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What is infant baptism?
the sacrament introducing a child to Christianity that is regarded as cleansing the soul and restoring the grace of God.
Most denominations regard baptism of infants as a traditional custom.
When did infant baptism begin?
from at least the 3rd century
What is a sacrament?
a deed you do to show what you believe e.g. eucharist
What are the benefits and issues that might come with infant baptism?What are the benefits and issues that might come with infant baptism?
Benefits: intro to faith early, creates a relationship with God early on, shows commitment from parents
Issues: child is unaware, no choice so not truly showing faith
Context of St Augustine
St Augustine (Augustine of Hippo): 354-430 AD.
Writing during medieval times, a lot of people had to renounce their faith because of persecution.
People said those renouncing faith would have to be re-baptised yet Augustine said that they did not, one baptised you received God’s grace.St Augustine (Augustine of Hippo): 354-430 AD. People said those renouncing faith would have to be re-baptised yet Augustine said that they did not, one baptised you received God’
What is augustine’s argument in support for infant baptism- outline
The bible
The apostolic tradition
Original sin
What does Augustine believe about baptism?
Baptism imparts spiritual grace for Augustine. The North African Christians of his time called the sacrament 'salvation'. He said 'Without baptism… it is impossible for anyone to attain either to the kingdom of God or to salvation.'
How can Augustine be challenged by a modern audience?
Infant mortality has significantly lowered since his time, it is very context-based- the idea of babies dying before entering the faith so they cannot enter heaven.
What does Augustine believe about predestination?
Augustine argued we all are destined to be saved or damned but we still have free will.
Does his idea of Predestination make baptism redundant?
The belief in predestination does not mean that we do not have free will (even though the two seem contradictory/ paradoxical). Your actions still impact your destiny.
You can freely choose your actions- but they have already been decided by God’s will. We are free to make choices but God determines the outcomes.
Predestination does not remove accountability for your actions.
We must still live according to the commands of God and live a life of holiness and be virtuous.
Baptism is a part of that life and is a means to receiving God’s grace and will empower you to live a life of obedience and virtue.
How does Augustine use the Bible as evidence for infant baptism?
Greatest Commission: 'Go make disciples…baptising them in the name of the Father, son and Holy Spirit': infants are included in this.
John 3:5: 'no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.'
Examples of apostles in the bibles baptising the whole household. Include counter of lowered infant mortality.
Related to circumcision in the Old Testament.
Jesus was baptised.
Acts 16: ‘household’ was baptised, including children. This was on the authority of Jesus by the apostles.
Circumcision is done just after birth: baptism is regarded as a spiritual circumcision and the Christian equivalent
How does Augustine use Apostolic Tradition as evidence for infant baptism?
It is regarded by most denominations as traditional, and Augustine referred to it as ‘tradition received from the apostles’
Baptism was not something decided at a council/church so must come from the apostles- it was practiced in the early church so much be traditional.
It must be believed that all humans from birth are corrupted by original sin for the church to traditionally baptise infants.
Augustine argues that it is something the church has always done had always held so ‘most correctly believed to have been handed down by apostolic authority’
How does Augustine use Original Sin as evidence for infant baptism?
"the nature in which we were created was not evil, for God made all things good. But it became evil because of sin." (On free will, book III, chapter 12).
Augustine argued that in the pre-lapsarian world, humans had the choice to sin or not sin. Due to the fall, humans no longer have this choice- we will sin. This means that we are ‘massa damnata’ meaning humanity is damaged because of original sin. This emphasises the fallen state of humanity.
Because of this, salvation through God is required.
The original sin is inherited from our father because Adam’s sin corrupted the human race. He was the first to eat the fruit and was directly given the command from God, therefore, he was the first to sin. Jesus does not have original sin because his birth was a virgin birth- no semen was used.
If we all have original sin, we need to be forgiven for us and baptism allows us to experience God’s grace and cleanse the soul. This is why Augustine felt so strongly about infant baptism.
Baptised infants are ingrafted into Christ's body- Augustine
This means that, because infants cannot imitate Christ, they still become part of him through the Church as they have chances to grow in faith as they get older.
