A defense of paedobaptism contra Greg Welty.
I wrote this in 1996 during my second year of seminary. Recently a Reformed baptist thanked me for helping him become Presbyterian and reminded me of this paper.
I wrote it to defend Reformed Theology and Practice. If you’ve heard anything about the “FV controversy,” you might find it interesting.
I read this article close to two years ago on crta.org and I just had to let you know that it too has been (very) instrumental in converting me from a reformed Baptist to a paedobaptist.
I have been searching the Scriptures ever since trying to best understand how sovereign election relates to the covenant and I have been somehow led here.
If I were to view the covenant any other way than an objective reality for all who enter into it (with its blessings and curses) I might have well remained a Baptist.
God bless you brother and keep posting truth.
Please view this link:
Examples, Warnings and Instructions for Us All. 1 Corinthians 10:1-14.
Ditto, Mark!
Trying to recall some of my influences for my going paedo/FV… I think that Vos’s Biblical Theology as an eye-opening introduction to covenant theology may have laid the groundwork. Becoming a father certainly brought the questions to the forefront. Reading a bunch of Wilson helped (I forget how I discovered C/A, but that was my introduction to him), as did the “Little Ones” edition of St. Anne’s Pub. Duane Garner actually sent me a review copy of Paedofaith (oops — I never returned the favor and reviewed it!). And Mark, you were also a huge part of all this, including your response to Welty, your blog (which I started reading after I found your response to Welty), a few things at Theologia (sometime I need to sit down and work through the site methodically), and your kindness in answering personal correspondence. Looking over my notes I think some of your essays that were particularly helpful were “Francis Turretin & Benedict Pictet on Christian Infants,” “The Children of Christians are Christians,” and “Why Baptize Babies?”
I read Leithart’s Against Christianity and The Baptized Body after becoming convinced, but they’re outstanding as well.
I’ve tried hard not to go through an FV “cage stage,” but there is such an incredible amount of stuff that hangs together in all this that it is pretty exciting.
Thanks again for your help.
Agreed. I’ve been working through all this as well over the years, especially looking at Scripture through the FV lens. About 2 years ago, Mark helped me think through how to apply all this to the nominally Roman Catholic situation we minister in. We’re church planters in central Mexico and these questions are live ones. Thanks Mark! Keep it coming.
todd robinson