Christian baptism: where do we go from here? by David F. Wright

David F. Wright, "Christian Baptism: where do we go from here?" The Evangelical Quarterly 78.2 (Apr.-June 2006): 163-169 Abstract Today paedobaptists increasingly recognize faith-baptism as the norm of Christian baptism, both in theology and in practice. Equally Baptists must recognize how minimal and rare were challenges to infant baptism prior to the Reformation. What is …

Summary of my views on Baptism alongside scripture and quotations from the earliest centuries of the Church

Those who have followed this blog for any period of time will know I've spent a lot of time reviewing and figuring out where I stand on Baptism. This was all provoked by the birth of my son coming up to two years ago now. What I've wanted to do for awhile, however, is jot …

Is paedobaptism a prerequisite for Christendom?

Having a minority view on Baptism (That of a mixed approach accepting both paedo and credo approaches, albeit assuming a credo mode as normative) within my tradition means I spend a long time having to justify my position repeatedly to critics. What follows is a reflection on a recent criticism on paedobaptism being a prerequisite …

Ten reasons as to why I waited to baptise my Son

I recently saw an entry by the minister David Robertson on his reasons for the baptism of his infant Granddaughter. This wasn’t with the aim of reheating overdone debates, despite the piece being aimed particularly at Baptists. Yet it prompted me to go back to the reasons why my wife and I are waiting to …

On Baptism and its timing. Addendum: Newman’s Development of Doctrine and Protestant Paedobaptism

Sometime after writing my entries (Part 1, 2, 3, 4 here) on my searching with regard to baptism, I discovered that this was a topic that the Anglican gone Roman John Henry Newman wrote of regarding his defence on the doctrine of the latter tradition. I found it surprising because whilst I disagree with his …

On Baptism and it’s timing. Part Four: Conclusion

Introduction Having looked at Baptism I am left with a number of impressions. On the one hand we hear everyone who is saved is baptised. On the other hand not everyone who is baptised is saved. What is more is that baptism takes a panoply of forms. It can be in the ark of Noah, …

On Baptism and it’s timing. Part Three: Witness of History

Introduction In the last entry, I covered for opening half millennium of the church regarding its position on the timing of the baptism. My conclusion, having looked at various sources, was that conversion, following catechism, was the normative time for baptism. The ritual and process for both developed considerably over the opening centuries but this …

On Baptism and it’s timing. Part Two: Witness of the Early Church

In the first part of this endeavour, I took a brief top-level view at the passages that had been raised by others, from scripture, during my discussions and reading on the topic on the timing of baptism. What I hope to subsequently address in this next, albeit not final part of my exploration is the …

On Baptism and it’s timing. Part One: Introduction and Scripture

With the birth of my son, I have been thinking a lot about baptism. This has been intensified by a period of discerning whether or not I could, should, or would begin the process of discerning ordination in the Church of England. What follows is my attempt to come to terms with the beliefs of …