The subject of infant baptism is undoubtedly a delicate and difficult one ... But this must not make members of the Church of England shrink from holding decided opinions on the subject. That church has declared plainly in its Articles that 'the baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.' To this opinion we need not be afraid to adhere." J. C. Ryle This book aims to help Anglican Evangelicals recover that same gracious yet unashamed confidence shown by Bishop Ryle in the nineteenth century. The authors defend biblically the doctrine of infant baptism and its proper evangelical practice within the Church of England. They expound a covenantal understanding which has impeccable evangelical credentials in order to reassure a new generation of Anglican Evangelical 'paedobaptists' that theirs is no new or peculiar doctrine, and to persuade those who may not have fully appreciated the Reformed heritage we in the Church of England enjoy. Dr. John R. W. Stott CBE is Rector Emeritus of All Souls, Langham Place in London and over the last 60 years has been one of the most influential leaders of evangelicalism worldwide. Dr. J. Alec Motyer is the former Principal of Trinity College, Bristol, and was for many years incumbent of St. Luke's, West Hampstead and later minister of Christ Church, Westbourne Lee Gatiss is Associate Minister of St. Helen's Bishopsgate and Editor of The Theologian (www.theologian.org.uk).

The issue of baptism has troubled Protestants for centuries. Should infants be baptized before their faith is conscious, or does God command the baptism of babies whose parents have been baptized? Popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight makes a biblical case for infant baptism, exploring its history, meaning, and practice and showing that infant baptism is the most historic Christian way of forming children into the faith. He explains that the church's practice of infant baptism developed straight from the Bible and argues that it must begin with the family and then extend to the church. Baptism is not just an individual profession of faith: it takes a family and a church community to nurture a child into faith over time. McKnight explains infant baptism for readers coming from a tradition that baptizes adults only, and he counters criticisms that fail to consider the role of families in the formation of faith. The book includes a foreword by Todd Hunter and an afterword by Gerald McDermott.

The concept of missionary baptism is based on the household baptism of converts and their families described in the New Testament. This is most commonly experienced today in missionary situations, when entire families become Christians. Building on the work of nineteenth-century Scottish theologian William Cunningham, this study explores some implications for the connection between believers’ baptism, infant baptism, baby dedication, and Christian unity, particularly among evangelicals.

In Baptism: Three Views, editor David F. Wright has provided a forum for thoughtful proponents of three principal evangelical views on baptism to state their case, respond to the others, and then provide a summary response and statement. Sinclair Ferguson sets out the case for infant baptism, Bruce Ware presents the case for believers' baptism, and Anthony Lane argues for a mixed practice.

God has instituted specific rites (actions done with created things) linked with specific words whereby he attests what the specific acts symbolize and so confirms promises to, and furthers fellowship with, the recipients of his saving and enriching mercy. Mainstream Christianity views created entities as symbols reflecting God and imparting a sense of the divine drawing mind and heart Godward. Holy Baptism as a rite of admission to church communion is integral to Anglicanism, each version of the Book of Common Prayer having contained a baptismal liturgy commonly used despite rival schools of thought about particular phrases. These tensions remaining with us today, Dr. Packer's essay attempts to clear the ground for an acceptable baptismal liturgy for use in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), hopefully with theological agreement on all key points. This essay also addresses the Anglican practice of Infant Baptism as appropriate, fitting the situation, and honoring to God.

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. Paul Jewett, author of the creative and highly provocative book Man As Male and Female, here turns his critical attention to the practice of infant baptism. Jewett does not accept the traditional "covenant" argument for baptizing infants, and this book explains why he believes this argument fails. Infant baptism is not a subject which can be isolated. For, as Jewett would have his readers understand, one's view on this issue is integrally related to one's view of the sacraments in general and thereby to the whole doctrine of the church and salvation. Thus it is understandable that what appears to be a minor theological question has had such divisive effects on the church. A discussion of the historical source of infant baptism begins Jewett's critique and introduces such issues as the distinction between infants and children, the silence of certain early church fathers on the subject, infant communion, and catechetical instruction. The second and major portion of this book examines the theological issue, focusing specifically on the covenant argument, which suggests that baptism replaces circumcision as the sign of the covenant and thereby is given to infants. This argument, Jewett claims, fails to take into account the historical character of revelation, and contains certain contradictions. Jewett concludes with a creative defense of believer baptism, one which is theologically responsible and which recognizes the profound truths of covenant theology.

Gain an understanding of baptism from four main traditional perspectives. Of all the sacraments, the practice of baptism is often the most disputed. Christians hold different views of its exact significance, who should receive baptism and how old they need to be, the practice of rebaptism, and baptism as a requirement for church membership. In Understanding Four Views on Baptism, four historic views on baptism are considered in depth: Baptist view: baptism of the professing regenerate by immersion (presented by Thomas J. Nettles) Reformed view: infant baptism of children of the covenant (presented by Richard Pratt Jr.) Lutheran view: infant baptism by sprinkling as a regenerative act (presented by Robert Kolb) Church of Christ view: believers' baptism on the occasion of regeneration by immersion (presented by John Castelein) Each view is presented by its proponent, then critiqued and defended in dialogue with the book's other contributors. Here is an ideal setting in which you can consider the strengths and weaknesses of each stance and arrive at your own informed conclusion. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

contents1. A Pastoral Overview of Infant Baptism2. Matthew 28: 18-20 and the Institution of Baptism3. Unto You and Your Children4. The Oikos Formula5. Baptism and Circumcision as Signs and Seals6. The Mode of Baptism7. The Newness of the New Covenant8. Infant Baptism in the New Covenant9. Covenant Transition10. Covenant Theology and Baptism11. Infant Baptism in the Reformed Confessions12. Infant Baptism in History: An Unfinished Tragi-Comedy13. The Polemics of Anabaptism: Antipaedobaptism from the Reformation Period Onward14. Baptism and Children: Their Place in the Old and New Testaments15. In Jesus' Name, Amen

"With 360+ pairs of questions and answers, as well as Scripture references to support each teaching, this catechism instructs new believers and church members in the core beliefs of Christianity from an Anglican perspective"--