Updated January 25, 2005 (first published June 2, 1999) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

Seven Protestant and Baptist denominations in Poland plan to sign a mutual recognition of baptism with the Roman Catholic Church in the year 2000. The seven denominations, which are grouped together into the Polish Ecumenical Council, include the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (Lutheran), Polish Baptist Union, Evangelical Reformed Church of Poland (Presbyterian), Orthodox Church in Poland, and the Methodist Church in Poland.

The Polish Ecumenical Council and the Roman Catholic Church have maintained a joint commission since 1974. In April the commission finalized a text on baptism which is expected to be signed by all of the denominations in January 2000 during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Ecumenical News International, May 3, 1999). [Note: It turns out that the Polish Baptist Union did not sign the agreement on Baptism.]

Churches that stand upon the apostolic faith once delivered to the saints practice believer’s baptism, meaning baptism is a church ordinance whereby the believer is immersed in water to symbolize his union with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no authority in the New Testament Scriptures to support the practice of infant baptism or baptism by sprinkling and pouring. Baptism is a burial (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12).

Extensive studies on scriptural baptism as well as infant baptism can be found in the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity, available from Way of Life Literature (1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. 360-675-8311).