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Believer's baptism (also called credobaptism, from the Latin word credo) contrasts with infant baptism (pedobaptism or paedobaptism, from the Greek paido meaning "child"), in which young children are baptised. Infant baptism is the Christian religious practice of baptizing infants or young children
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Theology
Believer's baptism is sometimes held to have no salvific effect by adherents (such as some Baptists and some Evangelicals), but is considered a public expression of faith and symbolically representative of the baptisand's own conscious conversion experience. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Credobaptists believe that saving grace and church membership are gifts from God by the recipient's faith alone and cannot be imparted or transferred from one believer to another person (such as from parent to child) by sacraments such as baptism or by prayer. These tenets render infant baptism useless within their belief system. On the other hand, other groups do hold baptism to have salvific value.
Churches of Christ for example, teach that baptism (immersion) is a necessary part of salvation without which, one cannot enter into the kingdom of God, John 3:3-5. The Churches of Christ discussed In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The church, set up by Christ with the keys given to the Apostles (Matthew 16:16-18, 18:18) was established on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and required baptism for "remission of sins" amongst the penitent believers and promised the "gift of the Holy Spirit. " Without the indwelling Holy Spirit obtained at the time of immersion, there is no salvation, Acts 5:32, Romans 8:9-11, 16. Because infants cannot hear or believe the gospel message, they also cannot repent and need not repent or confess Christ as the Son of God and thus any water only makes them wet. Children are already subjects of the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16), until they come to the age of accountability of their own sins.
Arguments for Credobaptism
Advocates of believer's baptism argue that the New Testament does not describe instances of infant baptism, and that during the New Testament era, the early church required converts to have conscious, deliberate faith in Jesus Christ. Defenders of infant baptism counter that the book of Acts records instances of the baptism of entire households, and that these baptisms likely included children. However, none of the passages cited by defenders of infant baptism expressly state that the household included young children who were not capable of conscious belief, while some of the stories about household baptisms explicitly state that all members of the household believed prior to baptism.
Defenders of infant baptism sometimes claim that baptism replaces the Jewish practice of circumcision, and is therefore appropriate for infants. Advocates of believer's baptism counter that no New Testament passages state that baptism replaces circumcision. On the contrary, the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 was called to clarify circumcision, long after the practice of baptism was established. In the old Covenant, strictly males were circumcized. In the new, all - - male and female, Jew and Greek, bond and free - - must join the family of God.
Theologians from churches that teach that baptism is required for salvation sometimes point to Jesus' statement that children should be allowed to come to him. Advocates of believer's baptism counter that Jesus blessed the children and did not baptize them.
Defenders of infant baptism have attempted to trace the practice to the New Testament era, but generally acknowledge that no unambiguous evidence exists that the practice existed prior to the second century. [1] The oldest surviving manual of church discipline, the Didache, envisions the baptism of adults. The Didache ( Koine Greek:, Didachē, meaning "Teaching" ˈdɪdəkiː in English ðiðaˈxi in Modern Greek) is the common name of a brief Defenders of infant baptism point to statements by Origen, Justin Martyr, and other early Christians writers that children were baptized. However, none of these statements are from the apostolic era, and many speak only of the baptism of children, who may be adolescents, and not infants specifically. [2] Advocates of believer's baptism contend that non-Biblical sources are not authoritative, and that no evidence exists from the Bible or early Christian literature that infant baptism was practiced by the apostles.
Another argument posed by some advocates of believer's baptism concerns the fact that most churches that practice infant baptism were churches that were heavily intertwined with the state in medieval and Reformation-era Europe. In many instances, citizens of a nation were required under penalty of law to belong to the state church. Infant baptism marked the infant as a citizen of the nation and a loyal subject of the reigning political order as much as it marked the infant as a Christian. To denominations like the Baptists, which have historically stressed religious liberty, toleration, and separation of church and state, this practice is an unacceptable violation of the basic human right to self-determination in matters of spirituality and religion.
