Editing Conditional baptism (section)

==Rationale==

Mainline [[Christian theology]] (including [[Catholic Church|Catholic]], [[Eastern Orthodox]], [[Oriental Orthodox]], [[Church of the East]], [[Anglican]], [[Lutheran]] and most other [[Protestant]]s) has traditionally held that only one [[baptism]] is valid to confer the benefits of this [[sacrament]]. The [[Council of Trent]] defined a [[Dogma in the Catholic Church|dogma]] that it is forbidden to baptize a person who is already baptized, because the first baptism would make an [[sacramental character|indelible mark]] on the soul.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Character|url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03586a.htm|access-date=2021-12-24|website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref> Likewise, "[[Methodist]] theologians argued that since God never abrogated a covenant made and sealed with proper intentionality, rebaptism was never an option, unless the original baptism had been defective by not having been made in the name of the Trinity."<ref name="CracknellWhite2005">{{cite book|last1=Cracknell|first1=Kenneth|title=An Introduction to World Methodism|last2=White|first2=Susan J.|date=5 May 2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521818490|page=193|language=English}}</ref><ref name="Jr2014">{{cite book|last=Yrigoyen|first=Charles Jr.|title=T&T Clark Companion to Methodism|date=25 September 2014|publisher=A&C Black|language=English|isbn=9780567290779|page=263|quote=Methodists historically do not rebaptize unless the ecumenical formula was not used or another major impediment calls into question the adequacy of an earlier rite. When questions arise of a very grievous nature, there is the possibility of conditional baptism using the words 'If you are not already baptized, I baptize you in the name, etc.'}}</ref>

Therefore, in cases where the validity of a baptism is in doubt, a conditional baptism may be performed. There exist other [[conditional sacraments]].

Such uncertainty may result from questions about whether the [[Trinitarian formula|Triune name of God]] was used by the person administering the baptism. In some cases, there are doubts about whether a church from which someone is converting baptizes in a valid manner. It is an issue where an infant is a foundling, and it is not known whether the child had been baptized before abandonment.  Another example of a case requiring conditional baptism is when an [[emergency baptism]] has been performed using impure water. Then, the validity of the baptism is in question. In that case, a conditional baptism is later performed by an ordinary minister of the sacrament with certainly valid matter.

In a typical baptism, the minister of the [[Sacraments (Catholic Church)|sacrament]] (in the Catholic Church usually a deacon or a priest, but sometimes, especially when the baptized is in imminent danger of death, a lay person) says "I baptize you [[trinitarian formula|in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit]]"<ref>[[Book of Common Prayer]] p. 307</ref> while pouring water upon the head of the one being baptized, or immersing him or her in water. A conditional baptism simply adds the words "if you are not yet baptized".