Who can Baptize Others?

Throughout Christian history, the question of who can baptize has been answered in different ways depending on theology, tradition, and pastoral practice. While most traditions agree that baptism is important, they vary in who they recognize as authorized or qualified to perform baptisms. The main positions are outlined below from most restrictive to least restrictive.

1. Clergy Only

This position believes that baptism must be performed by someone who has been officially ordained or who functions in a formal leadership role, typically a priest or a pastor. Only those set apart (in character and vocation) by the church possess the spiritual authority required to properly baptize someone. From this perspective, baptism is not merely a personal or symbolic act, but a sacred rite that must be administered within the order and authority of the institutional church.

2. Clergy Preferred, Exceptions in Emergencies

This position agrees that clergy are the primary administrators of baptism, but makes exception in urgent situations, particularly when someone's life is at risk and clergy are unavailable. In these cases, some believe that any individual (believing Christian or otherwise) may perform a valid baptism if they intend to carry out a Christian baptism and use the proper words during the baptism. A more cautious version of this view restricts emergency baptisms to believing Christians only. These exceptions are usually viewed as pastoral accommodations, affirming that God's grace is not limited by circumstance or institutional access, especially when a soul is in danger. Overall, this position applies a broader standard than clergy-only models due to exigent circumstances.

3. Any Believing Christian

This position holds that any follower of Jesus may baptize another believer. Instead of focusing on ecclesiastical distinctions, it emphasizes the shared spiritual authority of all Christians (sometimes referred to as "the priesthood of all believers"). The authority to baptize flows directly from Christ's command in the Great Commission to all believers, and is not impacted by institutional appointment or formal recognition. Supporters of this view often highlight the relational nature of discipleship, emphasizing the significance of having the baptizer be someone who played a meaningful role in the spiritual journey of the person being baptized.