MAGDEBURG, Germany, APRIL 25, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The major branches of Christianity in Germany and 11 other Churches and ecclesial communities will mutually recognize baptisms carried out in their denominations.
Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German episcopal conference, Lutheran Bishop Wolfgang Huber and representatives from 11 other communities will sign the document of recognition on Sunday, reported the Catholic news agency KNA.
Until now, baptisms have not been mutually recognized, except by conventions established between dioceses and regional evangelical churches.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, initiated the plan to make a common declaration. The document is the result of three years of study.
The document affirms: "Despite the differences in the understanding of the Church, there exists among us a fundamental agreement regarding baptism.
"Therefore, we recognize as performing baptism every act of immersion of pouring over of water, carried out according to the mission of Jesus, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And we rejoice for each person that is baptized. A baptism carried out in this way is one and cannot be repeated."
Code: ZE07042525
Date: 2007-04-25