Humans had the choice to sin. We now do not have the choice- we will sin. We are ‘massa damnata’ meaning humanity is damaged because of Original Sin (which we have because we are seminally present). Original Sin cannot be removed. However, Original Guilt is inherited and the blame of this can be removed. This means if an infant dies, they do not go to hell if baptised.
when infants are baptised, they cannot imitate christ as they are too young so instead they become part of him through the church- the are incorporated into the community of believers and are given the opportunity to grow in faith and discipleship as they grow older.
Original sin vs guilt: original sin has two aspects: original sin is the tendency to do evil, the weaking of your will. This cannot be removed and becomes more prominent as you get older. This is only stopped by yourself with free will and the HS can assist. However, there is original gulit which can be removed as it is inherited. We are guilty because we were all seminally present at the Fall.
Council of Carthage 418CE
‘even babies, who are yet unable to commit any sin personally, are truly baptised for the forgiveness of sins, for the purpose of cleansing by rebirth what they have received by birth’
original sin through seminal presence
What is an issue with Augustine’s view?
God holding us hostage- doesn’t fit in with our understanding of an omnibenevolent God.
To what extent is baptism symbolic? Augustine’s view
For Augustine it is not symbolic. The criteria is infancy. It is necessary for salvation - link to letters to north Africa churches. It removes our original guilt it cannot be symbolic. We must be infants as we then have spiritual advisors.
"Faith without action is dead"
Infant mortality
Growing up in the faith can be important.
Imparts spiritual grace
Criticism of Augustine: Pelagius
Human beings are born in a state of innocence and with free will which determined their salvation.
"Every soul comes into the world unsoiled and pure, possessing its own free will" - Pelagius, Letter to Demetrias.
It refutes Augustine's need for infant baptism because it goes against the doctrine of original sin and suggests that we are not born with it. Why would we be commanded not to sin if we are born with a tendency not to.
Augustine’s response to Pelagius
We can still follow God's commands as we have free will.
being punished for OS is not unjust, sin deserves punishment. We are able to follow god’s commands as we are given that ability through God’s grace.
Zwingli Context
during the reformation (1517-1648) and people were moving away from Catholicism and so was Zwingli (creation of Protestantism) and as a result, Zwingli’s views contradict the catholic church’s views at the time on infant baptism.
What viewpoint to the anabaptists hold?
Anabaptists: those who baptise again. They rebaptised people because they argued it was important that Christians made a sound and free confession of faith to God before being baptised.
baptism is only meaningful if done with faith. Infant baptism is not scriptural (Jesus did not do it) and not needed for salvation.
What is Zwingli’s issue with Augustine?
what does Zwingli believe about original sin?
baptism is being given the power to take away sin when that sort of salvation should only be from God.
"original sin, as it is in the descendants of Adam, is not properly sin.. For it is not a transgression of the Law"
Rejection of Original Sin causing us, from birth, to be in a state of sin/guilt. The state of sin arises when we commit a sin! (however, there is concupiscence (sexual desire). Scriptural support: God loving Jacob before he was born.
What does Zwingli compare baptism to and what does he think Baptism is for?
why is infant baptism important?
Baptism is a vital sign of humanity’s covenant with God. It isn’t just a pledge of obedience.
Zwingli makes the connection between baptism as a covenant to the jewish practice of circumcision which is the sign of the Jewish people’s covenant with Abraham.
He says baptism is the sign of the Christian people’s covenant with Jesus.
This means baptism is NOT representing the inherent faith of a child but extends the Christian covenant through a new generation and is important as a sign in Christian communities that the Christian community is continuing and the covenant is upheld
infant baptism also benefits parents
Zwingli's view on predestination emphasized God's sovereignty and grace, but also stressed the importance of faith and good works as evidence of God's saving work in the lives of believers.
It is not just a confirmation of faith for the infant. It is a demonstration by the parents. It represents the faith of the entire Church.
Infant baptism is necessary according to Zwingli as a symbolic act to bring a child into the faith, the sacrament allows for the child to be raised with spiritual advisors (parents have a large impact on ideologies) and a Christian community and environment. It creates a sense of unity.
Zwingli quote
"It is the duty of all parents to bring their children to Christ, and baptism is the means by which this is done." (Zwingli, On Baptism, 1523)
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