Infant Baptism
Baptizing the child before it can profess — covenant grace or premature rite?
Infant baptism is the practice of baptizing infants and young children rather than only professing adults. Early witnesses include Tertullian, Origen, and a council under Cyprian around 253. Traditions differ sharply: it is practiced by Catholic, Orthodox, Oriental, Lutheran, Anglican, and Reformed churches, but rejected by Anabaptists, Baptists, and most Free and Pentecostal churches, who hold instead to believer's baptism upon a personal profession of faith.
How it traveled
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of InfantsHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Soul and its OriginHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise Against Two Letters of the PelagiansHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original SinHippo Regius · 430explains
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · 430explains
- On Marriage and ConcupiscenceHippo Regius · 430applies
- The EnchiridionHippo Regius · 430explains
- On Baptism, Against the DonatistsHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Predestination of the SaintsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)Paris · 1274explains
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · 1564explains
- Inquiry Concerning Qualification for CommunionNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- Misrepresentations Corrected and Truth Vindicated, in Reply to the Rev. Solomon WilliamsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758applies
Key passages(20)
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
The Epistles of Cyprian. · Cyprian
Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90) · Thomas Aquinas
Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin