I’m thinking through infant baptism – especially in relation to article 27 of the 39 articles of Anglican faith.
This arvo I have to write a 1000 word paper on it and some supporting views of old school preacher J.C Ryle. 
For the most part, we claim baptism is an ‘outward sign of an inward reality’. I know that could be a simplified description of what’s going on (wherein probably lies the answer to my confusion), but if it is the case, how can we celebrate the regeneration/new birth of a 6 month old?
Some say it’s more for the parents than the child, but then that doesn’t seem to hold for me, because it’s the child who is being baptised. Is it meer wishful thinking?
thoughts?
2 responses so far ↓
kate // February 16, 2009 at 1:49 am |
I guess the question is are children born into the kingdom of God or out of it? I was discussing this with a friend who is thinking this through in terms of how it affects kids ministry – are we trying to bring kids into the kingdom or keep them in it.
I don’t know the answer yet but t the moment I think that when you have kids you pray and hope that God will have mercy on them and that they will be in his kingdom, and until they are old enough to make their own decisions you treat them as if they are in the kingdom. Maybe infant baptism is an outworking of that?
Scott // February 18, 2009 at 10:49 am |
2 thoughts
J man had some v. helpful thoughts on this when he blogged about his kid getting baptised – go check it out.
2nd thought – the women in that pic look like devils. Surely even back then, that was pretty obvious?
PS: bummer about the movie