Baptism Of The Dead
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]
A custom which anciently prevailed among some people in Africa, of giving baptism to the dead. The third council of Carthage speaks of it as a thing that ignorant Christians were fond of : Gregory Nazianzin also takes notice of the same superstitious opinion. The practice seems to be grounded on a vain idea, that, when men had neglected to receive baptism in their life-time, some compensation might be made for this default by receiving it after death.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]
a superstitious custom which anciently prevailed among the people in Africa of baptizing the dead. The third council of Carthage (canon 6) speaks of it as a matter of which ignorant Christians were fond, and forbids "to believe that the dead can be baptized." Gregory Nazianzen also observes that the same superstitious opinion prevailed among some who delayed to be baptized. It is also mentioned by Philastrius (De Haeres. cap. 2) as the general error of the Montanists or Cataphrygians, that they baptized men after death. The practice seems to be founded on a vain opinion that when men had neglected to receive baptism during their life, some compensation might be made for this default by receiving it after death. See Burton, Bampton Lectures, art. 78; Bingham, Orig. Eccl. bk. 11, ch. 4, 3.
