Infant Baptism

by John P. Sartelle

The children of believers are special in God's sight. John P. Sartelle shows why they are special and what it means for them to be baptized.

Parents whose children have been or are about to be baptized will find Sartelle's concise booklet to be just what they need to better understand infant baptism. The practical responsibilities of Christian parents and the promises of God regarding their children are set forth clearly and in a positive, nonargumentative way. Pastors and elders will especially want to make it available to those under their care.

Paperback

First published May 20, 2009

Reviews

[Gannon Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't believe this book would convince a Baptist to baptize their baby, but I don't think that is the point of this book. If you are a parent (or minister) looking for a simple explanation from the Old Testament into the New Testament on why you should baptize your baby, this would be a helpful resource. It is a helpful corrective for those who believe in infant baptism to look at the reasons why they baptize their children and a challenge to not simply go through the motions because they attend a church which practices infant baptism.

[Crosby Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a helpful start/overview of infant baptism in general, but I found the articulation of several arguments to be lacking in thoughtfulness.

[Katherine Nause · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful biblical context + convincing read

[Keith Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book and makes a compelling argument for the relationship between the ubiquity of paedobaptism and the universal propagation of the state church as a cornerstone for magisterial thought across Continental Protestants and their subsequent persecution of the Anabaptists. It also charts the development in Presbyterian and Lutheran thought on the subject of baptism's timing throughout the Reformation.

Its let down by its breadth and lack of sourcing, at least in the edition I read, and for this reason despite the extensive quotations is unlikely to change anyone's mind. Another major downside is the closing chapter then compares John Calvin and Wesley very superficially, I'm not sure for the reason of this grouping. The treatment of them is too brief to be useful too. It would have been better served by keeping the scope tighter and forgetting Wesley altogether.

I did learn a lot from this, particular the idea of how important a notion of a 'voluntary principle' was early on. Something most people take for granted now across the West but was forgotten as the Reformation progressed from its early days.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine simple book on infant baptism (literally only 28 pages). Like that it challenges the ritual nature of it. Provides a cursory overview of theology for paedobaptism but does not explore with any real depth nor address counter arguments. Does end with some helpful questions to consider for those hesitant about infant baptism but at times seem to make some assumption based leaps that may ultimately valid but are unsubstantiated in the book.

[Jordan Litts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic intro.

[Chris Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t know why people did infant baptism. Now I do.