Krštenje u Limskom dokumentu
Baptism in Lima document

Summary/Abstract: The Christian world summoned together in the Ecumenical World Council of Churches is intensively engaged in promoting the visible unity of the Church. Striving toward this goal, Christians try to understand one another better, to work together and to resolve theological disputes. In regard to baptism, long-standing ecumenical dialogue shows that there are differences in the theological understanding of this sacrament. A key moment in this dialogue occurred in 1982 when a basic document on baptism was presented by members of the World Council of Churches entitled “Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry”. This article analyzes this document showing that there are many things the Churches agree on, including biblical, Christological, ecclesiological and spiritual facts. At the same time, however, the article shows that there are different interpretations, questions and approaches; these include issues to do with the community in which a person is baptized, the sin that is washed away in baptism, the matter and form of baptism, the relation of baptism to the other sacraments of Christian initiation, and the role of personal and ecclesial faith during baptism. The article discusses these and other questions posed by different baptismal traditions. Differences will certainly yield further ecumenical documents, but taking these differences into consideration the document urges all Churches mutually to accept the validity of baptism – this acceptance to be based on pastoral care.

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