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Hi, James —
It's a pleasure to meet you, even if only by e-mail. I don't often get
to hear from anyone in Tanzania.
I hope my material on the web is occasionally helpful.
Here are some quick and, alas, not very detailed answers. I can refer
you to some other people who have written about these subjects.
Answer to Question 1: The
New Testament doesn't give us clear evidence about the question of infant
baptism. New Testament description of the activity of the early Church
appears mostly in the Acts of the Apostles, though even this book is really
focused on the spread of Christianity in the world, rather than on the
day-to-day practices of the Church. In Acts, there are several passages
describing when a convert is baptized along with his or her household;
children may have been baptized along with the adults in these cases.
The people at Catholic Answers have an article about infant baptism as
described in the early centuries of the Church:
Answer to Question 2. Here's
a helpful article by Jimmy Akin about the Church's understanding of the
creation account in Genesis:
The Six Days of Creation by Jimmy Akin
Answer to Question 3. As
far as I know, Christian doctrine doesn't take a position about the possibility
of the existence of intelligent life on other planets.
On the other hand, the vastness of the universe doesn't provide a compelling
reason to believe that there is necessarily intelligent life elsewhere.
As far as I know, there isn't scientific evidence for such life yet.
Answer to Question 4. There
are indications in the New Testament that God will transform the created
world of matter, as part of His plan for bringing everything to fulfillment.
As the world of nature suffered corruption from Adam's sin, the world will
also be made whole in the final victory of divine love. Revelation 21:1 says:
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth and the first heaven
and the first earth had passed away."
St Paul writes, in Romans chapter
8:
"creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but
because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would
be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom
of the children of God."
St Paul even goes so far as to link the ultimate redemption of the created
world with our ultimate redemption, the resurrection of the body:
"We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and
not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also
groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies."
Answer to Question 5. When
Jesus, Our Lord submitted to the baptism John gave, a baptism of repentance,
He was making an act of humility and love. He revealed that He was identifying
Himself with us sinners, and submitting Himself to the condition of fallen
humanity.
In His Baptism, the Holy Trinity is also revealed, the God of Three Divine
Persons: the Father speaks, declaring This is my Son; and the
Holy Spirit is seen descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove. This revelation
is very fitting at this time, because in the Trinity, the Three Persons
relate to each other in self-giving love, humility, and gratitude.
That said, this amazing baptism did not change Jesus: It revealed Him, and it
revealed His relationship to us. It changes John, and us, and everyone
who witnesses it!
Here is a teaching by Pope John Paul II on these and other aspects of
the Baptism of Christ:
Best wishes for the coming Holy season —
— Richard Chonak
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