The Church has taught from the beginning that there is only one baptism, namely that baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit that Jesus tasked his apostles with spreading to the four corners of the earth.

Imagine if you knew that Jesus was coming back to judge the world and bring in his kingdom in exactly 17 months. What would you do? You might quit your job and cash out your retirement. No sense saving for what’ll never happen! Some people have done that. You might get all serious about your faith, thinking that maybe you need to make up for some missed masses and some gaps in your devotion! Some people have done that, too. You might join some sort of special religious group focused on spirituality, communal living, daily praise worship, and an overall sense of seriousness. Some people have done that, also. You might consider all the bloody reports about the Last Days and take the military route, prepping for Armageddon, fortressing yourself in the mountains or else preparing for an urban guerilla war. Some people have done that, even.

The notion that there might be a sin or sins that are absolutely unforgivable, even by a bishop, is pretty terrifying. Given what the Church teaches about the sacrament of confession and reconciliation, it’s hard to see how a priest or the bishop wouldn’t be in a position to provide some way back to God. What’s more, isn’t baptism, the originating sacrament of faith, supposed to be able to cleanse all sins? A clean slate? A totally new beginning?