Baptism and Christian initiation
Protestant churches agree on Christ's command to baptize but differ sharply on recipients and effects. Lutheran and many Reformed churches baptize infants and speak of God's promise in baptism; Baptist churches baptize professing believers and emphasize baptism as an act of obedience and public witness.
Historical context
The New Testament joins baptism to repentance, faith, incorporation into Christ, and the gift of the Spirit. Later churches differ over infant baptism, its relation to regeneration, and the sequence of initiation rites.
Tradition note
The Lutheran and Baptist documents are deliberately placed side by side; neither stands for every Protestant church.
Key points
- The Augsburg Confession, Article IX, explicitly teaches infant baptism and the offer of grace.
- The Baptist Faith and Message, Article VII, defines baptism as the immersion of a believer.
Scripture
- Matthew 28:19-20 — The risen Christ commands baptism in the triune name and teaching his disciples.
- Acts 2:38-42 — Peter calls for repentance and baptism; the baptized enter the community's teaching, fellowship, and prayers.
- Romans 6:3-4 — Paul describes baptism into Christ's death and new life.
- Galatians 3:26-28 — Paul links baptism into Christ with belonging to him.
Primary sources
Article XXVII begins:
The Anglican Articles deny that baptism is merely a badge of Christian profession; this does not represent every Protestant baptismal theology.
Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference
Passage context and translation
Article XXVII continues with regeneration and incorporation into the Church. Anglican baptismal teaching is not a universal Protestant account.
After the excerpt
whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth