Some members of the Russian Orthodox Church, in agreement with the Roman Catholic Church, think it’s impossible for unbaptized infants to enter heaven.
Kinda think a lot of the arguments here are above my spiritual pay grade, so to speak. But, in my opinion, I cannot believe that a God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son to die for its sins so that mankind through repentance of sin and belief in the resurrection of Christ might have everlasting life, would dismiss any small child to hell in such circumstances.
I just can't and won't believe that.
What about the child who is born into the world but perishes moments later, or on its mother's breast? It is born, it breathed air for however long, before it passed. But it isn't baptized.... Does anyone truly believer our God would condemn that tiny soul to an eternity of hell?
I was an atheist before becoming Orthodox a few years ago. The idea that one would worship a god that would condemn babies to hell acted as fuel for my atheism and would (and still does) make me irrationally angry.
Could the keys of the kingdom could they be applied pastorally to these parents? "whatsoever I bind and whatsoever I loose" as this is to be weighed. There idea of unbaptized going through toll houses for example becomes rather odd as a circumstance since a child is not accountable to know and respond. Yes, no doubt it was the responsibility of the parents and they were responding to their catechesis to find suitable godparents. I don't think God denies his people on technicalities. He drew me to himself a practicing pagan. There are hosts of unbaptized martyrs are they not? There is the thief on the cross. It could be said they had a baptism of blood, I do not know. I was received into the Orthodox Church by triple baptism but I had to complete a liturgical year and instruction. I was also instructed as a catechumen that I would have rights of reception and considered Orthodox should I die during that time of instruction and purification. So in one sense an unbaptized baby of believing parents could be received as if they were baptized because there was the waiting of instruction.
Kinda think a lot of the arguments here are above my spiritual pay grade, so to speak. But, in my opinion, I cannot believe that a God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son to die for its sins so that mankind through repentance of sin and belief in the resurrection of Christ might have everlasting life, would dismiss any small child to hell in such circumstances.
I just can't and won't believe that.
What about the child who is born into the world but perishes moments later, or on its mother's breast? It is born, it breathed air for however long, before it passed. But it isn't baptized.... Does anyone truly believer our God would condemn that tiny soul to an eternity of hell?
Amen! I agree wholeheartedly. I believe God has mercy on the little ones. He loves them, and He is able to save them.
I was an atheist before becoming Orthodox a few years ago. The idea that one would worship a god that would condemn babies to hell acted as fuel for my atheism and would (and still does) make me irrationally angry.
I feel the same way. Except I don't think the anger is irrational.
Could the keys of the kingdom could they be applied pastorally to these parents? "whatsoever I bind and whatsoever I loose" as this is to be weighed. There idea of unbaptized going through toll houses for example becomes rather odd as a circumstance since a child is not accountable to know and respond. Yes, no doubt it was the responsibility of the parents and they were responding to their catechesis to find suitable godparents. I don't think God denies his people on technicalities. He drew me to himself a practicing pagan. There are hosts of unbaptized martyrs are they not? There is the thief on the cross. It could be said they had a baptism of blood, I do not know. I was received into the Orthodox Church by triple baptism but I had to complete a liturgical year and instruction. I was also instructed as a catechumen that I would have rights of reception and considered Orthodox should I die during that time of instruction and purification. So in one sense an unbaptized baby of believing parents could be received as if they were baptized because there was the waiting of instruction.
I believe that the scriptures teach that all children that die before they are able to comprehend right from wrong will be in heaven.