Titulus ad regnum coelorum: Zur Taufe und ihren Wirkungen in der theologisch-juristischen Argumentation der Schule von Salamanca

Abstract

In the Early Modern Period, Spain was arguably the European country with the widest experience of incorporating large groups of newly converted Christians into an all-Christian society, looking back on thousands of adult baptisms, brought about with and without coercion. The baptisms of Spanish Jews in the 15th century as well as those of muslims in the 16^th century had given rise to many political, legal, religious, and theological questions. The Reformation in Europe and the mission experience in America added further dimensions to the problems of baptism, orthodoxy, and church membership.
This paper gives an overview over questions concerning adult baptism which Spanish theologians and canonists discussed against this rich historical background in the 16th century: the necessity or rather the extent of pre-baptismal indoctrination, the voluntariness of baptism, and the roles baptism and faith played in defining who belonged to the church, and who was subjected to its jurisdiction. Consistently, the understanding of baptism as the »gate to the church« or »gate to the sacraments« was underlined. A valid baptism invested the individuum with the undetachable status of belonging to the church which meant being subjected to Christian morals and ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Individual rights and full church membership, however, derived not from mere baptism, but required a combination of baptism, faith, and obedience.