Bowler wrote:
You should read the entire funeral oration for yourself. Here is what the BODers always quote from the eulogy:
"But I hear that you grieve because he did not receive the sacrament of Baptism. Tell me now, what else is in us, if not will, if not desire? He, in very truth had this wish that, before he came to Italy, he should be initiated into the Church, and he indicated that he wanted to be baptized by me very soon, and that is why he thought I had to be called before everything else. Did he not obtain the grace which he desired? Did he not obtain what he asked for? Certainly, because he asked for it, he obtained it. "But the just man, if he be prevented by death, shall be in rest" (Wisd. 4:7).... (De Obitu Valentiniani, 51-53).
Out of the hundreds of fathers of the Church, the only other one (besides two quotes from St. Augustine that the baptism of desire advocates even try to quote is St. Ambrose. They think that in his funeral speech for his friend the Emperor Valentinian he taught that the emperor (who was only a catechumen) was saved by his desire for baptism. But St. Ambrose’s funeral speech for Valentinian is extremely ambiguous and could be interpreted in a variety of ways. It is thus gratuitous for them to assert that it clearly teaches the idea of “baptism of desire.”
Here's the part that the BODers always leave out when they quote the eulogy:
"Or if the fact disturbs you that the mysteries have not been solemnly
celebrated, then you should realize that not even martyrs are crowned if they are catechumens, for they are not crowned if they are not initiated. But if they are washed in their own blood, his piety and desire have washed him, also."
Observe that St. Ambrose clearly says that “martyrs are not crowned (that is, not saved) if they are catechumens,” a statement which directly denies the idea of baptism of blood and is perfectly consistent with his other statements on the issue, which I quote below. St. Ambrose then emphasizes the same point, by stating again that catechumens “are not crowned if they are not initiated.” “Initiation” is a term for baptism. Thus, St. Ambrose is repeating the apostolic truth that catechumens who shed their blood for Christ cannot be saved if they are not baptized. He then proceeds to say that if they are washed in their own blood, his (Valentinian’s) piety and desire have washed him also, which seems to directly contradict what he just said and seems to teach baptism of desire and blood, although it is not clear, since he did not say that Valentinian was saved without baptism. But if that is what St. Ambrose means, then his funeral speech is nonsensical, since he just clearly denied two times that martyrs can be crowned if they are catechumens. And this is the oldest “text” quoted in favor of the idea of baptism of desire!
It is, first of all, contradictory; secondly, it is ambiguous; and thirdly, if interpreted to mean that a catechumen is saved without water baptism, is opposed to every other statement St. Ambrose formally made on the issue.
This is yet another example of deception or crass ignorance from this poster. He is attempting to demonstrate on his own authority and reasoning that St. Ambrose was not teaching Baptism of Desire in his funeral oration for his beloved friend, the Emperor Valentinian.
1. All authorities, Popes, Doctors and theologians all understand what St. Ambrose was teaching in his funeral oration, and that was Baptism of Desire.
I will cite from only one authority, for now, as a Catholic should always wish to learn first from the Pope. Although not an official act of his magisterium, this teaching from Pope Innocent III clearly shows that he understood the meaning of St. Ambrose's oration to Valentinian, and clearly professed his belief in Baptism of Desire.
Pope Innocent III in letter "
Apostolicam Sedem" to the Bishop of Cremona (12th Century):
We assert without hesitation (on the authority of the holy Fathers Augustine and Ambrose) that the 'priest' whom you indicated (in your letter) had died without the water of baptism, because he persevered in the Faith of Holy Mother Church and in the confession of the name of Christ, was freed from original sin and attained the joys of the heavenly fatherland. Read [brother] in the eighth book of Augustine's City of God where among other things it is written: 'Baptism is administered invisibly to one whom not contempt of religion, but death excludes.' Read again the book also of the blessed Ambrose concerning the death of Valentinian where he says the same thing. Therefore, to questions concerning the dead, you should hold the opinions of the learned Fathers, and in your church you should join in prayers and you should have sacrifices offered to God for the 'priest' mentioned.
