dead but only secondarily to Marcion’s interpretations of the Christian faith were and death. The very origin of matter was evil and not the resurrection of our material bodies; Paul mentions regarded as fanciful and perverted by mainstream from God. The Gnostic group encountered in the baptism for the dead only as part of an argument Christians. He even sought to abolish the Bible of the Excerpta ex Theodoto was that of one Theodotus, against the Gnostics' eccentric notions about the church and introduce his own in its place. Marcion’s who taught that there were an original divine mother resurrection, in order to turn their theories against ideas were so close to the Gnostics that the church and father who gave birth to other spirit beings. them. father Irenaeus in the AD 180s regarded him as one Rebellious and envious, their youngest great- The strange dogmas described in Excerpta ex of them. Because we know so little about the rites granddaughter attempted to imitate their action of Theodoto were based on the secret knowledge and sacramental practices of the Marcionites and the producing spirit children. She did such a bad job that Gnostics claimed they alone possessed. Paul's Gnostics, and given the similarities between them, we in addition to (good) soul and spirit she gave birth to warning in 1 Timothy 6.20 against “what is falsely must conclude that because they shared the doctrine (evil) matter. Her action created a separation from the called knowledge” (RSV) indicates that the Apostle of baptism for the dead, their reasons were similar. first divine parents. Moreover, in some instances both knew about and opposed Gnosticism, including Because Marcion was not active until the middle of matter and spirit were mixed in such a way that the idea of angelic baptism for the spiritually dead the second century, born much too late to have been particles of soul and spirit were trapped in material and other Gnostic tenets described by Clement 150 at Corinth in the time of Saint Paul, we must human bodies. Other particles of spirit escaped and years later. Paul's counsel in 1 Timothy 1.4 and Titus conclude that Marcion adopted the concept of continued in the purely spiritual form of angels. In 3.9 to avoid "endless genealogies" remind us of the baptism for the dead from them, who (as we have order to liberate themselves from their bodily prisons Gnostics' lines of descent from the original spirit seen) were there in Paul’s time. In any event, the of flesh and death to be reunited with the first parents parents to their great-granddaughter, humans and testimonies of the Apostle Paul and of the church (be saved), members of Theodotus' sect relied on angels, and also recall to our memories the unstinting fathers Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and absorbing a body of secret knowledge about angels, genealogical research of modern-day practitioners of Tertullian are unanimous that this practice was not gods, and other spirit beings including what was baptism for the dead. that of the standard, right-thinking, majority church referred to as “baptism for the dead”. Briefly, what 1 Corinthians 15.29 refers to is this but was beyond the pale of the Christianity taught by Clement's Excerpta ex Theodoto relates that Gnostic concept. Neither Paul nor the Gnostics taught Jesus and His disciples. Theodotus’ Gnostics believed that the ones who are that humans still in material bodies were baptized for The origins of baptism for the dead in the LDS baptized in 1 Corinthians 15 are angels, spirit deceased humans. Note that 1 Corinthians 15.29 does sense cannot be traced further back than Doctrine creatures who had escaped imprisonment in matter.
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