This sermon dealt with infant baptism vs. adult baptism in different faith traditions. With so much material out there, it was hard to decide what to keep and what to eliminate. the sermon generated a lot of comments from people, much of it about adding this or that to the conversation.
I don't think this phrase is in the written notes below, but I used the phrase "theology by architecture" when describing how churches designed with infant baptism as the norm (baptismal font in sanctuary) make it difficult to have adult baptisms by immersion (no baptistry in the church). I have had that phrase in mind for many years, but this is the first time I have used it in a sermon! It could apply to other topics as well, not just baptism. Over the course of time, our theological underpinnings for worship can be shaped by the space in which we worship, instead of vice versa.
The baptism preaching series has seemed to be meaningful to those attending. I have heard lots of stories about people's baptisms in the past few weeks.
“Baptism: When and How?” January 21, 2024; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church; Baptism series; I Corinthians 1: 11-17; Acts 16: 25-34
For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; (Steh fu nas) beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Move 1: (top step) In March 1525, the city council of Zurich passed a statute sentencing to death, without even a trial, any person baptized as an adult by immersion.
Why? Because the Anabaptists, an offshoot of the newly established Reformed church, had begun baptizing adults when seemed heretical to the Reformers. After all, most infants were baptized in both the Roman Catholic church and the emerging Reformed church, so to baptize an adult meant baptizing a person for the second time. Apparently, that was enough to be put to death.
The Anabaptists, however, did not consider an adult baptism to be a second baptism. Since they had decided baptism had to be by immersion, the adult baptism was not a second baptism, but the first correct baptism.
(MOVE TO CARPET)
When I was in 7th grade, I kneeled right here on THE carpet and was baptized as part of the confirmation process.
I do not remember which minister baptized me; I do not remember much of the liturgy; but I remember kneeling here and the water running down off my head.
Why was I baptized as an almost adult? Because the Presbyterian minister at the church my parents joined with I was about 18 months old and thought I was too old for infant baptism.
Clearly, he was not concerned about whether a person was baptized as an infant or an adult.
As we continue moving through our preaching series on baptism, this morning we reflect on an ancient divide in the church - does a person have to be baptized at a particular age and does a person have to be immersed, or is sprinkling ok.
Move 1: Let’s look at the biblical evidence
a. The Greek word for baptism is not much help in this matter.
1. the word baptizo can mean “dip, immerse, wash, plunge, sink, drench, or overwhelm” (Ronald P Byars, The Sacraments in Biblical Perspective, 121 quoting Arndt and Gingrich, 131)
1. that gives us a lot of leeway in putting that ritual into practice.
2. I have been accused of drenching those being baptized - not quite immersion, but lots of water.
b. those who want a biblical story to match explicitly with a particular style of baptism probably will end up in the adult baptism camp.
1. John the Baptizer was baptizing in the River Jordan.
2. People were coming in droves to the river to be baptized.
3. It does not mention whether the people were adults or infants, but river baptism suggests immersion.
3. We might imagine younger children being baptized in the river, but it is hard to imagine infants being carried into the water by a parent or another adult to be sprinkled.
4. Although there is the old joke about being baptized in the river could be sprinkling or immersion depending on how tall you are!
4. Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan.
5. Most people who are mentioned as being baptized in the biblical text are named with no mention of their age, so it is assumed they were adults.
6. As baptism developed in the early church, the first option was to baptize in running or moving water, which suggests immersion.
b. The biblical evidence for infant baptism is a bit thinner.
1. We read Paul’s comment about baptizing the household of Stephanas and perhaps can legitimately make the assumption that the household would cover adults and children, maybe even infants.
2. Even if the household does not include infants, it could presumably include your children who would have been presented by an adult for baptism.
3. But there is no explicit example in the biblical text of infants being baptized.
Move 2: Look for a moment at the theological arguments for baptism.
a. The theological foundation for Adult baptism is tied to a person professing his or her faith in Jesus Christ and the person choosing to follow Christ.
1. God still acts in the waters of baptism, but ritual emphasizes how the person makes a choice tied to his or her conversion or newly discovered commitment to Christ.
2. It connects with the baptismal image of being baptized into Christ’s death and then his resurrection - that is the dying of the old self to become a new creation, with baptism marking that moment in the person’s life.
3. that seems primarily an adult thing since it is hard to imagine a baby dying or her or his old self or becoming a new creation - they haven’t even developed into their old self!
b. Theologically, Infant baptism focuses on God’s covenant and covenant life together.
1. As the Reformers laid claim to their understanding of the sacraments, they shifted from the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church to two sacraments - baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
2. As they gave theological rationale for baptism, they emphasized the grace of God which claims us as children of the covenant.
3. in this theological framework, baptism is likened to circumcision in the Old Testament, which was a sign of the covenant people, at least the male ones (unlike circumcision, baptism comes equally to male or female).
4. Infant baptism gave concrete expression to the idea that God claims people in love as part of the covenant people even before they are able to respond in faith.
5. it offers the powerful image of the God who chooses to come to us and claim us.
6. of course, once infant baptism becomes the norm for a church, there are fewer possibilities for adult baptism because most people have already been baptized.
which, of course, leads to the church having baptismal fonts instead of baptistries, so when adults are baptized, it must be done at the baptismal font, which effectively removes immersion as a possibility for baptism.
Move 3: For a moment, let’s look beyond the biblical and theological differences in styles of baptism.
a. Jack Rogers: the differences among Christians regarding Baptism sometimes mask the common concerns which we share. (Jack Rogers, Presbyterian Creeds: A Guide to the Book of Confessions, 133).
1. Both infant and adult baptisms reflect incorporation into the covenant God has extended to us.
2. Both are tied to the profession of faith in Jesus Christ - in infant baptism, the adults presenting the infant or young child profess their faith;
in adult baptisms, the person being baptized professes his or her faith.
3. We recognize the image of water washing away our sins.
4. Or, Union with Christ in his death and resurrection.
5. the images we have for baptism, and our theological approach to baptism speak to both infant baptism or adult baptism, sprinkling for immersion.
6. Last week, Dr. Patterson reminded us how baptism gives us a new identity.
c. As our Directory for Worship tells us, “Baptism is the sign and seal of our incorporation into Jesus Christ.”
1. A sign of God’s ongoing work in the world through baptism.
2. A seal that marks the baptized as God’s own and as part of the covenant community.
3. Again, baptism as sign and seal speaks to both infant baptism and adult baptism.
d. united with Christ in baptism ought to lead to unity among us not division.
1. We are connected to each other through our baptism, not divided.
2. Christ binds us together.
d. Finally, Baptism is a faithful and joyful response.
1. the story we read in Acts reveals the jailer becoming overwhelmed by what he has seen God do, what he has heard Paul and Silas proclaim.
2. How can he respond - by being baptized, by sharing the joy of what he has discovered with all his household
3. Whatever age the members of his household are, whatever the depth of their understanding of baptism, they are moved
they are brought
to the waters of baptism
and claimed by God as children of the covenant.
Conclusion: (back on the carpet) On that day when I kneeled on the carpet in this spot and was baptized years ago, I suppose I could have been sentenced to death 450 years earlier!
but instead, I was united with Christ in his death and resurrection and incorporated into the covenant community.
The gift God extends to all of us.
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