(Denzinger 388)
(Take note that it was the same Pope Innocent III, cited above, that defined "Outside the Church, No Salvation.)
2. The funeral oration was not ambiguous, as Bowler asserts. St. Ambrose very clearly stated:
(51) But I hear that you grieve because he did not receive the sacrament of baptism. Tell me: What else is in your power other than the desire, the request?* But he even had this desire for a long time, that, when he should come into Italy, he would be initiated, and recently he signified his desire to be baptized by me, and for this reason above all others he thought that I ought to be summoned. Has he not, then, the grace which he desired; has he not the grace which he requested? And because he asked, he received, and therefore it is said: ‘By whatsoever death the just man shall be overtaken, his soul shall be at rest’ (Wisdom 4:7).
(52) Grant, therefore, O holy Father, to Thy servant the gift which Moses received, because he saw in spirit; the gift which David merited, because he knew from revelation. Grant, I pray, to Thy servant Valentinian the gift which he longed for, the gift which he requested while in health, vigor, and security. If, stricken with sickness, he had deferred it, he would not be entirely without Thy mercy who has been cheated by the swiftness of time, not by his own wish. Grant, therefore, to Thy servant the gift of Thy grace which he never rejected … He who had Thy Spirit, how has he not received Thy grace?
Every authority that has ever commented on this section of the oration has clearly understood its obvious meaning: St. Ambrose was asserting that Valentinian may be saved through Baptism of Desire.
3. Bowler erroneously asserts that "St. Ambrose clearly says that “martyrs are not crowned (that is, not saved) if they are catechumens,” a statement which directly denies the idea of baptism of blood [/b]". Bowler continues: "St. Ambrose
then emphasizes the same point, by stating again that catechumens “are not crowned if they are not initiated.” “Initiation” is a term for baptism. Thus, St. Ambrose is repeating the apostolic truth that catechumens who shed their blood for Christ cannot be saved if they are not baptized. "
In these statements, Bowler again demonstrates that he is either dishonest or lacks reading comprehension. I hope for his sake it is the latter, but if it is the latter, he has no business teaching Catholics on matters of theology, especially complex matters!
Does Bowler say to himself: "Why does nobody see what I see, not Popes, not Doctors, not theologians, I am the expert who knows better than even Pope Innocent III himself!"
Let us now examine paragraph 53 from the funeral oration that Bowler is using as his proof text:
(
5
3) Or if the fact disturbs you that the mysteries have not been solemnly celebrated, then you should realize that not even martyrs are crowned if they are catechumens, for they are not crowned if they are not initiated. But if they are washed in their own blood, his piety and his desire have washed him, also.
Bowler displays his ignorance of older funeral rites. St. Ambrose was not talking about the crown of glory in Heaven, he was talking about a crown worn on the heads of martyrs at the funerals. This is why he specifically he specifically connects the fact that the mysteries not being celebrated with the fact that despite unbaptized martyrs not being crowned at their funerals, they are still saved through Baptism of Blood.
4. Bowler arrogantly asserts:
But if that is what St. Ambrose means, then his funeral speech is nonsensical, since he just clearly denied two times that martyrs can be crowned if they are catechumens.
Bowler says this because he failed to grasp the obvious meaning of the text. St. Ambrose did not contradict himself, and was not being nonsensical, he was speaking with precision. Anyone with any love for theology would never think that a great Father and Doctor such as St. Ambrose could even have possibly been nonsensical in his teaching.
A rule of thumb for Bowler and anyone rules: realize that you (and I) are lowly and stupid men, the Doctors of the Church and great theologians were great men, graced by God to understand highly complex matters of theology. Learn at their feet, believe them, and stop thinking you know more than them.
This is all part of the endless ignorance (or possibly trickery) of those that dare to profess heresy by denying Baptism of Desire.