Age of accountability
Believer's baptism is administered only to persons who have passed the age of accountability or reason, which is based upon a reading of the New Testament that only believers should be baptized. Coming of age is a young person's transition from Adolescence to Adulthood The age at which this transition takes place varies in society as does the nature The age of Reason, also called the age of discretion, is the Age at which Children become capable of Moral responsibility. Some claim that it is also based upon the Jewish tradition of Bar Mitzvah at the age of 12 or 13, at which point Jewish children become responsible for their actions and "one to whom the commandments apply. In Judaism, Bar Mitzvah ( Hebrew: בר מצוה "one (m to whom the commandments apply" Bat Mitzvah (בת מצוה "one (f " This analogy is not very helpful since a Jew who is not Bar Mitzvah is nonetheless considered to be fully a Jew -- whereas the notion of an "unbaptised Christian" is more problematic. Many Christian theologians regard baptism as analogous to the Jewish practice of circumcision, rather than analogous to the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, although there are no explicit sections of the New Testament that support this idea. Male circumcision is the removal of some or all of the Foreskin (prepuce from the Penis.
Among credobaptists, differences in denominational practice (and in psychological development among children) can cause the "age of accountability" to be set higher or lower. Many developmentally challenged individuals never reach this stage regardless of age. Sometimes the pastor or church leader will determine the believer's understanding and conviction through personal interviews. In the case of a minor, parents' permission will also often be sought.
However it is a major assumption that all credobaptists believe in an "age of accountability. " Not all denominations or assemblies who practice credobaptism believe in this doctrine. Many believe in predestination, and that God will prolong a person's life until they are capable of receiving baptism of their own free will. Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation
Furthermore, not all credobaptists believe in the doctrine of original sin. Original sin is according to a doctrine in Catholic theology, humanity's state of Sin resulting from the Fall of Man. Many credobaptists believe that we are only held responsible for our personal sins, and that Jesus addressed the sins of Adam on the cross. As a result, according to some credobaptists, an infant does not need to repent and baptize away sins they have never personally committed.
Comparison to liturgical tradition
Some suggest that believer's baptism combines two rites from the liturgical churches (the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches): confirmation and (infant) baptism. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The word orthodox, from Greek orthodoxos "having the right opinion" from orthos ("right true straight" + doxa ("opinion Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for
In the liturgical churches, it is generally held that (infant) baptism is the initiatory rite that believer's baptism also marks. Infant baptism differs from believer's baptism in that the baptisand is not making a profession of the faith for themselves. The liturgical traditions transfer this aspect of Christian life to confirmation, where the one-time infant baptisand publicly assumes the responsibilities of his baptismal covenant and makes his own profession of faith (usually using the words of the Apostles' Creed).
Practice
In areas where those who practice believer's baptism are the physical or cultural majority, the ritual may function as a rite of passage, by which the child is granted the status of an adult. A rite of passage is a Ritual that marks a change in a person's social or sexual status Most denominations who practice believer's baptism also specify the mode of baptism, generally preferring immersion (in which the baptisand is lowered completely beneath the surface of a body of water) over affusion (in which water is sprinkled or poured over the baptisand). In the case of physical disability or inability to be totally submerged under water, as with the elderly, bedridden, and nearly dead, the pouring of water upon the baptismal candidate is acceptable to some.
In some denominations, believer's baptism is a prerequisite to full church membership. This is generally the case with churches with a congregational form of church government. Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism is a system of Church governance in which every Local church congregation is independent Persons who wish to become part of the church must undergo believer's baptism in that local body, or another body whose baptism the local body honors. Typically, local churches will honor the baptism of another church if that tradition is of similar faith and practice, or if not, then if the person was baptized (usually by immersion) subsequent to conversion.
Denominational connections
Believer's baptism is one of several distinctive doctrines associated closely with the Baptist and Anabaptist (literally, rebaptizer) traditions, and their theological relatives. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Among these are the members of the American Restoration Movement. This article is about the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and churches that have a historical and/or theological connection to it (e Many churches associated with Pentecostalism also practice believer's baptism, though some also offer infant baptism. Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism
In Holiness, many Baptist, and some other churches, a ritual known as Dedication or Infant Dedication supplements or replaces infant baptism. However, unlike baptism, the rite is centered upon the parents, who dedicate the child to God and vow to raise him/her in a God-fearing home. Although Dedication often occurs at the same age as infant baptism, it is not considered a replacement for baptism nor is it considered salvific for the child.
