German Christians’ baptisms now accepted by others

MAGDEBURG, Germany — After several years of negotiations, 11 of Germany’s Christian churches have agreed to recognize baptisms performed by each other. The change, celebrated April 29 in a ceremony in the city of Magdeburg, means that if an adult Christian decides to switch from one member church to another, no new baptism will be required.

But the change may have little practical effect on Germans lives, says the Sueddeutsche Zeitung (South German Newspaper). The German Catholic Church has forgone conversion baptisms since the end of World War II. Other churches have struck bilateral agreements, though sometimes only at a local level. But it will codify the practice at a federal level. Additionally it will allow German churches to claim an ecumenical step forward.

The document that the churches signed April 29 declared that, despite each church’s different approach to faith, they all recognize and celebrate baptism performed by the other churches. The ceremony was conducted at the Magdeburg Cathedral, home to a baptismal font that has been linked to Emperor Otto the Great. The font has been in use since well before the schism of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in 1054.

The agreement was signed by churches ranging in size from the Roman Catholic Church and evangelical (predominantly Lutheran) church to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church.