Infant Baptism and the Covenant of Grace

by Paul K. Jewett

Overview

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable.

Paul Jewett, author of the creative and highly provocative book Man As Male and Female, here turns his critical attention to the practice of infant baptism. Jewett does not accept the traditional "covenant" argument for baptizing infants, and this book explains why he believes this argument fails.

Infant baptism is not a subject which can be isolated. For, as Jewett would have his readers understand, one's view on this issue is integrally related to one's view of the sacraments in general and thereby to the whole doctrine of the church and salvation. Thus it is understandable that what appears to be a minor theological question has had such divisive effects on the church.

A discussion of the historical source of infant baptism begins Jewett's critique and introduces such issues as the distinction between infants and children, the silence of certain early church fathers on the subject, infant communion, and catechetical instruction.

The second and major portion of this book examines the theological issue, focusing specifically on the covenant argument, which suggests that baptism replaces circumcision as the sign of the covenant and thereby is given to infants. This argument, Jewett claims, fails to take into account the historical character of revelation, and contains certain contradictions.

Jewett concludes with a creative defense of believer baptism, one which is theologically responsible and which recognizes the profound truths of covenant theology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802817136
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	07/19/1978
Pages:	268
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.61(d)

Table of Contents

	Preface	1
	Abstract of the Argument	7
Part 1	A Consideration Of The Historical Question
I.	Infant Baptism And The Practice Of The Ancient Church
A.	Introduction	13
B.	Infant Baptism in the Western Church
1.	Augustine, A.D. 400	16
2.	Cyprian, A.D. 251-253	18
3.	Tertullian, A.D. 200-206	20
4.	Hippolytus, A.D. 215-217	22
5.	Irenaeus, A.D. 180	25
6.	Aristides, A.D. 117-138	27
C.	Infant Baptism in the Eastern Church
1.	Introduction	29
2.	Origen, A.D. 233-244	30
3.	Clement, A.D. 195	32
D.	Children in the Ancient Church	35
E.	Conclusion
1.	Introduction	39
2.	Infant Communion	41
3.	The Catechumenate and Sponsorship	43
II.	Infant Baptism And The Practice Of The Apostles
A.	Household Baptisms	47
B.	Children in the New Testament Church	54
C.	Jesus Blesses Little Children
1.	Introduction	55
2.	The Contemporary Discussion	56
3.	Conclusion	59
D.	The Baptism of Jewish Proselytes	63
III.	Concluding Observations On The Historical Question	69
Part 2	A Consideration Of The Theological Question
I.	Infant Baptism And The Covenant Of Grace
A.	Introduction	75
B.	The Reformed Tradition	77
C.	The Covenant Argument Elaborated
1.	Introduction	82
2.	The Analogy of Baptism to Circumcision	85
D.	A Critical Evaluation of the Argument from the Covenant
1.	Introduction	89
2.	The Old Testament Read as though It Were the New
a.	Introduction	93
b.	The Institution of Circumcision as a Covenant Sign	98
c.	The Circumcision of Ishmael and the Sons of Keturah	99
d.	The Circumcision of Israel as a Nation	101
e.	The Old Testament Jewish Mission	103
3.	The New Testament Read as though It Were the Old
a.	Introduction	104
b.	The Old Testament Promise of a Land, the Theocratic Ideal of the Reformers, and Kierkegaard's "Christendom"	105
c.	The Old Testament Promise of a Fleshly Seed and the Paedobaptist Concept of "Covenant Children"	113
d.	I Corinthians 7:14: "Holy" Children	122
II.	Infant Baptism And The Definition Of Baptism
A.	Introduction	139
B.	Lutheranism and the Pietists; Anglicanism and the Wesleyans	143
C.	The Reformed Tradition
1.	Introduction	144
2.	The Position of Calvin	145
3.	Covenant Children Presumed Regenerate	147
4.	Covenant Children Given a Conditional Promise	150
5.	Covenant Children and Parental Faithfulness	152
6.	Covenant Children Presumed Elect	155
7.	Conclusion	158
D.	The Relation of Faith to Baptism and the Practice of Infant Baptism
1.	Introduction	160
2.	The Paedobaptist View of Infant Faith (fides infantilis)	165
3.	Infants Made an Exception to the New Testament "Faith-Baptism" Sequence	172
4.	The Paedobaptist View of Vicarious Faith (fides vicaria)
a.	Introduction	176
b.	The Lutheran and Anglican Churches	179
c.	The Presbyterian and Reformed Churches	181
E.	Confirmation: The Completion of Infant Baptism
1.	The Lutheran and Anglican Traditions	185
2.	The Reformed Tradition	189
III.	Infant Baptism And Believer Communion
A.	Introduction	193
B.	Paedobaptists Contrast the Sacraments	194
C.	The Basic Similarity between Passover and Eucharist	201
IV.	Addendum: Strictures Upon Certain Aspects Of The Paedobaptist Argument	209
Part 3	Believer Baptism Defended And Expounded In Terms Of Covenant Theology
I.	Objections To Believer Baptism Considered
A.	Biblical and Unbiblical Individualism	219
B.	Biblical and Unbiblical Subjectivism	226
C.	On the Restricting of Covenant Privilege	228
II.	Covenant Theology Implies Believer Baptism
A.	Introduction	233
B.	Theological Statement of the Position	235
C.	Considerations Commending the Position	238
	Bibliography	245
	Index	251

Editorial Reviews

John D. W. Watts
—Fuller Theological Seminary
"Paul Jewett has accurately seen that covenant theology, to be consistent with its essential emphasis on personal commitment and faith, must not only practice believer communion (which it does) but also believer baptism (which it does not). Dr. Jewett is judicious in his careful survey of history, responsible in sifting biblical evidence, and perceptive in recognizing the contemporary need for theological guidance on this matter."

Robert S. Paul
—Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
"A careful and provocative study of Reformed theology in relationship to one of the most perplexing legacies handed to us by the Reformers. . . . It is based on one of the most careful and comprehensive studies of biblical and theological evidence that I know."

From the Publisher