Believer's baptism is more prevalent in Christian traditions which maintain that there is a state of innocency from birth to the age of accountability (if the believer, due to mental or emotional disability, is not likely to gain the ability to judge the morality of his or her actions, this state of innocency persists for life). Credobaptism is less prevalent in traditions which maintain that the corruption of original sin is present at birth and is sufficient guilt in the eyes of God to cause the child to be damned or be in limbo, should it die before baptism. See also Intermediate state Purgatory|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity In Roman Catholic theology Limbo (Latin limbus
Many churches that baptize infants, such as the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox denominations, have functioned as national, state-established churches in various European and Latin American countries. During the Reformation, the relationship of the church to the state was a contentious issue, and infant baptism was seen as a way to ensure that society remained religiously homogeneous. As a result, groups that rejected infant baptism were seen as subversive and were often persecuted. [3]
Prevalence
Statistics based on membership totals reported by various denominations state that churches that practice infant baptism represent about 80% of Christians. [4] However, these statistics do not reflect the fact that different denominations use different criteria for counting members, and that infant-baptizing churches count young children as members, while denominations that practice believer's baptism do not. Churches that practice believer's baptism generally do not consider individuals with formal church membership who do not actively practice Christian spirituality (for example, see Cultural Catholic) as true Christians. A cultural Catholic is an individual who belongs to the Roman Catholic Church but observes the religion's practices as a cultural tradition rather than a spiritual exercise Many churches that practice believer's baptism also practice congregational self-government, which makes it difficult for statisticians to collect complete data. These and other factors make church membership statistics suspect. [5] The fastest growing branches of Christianity are evangelical and Pentecostal churches, which nearly always practice credobaptism.
Theological Objections
One standard theological argument leveled against believer's baptism is that it makes the efficacy of the sacrament dependent upon the understanding of the baptism; that is, it depends upon what the baptised knows. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective This runs counter to the Calvinistic belief that God saves whomever he wills, regardless of any worthiness or knowledge on the part of the saved. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Reformed Baptist theologians counter that believer's baptism is fully consistent with Calvin's doctrine of unconditional election, and that when properly understood it is also the most appropriate expression of Covenant theology. The name Reformed Baptist refers both to a distinct Christian denomination, and to a description of theological leaning Unconditional election is the Calvinist teaching that before God created the world he chose to save some people according to his own purposes and apart from any conditions Covenant theology (also known as Covenantalism or Federal theology or Federalism) is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for
Another objection is that it implies that families in a congregation with young unbaptised children are comprised of both Christians and non-Christians, which usually does not reflect the actual belief and experience of those families or of the congregation.
Even in theological circles where some response to God's call is considered necessary for the convert (such as belief, confession, repentance, and prayer), a believer's baptism is usually categorized as a work instead of a response of faith, though not always (see Churches of Christ). The Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ are a part of the Restoration Movement and share historical roots with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ
See also
References
- Malone, Fred (2003). Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for Infant baptism is the Christian religious practice of baptizing infants or young children The baptism of disciples alone: A covenantal argument for credobaptism versus paedobaptism. Founders Press, ISBN 0-9713361-3-X
- Stander, Hendick F. and Louw, Johannes P. (2004). Baptism in the Early Church, Carey Publications, ISBN 0-9527913-1-5
- Schreiner, Thomas R. and Wright, Shawn (ed. ), Believer's Baptism: The Covenant Sign of the New Age in Christ, B&H Publishing Group (2007), ISBN 0805432493
Footnotes
- ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/baptism.html.
- ^ John T. Christian, "History of the Baptists" published by Broadman Press (vol. 1, 1922; vol. 2, 1926) Available online: http://www.reformedreader.org/history/christian/ahob1/ahobp.htm
- ^ Eerdman's Handbook to Christian Belief, p. 443. Lion Publishing. 1982.
- ^ Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents
- ^ For example, the Roman Catholic Church does not purge ex-members from its membership rolls unless they formally renounce their faith using the procedure laid out in Catholic canon law, while many Protestant churches routinely purge lapsed members from their rolls.
External links
- Lots of articles about Infant Baptism and Believer's Baptism from a Reformed and Protestant Perspective
- Adult Baptism in the Early Church: Some evidence from Ireland
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