Daniel wrote:I have a question that I want answered.
What canon or Father prohibits or forbids the rebaptism of heretics/schismatics?
The Fathers clearly made distinctions between the baptisms of various heretics. None of them of course are valid in themselves, but some are baptised while others are only Chrisimated, and yet others only sign renouncements of their heresies. Reception into the Church by economia is nothing new, and was not started by the New Calendarists. It was started by the Fathers.
It seems to me that the following Canon makes this clear distinction between the baptisms of various heretics. The Arians, Macedonians, Novatians, Cathari, Aristeroi, and Tessareskaidekatitae are recieved by renouncing heresy and Chrisimation. Whereas the Paulianists, Eunomians, Montanists, Sabellians, Manichaeans, Valentinians, and Marcionites are Baptized. The Nestorians are only required to make written statements renouncing their heresy and anathamizing it and it's leaders.
Canon 95 of the Holy and Sixth Ecumenical Council
Affirmed and Upheld by the Sixth Ecumenical Council
As for heretics who convert to Orthodoxy and join the portion of the saved, we receive them in accordance with the following procedure and custom: We receive Arians, and Macedonians, and Novatians who call themselves Catharoi and Aristeroi, and Tessareskaidekatitae otherwise known as Tetraditae, and Apollinarists, when they submit written statements, and anathematize every heresy that does not believe as the holy, catholic, and Apostolic Church of God believes, and are first sealed, i.e. chrismated, with holy Myron on the forehead, and the eyes, and the nose, and the mouth, and the ears; and in sealing them we say: "Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Concerning the Paulianists, however, who subsequently took refuge in the catholic Church, a definition has been promulgated that they be rebaptized without fail. Eunomians who are baptized with one immersion, and Montanists who in this [City] are called Phrygians, and Sabellians who believe in the son-fatherhood [of Christ], and who do other evil things as well; and all other heresies (for there are many hereabout, especially those hailing from the region of the Galatians), all of them that wish to join Orthodoxy we receive as pagans. And on the first day we make them Christians; on the second, catechumens. Then on the third day we exorcise them with the threefold blowing into their face and ears. And then we catechize them, and oblige them to spend sufficient time in the church and to listen to the Scriptures. And then we baptize them. And likewise Manichaeans, and Valentinians, and Marcionites, and those from similar heresies.
Nestorians are required to make written statements, and to anathematize their heresy and Nestorios, Eutyches and Dioscoros and Severos, and the rest of the leaders of such heresies, as well as those who entertain their beliefs, and all the aforementioned heresies; and thus they may partake of Holy Communion.
In Christ,
George