1982

The WCC Lima document Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry

The conference in Lima (Peru) in 1982, organized by the Faith and Order commission of the World Council of Churches, adopted the document Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry – the fruit of many years of patient preparation. It is remarkable in that it was a common decision of delegates from practically all confessions: Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans, Reformed, Anglicans, Baptists, Pentecostals and others. In Lane's assessment, the document does not reflect full agreement but signifies a considerable rapprochement on a number of questions. On baptism it says: believer Baptists may seek to express even more visibly that children are entrusted to the care of God's grace, while those who practice infant baptism must refrain from indiscriminate baptism and take more seriously their duty of instructing baptized children and leading them to mature commitment to Christ.