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It stressed, however, that "these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge." No one can know for certain what becomes of unbaptized babies since Scripture is largely silent on the matter, the report said.

This is the view of most Baptists and evangelicals. The pope, intentionally or not, is being pretty ecumenical here. I prefer to think he's just being honest.

It stressed that none of its findings should be taken as diminishing the need for parents to baptize infants. "Rather ... they provide strong grounds for hope that God will save infants when we have not been able to do for them what we would have wished to do, namely, to baptize them into the faith and life of the church."

Well, they are still hardened baby-splashers. No surprise.

Vatican watchers hailed the decision as both a sensitive and significant move by Benedict. "Parents who are mourning the death of their child are no longer going to be burdened with the added guilt of not having gotten their child baptized," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

More of this deluded idea that the bathing of your infant by clergy will open the gates of Heaven.

He said the document also had implications for non-Christians, since it could be seen as suggesting that non-baptized adults could go to heaven if they led a good life.

No, the document did not say that! Let this pope speak for himself and stop twisting his words.

Along with his recent statements on evolutionism, this statement by Benedict makes it clear why he is a far more scholarly and thoughtful pope than his predecessor. He is a more broadly orthodox leader of his church, one who is removing thoughtfully some of the unnecessary theological barriers between us all. It's kind of disconcerting for a Rome-bashing Baptist like me to admit but Benedict seems to be, as popes go, a most reasonable pope.

He said the document also had implications for non-Christians, since it could be seen as suggesting that non-baptized adults could go to heaven if they led a good life.

And this same Thomas Reese was so highly thought of by the Pope that Benedict had him fired from editing the Jesuit paper America as soon as he was elected. If Reese says the sun is rising in the East, look to the West.