Death by baptism

Something Craigbythesea wrote in another thread brought my attention to this subject. He mentioned a Baptist preacher in Finland breaking the ice in their church baptismal tank in order to immerse a frail 95 year old woman. I inferred that perhaps she died, but don't know if that is right.

Are there many documented cases of people dieing in the act of baptism? Many are probably familiar with the recent tragic death of Kyle Lake of Waco, Texas. As for me, this is the only time I have read or heard of someone dieing in/during the act of baptism. But I've never researched the subject.

I'd like to keep the thread focused on the "historical" and not let this become a debate of the propriety of certain acts of baptism. I'd prefer that any posts be accompanied with verifiable documentation, rather than just asking us to take your word for it. In the absence of documentation, perhaps you can steer us towards further research possibilities on the subject.

I mainly have in mind immersion, since that is the customary Baptist mode, but other information is OK also. I realize some people have been drowned as "heretics", but that's not what I have in mind. I'm thinking legitimate baptisms where something went wrong. Thanks.

 

Joseph, I didn't intend to be morbid. I am guessing that some use the idea that immersion is more dangerous than sprinkling or pouring as one excuse to favor the latter over the former. I am also guessing that there are not many documented cases of "death by baptism".

I have heard of numerous cases of breaking the ice in order to perform winter baptisms. Even my Fundamental Methodist ancestors and relatives in Missouri do so (though I'm sure it's not as cold in Missouri as Finland). But, then again, I think of the Orthodox Church, which is the prominent church in several very frigid climates -- Eastern Europe, Russia, Siberia, etc. Somehow they get away with performing trine immersions and not killing everyone!

 

John, at the risk of derailing my own thread, I would like to address this briefly.

From reading years ago, I have long had fixed in my mind that since baptism is a positive ordinance rather than a moral one, it should only be performed as intended by the Giver of it. For example, J. L. Reynolds wrote, "Baptism is a positive institution...The obligation to obedience, in either case (moral or positive, rlv), is the same; but the grounds upon which it rests are different. It is, moreover, the peculiarity of a moral precept, that it may be obeyed, when only the spirit of it is complied with. But in reference to a positive precept, no such distinction exists. Positive institutions derive their validity solely from the authority of the law-giver. They are obligatory, because he has made them so; and they are valid only in the form in which he has thought fit to appoint them." Or, as A. W. Pink writes, "The term 'positive law' is employed by theologians not as antithetical to 'negative,' but in contrast from those laws which are addressed to our moral nature: prayer is a 'moral' duty: baptism is a 'positive' ordinance."

Church Polity or The Kingdom of Christ

I have come to a conclusion which may not suit friends either to the right or to the left. But since baptism is a "positive ordinance", I had rather not perform it at all than perform it incorrectly. I am convinced that God will accept the will of the heart to perform that which a person is literally unable to perform.

As to the history of deaths associated with baptism, I take it that the regular posters in this forum must not be acquainted with records of it happening beyond what has been mentioned. I confess that I am not.

 

Thanks for the information, Karen. That's a little different situation from what I had in mind in the original post, but kind of goes along with what I just discussed with John. In this case it might not even be a good "argument" for pouring, as it sounds as if even that could be dangerous to the boy's life.

This is kind of what I had in mind thinking the Lord can and will accept the desire of the heart as the performance of that which really cannot be performed. I know most of you don't believe in feet washing, but if you did... We would not expect a man with no hands and no feet to perform that which he could not.