for and against infant baptism Flashcards
arguments for infant baptism
-baptism as a sacrament
-baptism as a mystery
-baptism as remedy for original sin
-baptism as the start of christian life
-Jesus’ teaching about children
-baptism in early church
baptism as a sacrament
-roman catholics see baptism as a sacrament
-something god does the individuals soul through the symbolism of water and words
-those who are being baptised don’t have to do anything. key affect of baptism (change to soul) doesnt depend on own actions but gods grace
baptism as a mystery
For Christians Catholic, what happens at baptism depends on God’s grace, not human understanding.
-Human beings cannot understand God because God is too mighty, wonderful and divine for human minds to grasp.
-anything God does cannot be fully understood by any human being- child or adult, so God’s grace is always a mystery.
-If humans had to wait until they fully understood God in order to be baptised, no-one would ever be baptised because no-one can ever fully understand God.
- anyone can be baptised, regardless of understanding, and this means even new babies can be baptised.
baptism as remedy for original sin
-Roman Catholics believe that all humans are created with the stain of original sin, inherited through all of history because of the break with God caused by the sin of Adam and Eve.
-Catholics do not believe in a literal Adam and Eve, but they see this as a way of explaining the tendency of humans to disobey what they know God wants for the world.
-Through baptism, humansare freed from the taint of original sin, so that they can rise and live forever with God after the death of their bodies.
-Babies, even though they have never sinned themselves, need to be cleansed from original sin in case they die before they are old enough to profess faith for themselves.
Baptism as the start if christian life
-By baptising infants, and giving parents and godparents the responsibility to raise them as Christians, the Church ensures that children will be brought up as members of the Church community.
-intention is that they will be taught to tell right from wrong, and learn how to live a Christian life following the teachings of Jesus.
-will attend church regularly and learn about the teachings of the Church, so that in time they will be ready to confirm their baptismal commitment by being confirmed as adult members of the Church.
Jesus’ teaching about children
-bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, ‘Let the children come to me’ 18:15-16)
-This story about Jesus is used as justification for baptising babies. If Jesus was happy for mothers to bring infants to him for a blessing, then the Church should welcome babies for baptism in the same way.
baptism in early church
-The Early Church seems to have practised infant baptism. The book of Acts tells the story of the spread of the Early Church, and it includes several accounts where whole households were baptised together.
-It is quite likely that the members of these households included children and infants. If it was acceptable to the Early Church, it is acceptable today.
arguments against infant baptism
-baptism as ordinance
-baptism as following example of Jesus
-baptism as washing away of sins
-everyones included in gods grace
-Jesus teaching about children
-baptism in early church
Baptism as an ordinance
-Jesus told the disciples to make disciples and to baptise them. A baby cannot possibly be a disciple, because a baby is too young to learn about and understand the Christian faith.
-In order to do as Jesus commanded, the Church should support families and help to educate children in the Christian faith.
-They should welcome them to services, and provide Sunday schools where they can learn about the Bible.
-The adults in the community should set a good example of how to live a Christian life. n
-‘make disciples’ of young people as they grow up, so that when they are old enough, they can be baptised and join the church community as adult members.
baptism as following example of Jesus
-Jesus was probably around the age of 30 when he was baptised.
-Christians who want to follow in his footsteps as disciples aim to imitate what Jesus did. By the time he went to see John the Baptist, Jesus had been raised with a good understanding of his faith, and had built up a personal relationship with God.
-His baptism was therefore after his period of learning, and at the start of his adult work.
-Christians should follow this model, by studying and building a relationship with God first, and then making a commitment to the faith through baptism when they are ready to begin their adult role in the community. Babies and children cannot make such a commitment.
baptism as a washing away of sins
-Baptists do not believe in original sin, but they do recognise that people behave in ways that are sinful.
-only natural that children and young people do things which are against God’s wishes for them, and it is only when they are adult enough to regret the sins they have committed that Christians can undertake baptism to wash away their sins.
-For baptism to be meaningful, people have to be mature enough to really understand what sin is, and they have to be able to make a free choice to live a life avoiding sin. Babies and children cannot do these things.
everyone is included in gods grace
-From the moment that any baby born, it receives God’s grace in all aspects of life. baby part of the Christian community through its bond with its parents.
-New babies are welcomed into the church, and the whole church shares in responsibility of raising them with Christian beliefs and values, supporting the parents and setting examples of good Christian living. No baby child excluded.
-However, the child cannot fully understand how to approach God faith until he or she is mature enough to understand the Bible, and choose live life of faith.
-wrong to suggest that baptism is the start Christian life, and therefore infant baptism is not necessary.
Jesus’ teaching about children
-Baptists believe that all children are welcome in church, and they can share everything the church does as far as they are able to.
-They can receive Holy Communion if their parents think that they are ready to do so. However, Jesus did not baptise the infants the mothers brought to him, and he not instruct his disciples to baptise babies.
Baptism in early church
-The book of never specifically describes the baptism of a child or infant, and it is only assumption that children and babies were baptised when the whole household was it more likely that Acts is really referring to the adults in household.
