The Sacrament of Baptism and Baptismal Ecclesiology

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, the incorporation of the faithful into the Body of the Church is activated. Although the true Baptism is only that which is performed within the Church, in the context of oikonomia the Baptism of certain heretics and schismatics has several times been accepted. However, oikonomia is always exercised in reference to the boundaries of the Church and on account of reasons that preclude the application of akribeia. In the contemporary era, there is a misinterpretation of the content of oikonomia, resulting in its being understood as a complete leveling of ecclesiology and in the equal treatment of various different Christian denominations, as though they all belonged to the One Church. Within this framework, a so-called
“Baptismal Ecclesiology” is advocated, which takes the external elements of Baptism as criteria of validity, with the result that the validity of the sacrament is related solely to them, while at the same time being detached from the rule of faith and the hypostatic reality of the priesthood of the one who officiates the Baptism.