Re: eucharist, etc

Baptism is indeed something "done to us" - by God. It is because of God's
promise that it is effective. That's why both Aquinas & Luther say that God
is the real minister of baptism. A good OT example is in Gen.15 where God
makes a covenant with Abraham while Abraham is asleep.

Infants are unable to have faith only if faith is limited to intellectual
acceptance of doctrines. The fundamental element of faith is trust, &
babies very quickly learn to trust their parents (assuming that they're
halfway decent parents). Why is it then so strange to say that in baptism
God can begin the process of bringing infants to trust him - a process that
of course should include understanding in age appropriate ways as the child
grows?

Terry will probably, & perhaps rightly, note that this is somewhat distant
from science-religion topics. I'll note again though, as I have in the
past, that there is some inconsistency in many Christians (I don't mean
Craig) who insist that texts like Genesis 1 must be taken literally but jump
to figurative interpretations as soon as "by water and the Spirit" or "this
is my body" come up. At the very least they ought to take a look at their
interpretive principles.

Shalom
George
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/

----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Rusbult" <craig@chem.wisc.edu>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 8:32 AM
Subject: Re: eucharist, etc

> Debbie says,
>>A tape I'm listening to states that infant baptism was regarded by some as
>>... the initiation into the family of God. This is quite different from
>>the alternate view...
>
> Most churches I've attended have done infant DEDICATIONS rather than
> infant BAPTISMS, symbolizing the parents' dedication to raising their
> child
> in the church and in the ways of God. This accompanies their belief that
> authentic baptism (as in Romans 6 and elsewhere in the NT) requires belief
> by the person being baptized, not just by the parents.
> I was baptized as an infant, but this was something "done to me" by
> others, and was not my choice. Later, I chose (due to the leading of God,
> and allowed by the grace of God) to be baptized as an adult, and I
> consider
> this to be my authentic baptism.
>
> Craig
>
>
Received on Wed Mar 8 09:16:32 2006