Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that a child can be baptized while yet in its mother's womb. For the gift of Christ is more efficacious unto salvation than Adam's sin unto condemnation, as the Apostle says (Rm. 5:15). But a child while yet in its mother's womb is under sentence of condemnation on account of Adam's sin. For much more reason, therefore, can it be saved through the gift of Christ, which is bestowed by means of Baptism. Therefore a child can be baptized while yet in its mother's womb.

Objection 2: Further, a child, while yet in its mother's womb, seems to be part of its mother. Now, when the mother is baptized, whatever is in her and part of her, is baptized. Therefore it seems that when the mother is baptized, the child in her womb is baptized.

Objection 3: Further, eternal death is a greater evil than death of the body. But of two evils the less should be chosen. If, therefore, the child in the mother's womb cannot be baptized, it would be better for the mother to be opened, and the child to be taken out by force and baptized, than that the child should be eternally damned through dying without Baptism.

Objection 4: Further, it happens at times that some part of the child comes forth first, as we read in Gn. 38:27: "In the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying: This shall come forth the first. But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth." Now sometimes in such cases there is danger of death. Therefore it seems that that part should be baptized, while the child is yet in its mother's womb.

On the contrary, Augustine says (Ep. ad Dardan.): "No one can be born a second time unless he be born first." But Baptism is a spiritual regeneration. Therefore no one should be baptized before he is born from the womb.

I answer that, It is essential to Baptism that some part of the body of the person baptized be in some way washed with water, since Baptism is a kind of washing, as stated above (Question 66, Article 1). But an infant's body, before being born from the womb, can nowise be washed with water; unless perchance it be said that the baptismal water, with which the mother's body is washed, reaches the child while yet in its mother's womb. But this is impossible: both because the child's soul, to the sanctification of which Baptism is ordained, is distinct from the soul of the mother; and because the body of the animated infant is already formed, and consequently distinct from the body of the mother. Therefore the Baptism which the mother receives does not overflow on to the child which is in her womb. Hence Augustine says (Cont. Julian. vi): "If what is conceived within a mother belonged to her body, so as to be considered a part thereof, we should not baptize an infant whose mother, through danger of death, was baptized while she bore it in her womb. Since, then, it," i.e. the infant, "is baptized, it certainly did not belong to the mother's body while it was in the womb." It follows, therefore, that a child can nowise be baptized while in its mother's womb.

Reply to Objection 1: Children while in the mother's womb have not yet come forth into the world to live among other men. Consequently they cannot be subject to the action of man, so as to receive the sacrament, at the hands of man, unto salvation. They can, however, be subject to the action of God, in Whose sight they live, so as, by a kind of privilege, to receive the grace of sanctification; as was the case with those who were sanctified in the womb.

Reply to Objection 2: An internal member of the mother is something of hers by continuity and material union of the part with the whole: whereas a child while in its mother's womb is something of hers through being joined with, and yet distinct from her. Wherefore there is no comparison.

Reply to Objection 3: We should "not do evil that there may come good" (Rm. 3:8). Therefore it is wrong to kill a mother that her child may be baptized. If, however, the mother die while the child lives yet in her womb, she should be opened that the child may be baptized.

Reply to Objection 4: Unless death be imminent, we should wait until the child has entirely come forth from the womb before baptizing it. If, however, the head, wherein the senses are rooted, appear first, it should be baptized, in cases of danger: nor should it be baptized again, if perfect birth should ensue. And seemingly the same should be done in cases of danger no matter what part of the body appear first. But as none of the exterior parts of the body belong to its integrity in the same degree as the head, some hold that since the matter is doubtful, whenever any other part of the body has been baptized, the child, when perfect birth has taken place, should be baptized with the form: "If thou art not baptized, I baptize thee," etc.

Articulus 11

Argumentum 1

Ad undecimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod in maternis uteris existentes possint baptizari. Efficacius est enim donum christi ad salutem quam peccatum Adae ad damnationem, ut apostolus dicit, Rom. V.

