Only the unbaptized can be baptized meaningfully, FK.
I thought that you had gathered from the posts of myself, and others who agree, that our belief is that only a believer's Baptism is meaningful. I was wondering if your side puts any meaning into a believer's baptism if the person was baptized as an infant earlier. I ask because your tradition has thrown out the clear order in the Bible of salvation and Baptism and completely reversed it.
What baptism does is open our spiritual eyes so that we can choose God over sin.
Catholics have referred to Baptism as "initial salvation". Is there such a thing as "initial theosis", or are these ideas not really comparable?
I ask because your tradition has thrown out the clear order in the Bible of salvation and Baptism and completely reversed it
Huh? I think you have this backward. Church documents show that the Church baptized whole families, mama and papa bear and little bears. :-)
There is nothing in the Scripture whatsoever that says you must be "of age" to be baptized. Baptism is simply washing away the grime that comes from our corrupt nature, the patina that forms on out souls as it does on copper.
It's like a windowasher on your windshield covered with grime. Once washed, you can see where you are going and can make right decisions where to go. But, because we continue to sin, the windshield gets dirty over and over again, and needs period cleaning so that we stay on course.
Unlike some Protestants, we believe that Baptism is never bad or ineffectual. One can certainly not go wrong by being baptized no matter what the age. The trick is to keep ones self reasonably clean and that becomes pertinent at the "age of reason" (whatever that may mean).
Unlike Roman Catholics we don't speculate what happens to unbaptized babies who die. Whatever God decides to do with them is merciful and just, and we don't go beyond that.
But to go back to your question "It sounds like you are saying that only the unsaved can be baptized meaningfully" I answer again that only the unbaptized can be baptized meaningfully. The Church has always held to only one baptism (that is -- one valid baptism). Those who are unbaptized are most likely never going to be saved, God's free will notwithstanding. So, as Christians, we are commanded by our Lord to baptize. To not baptize is to go against His commandment.
there such a thing as "initial theosis", or are these ideas not really comparable?
There is such a thing but it has nothing to do with baptism. Initial theosis would be the beginning of a life in Christ. Theosis is not a moment of, but living in faith. How does one come to God is different for each individual. God certainly makes the first call. Some come to God after a terrible tragedy reminds them of the passing nature of this world, others find God after actively resisting Him, others yet find God through friends, through church, etc. The moment God becomes present in your life is the moment of "initial theosis." But it is up to you to cling on to God as you continue the struggle.