medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
The requirement of water is explict already in the _Didache_ (possibly 1st century), which says running water is preferred but if not available, standing water will do--this in a region where water was a bit scarcer than Norway!
The Didache, of course, was not known to medieval Christians, but it indicates that the insistence on water goes all the way back. In Acts 8, the Ethiopian proto-convert on a route through the Negev says, "Here's some water, what's to keep me from being baptized." He seems to assume that water is essential. The account of John the Baptist in the Gospels emphasizes that he was baptizing at a certain place because there was enough water there.
Others can comment on the precedents in Jewish proselyte baptisms--presumably water was the only option but I can't speak to that.
I would think that this would explain why the medieval popes mentioned seem not to have wasted much time even considering the alternatives.
Dennis Martin
>>> [log in to unmask] 04/13/03 03:44PM >>>
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>
>I have come across a number of references to the practice of rich children being baptised with milk (and on occasion with beer!).
>
In 1241, the archbishop of Trondheim inquired on the validity of baptism
with beer "due to the scarcity of water" (!) but the pope declined. Cf.
Martin Kaufhold, Eine norwegische Biertaufe: Probleme liturgischer
Normierung im 13. Jahrhundert, in: Zeitschrift f. Rechtsgeschichte 114,
kanonistische Abteilung 83 (1997) 362---376; the papal letter is
Potthast 11048.
In 1206 an earlier archbishop of Trondheim had asked the same regarding
the use of saliva, "propter aque penuriam" as well. The pope insisted on
water. The answer was included in the Liber Extra (Migne, Patrologia
Latina 215, 812 Nr. 5 = Potthast 2696; X 3. 42. 5)
regards, h.w.
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