Sed pueri in maternis uteris existentes damnantur propter peccatum Adae. Ergo multo magis salvari possunt per donum christi. Quod quidem fit per baptismum.

Ergo pueri in maternis uteris existentes possunt baptizari.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, puer in utero matris existens aliquid matris esse videtur. Sed, baptizata matre, baptizatur quidquid est eius intra ipsam existens. Ergo videtur quod, baptizata matre, baptizetur puer in utero eius existens.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, mors aeterna peior est quam mors corporalis. Sed de duobus malis minus malum eligendum est. Si ergo puer in utero matris existens baptizari non potest, melius esset quod mater aperiretur et puer VI eductus baptizaretur, quam quod puer aeternaliter damnaretur, absque baptismo decedens.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, contingit quandoque quod aliqua pars pueri prius egreditur, sicut legitur Gen. XXXVIII quod, pariente thamar, in ipsa effusione infantium, unus protulit manum, in qua obstetrix ligavit coccinum, dicens, iste egredietur prior.

Illo vero manum retrahente, egressus est alter.

Quandoque autem in tali casu imminet periculum mortis. Ergo videtur quod illa pars debeat baptizari, puero adhuc in materno utero existente.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus, in epistola ad Dardanum, dicit, nemo renascitur nisi primo nascatur.

Sed baptismus est quaedam spiritualis regeneratio. Non ergo debet aliquis baptizari priusquam ex utero nascatur.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod de necessitate baptismi est quod corpus baptizandi aliquo modo aqua abluatur, cum baptismus sit quaedam ablutio, ut supra dictum est.

Corpus autem infantis, antequam nascatur ex utero, non potest aliquo modo ablui aqua, nisi forte dicatur quod ablutio baptismalis qua corpus matris lavatur, ad filium in ventre existentem perveniat. Sed hoc non potest esse, tum quia anima pueri, ad cuius sanctificationem ordinatur baptismus, distincta est ab anima matris; tum quia corpus puerperii animati iam est formatum, et per consequens a corpore matris distinctum. Et ideo baptismus quo mater baptizatur, non redundat in prolem in utero existentem.

Unde Augustinus dicit, contra Iulianum, si ad matris corpus id quod in ea concipitur pertinet, ita ut eius pars imputetur, non baptizaretur infans cuius mater baptizata est, aliquo mortis urgente periculo, cum gestaret in utero. Nunc vero, cum etiam ipse, scilicet infans, baptizetur, non utique ad maternum corpus, cum esset in utero, pertinebat.

Et ita relinquitur quod nullo modo existentes in maternis uteris baptizari possunt.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod pueri in maternis uteris existentes nondum prodierunt in lucem, ut cum aliis hominibus vitam ducant.

Unde non possunt subiici actioni humanae, ut per eorum ministerium sacramenta recipiant ad salutem. Possunt tamen subiici operationi dei, apud quem vivunt, ut quodam privilegio gratiae sanctificationem consequantur, sicut patet de sanctificatis in utero.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod membrum interius matris est aliquid eius per continuationem et unionem materialis partis ad totum.

Puer autem in utero matris existens est aliquid eius per quandam colligationem corporum distinctorum. Unde non est similis ratio.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod non sunt facienda mala ut veniant bona, ut dicitur Rom. III.

Et ideo non debet homo occidere matrem ut baptizet puerum. Si tamen mater mortua fuerit vivente puero in utero, aperiri debet, ut puer baptizetur.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod expectanda est totalis egressio pueri ex utero ad baptismum, nisi mors immineat. Si tamen primo caput egrediatur, in quo fundatur sensus, debet baptizari, periculo imminente, et non est postea rebaptizandus, si eum perfecte nasci contigerit. Et videtur idem faciendum quaecumque alia pars egrediatur, periculo imminente. Quia tamen in nulla partium exteriorum integritas ita consistit sicut in capite, videtur quibusdam quod, propter dubium, quacumque alia parte corporis abluta, puer post perfectam nativitatem sit baptizandus sub hac forma, si non es baptizatus, ego te baptizo, etc..