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66*The*Anglican*Doctrine*of*Baptism**baptising*the*children*of*believers.*The*Anglican*Reformers*at*the*time*of*the*Reformation*re:examined*this*doctrine,*along*with*everything*else*they*had*inherited*from*the*medieval*and*early*church,*with*the*same*willingness*to*follow* where* the* Bible* led.* Like* the* other* magisterial* Reformers* on* the*continent,* they* worked* extremely* hard* to* see* if* it* could* be* adequately*grounded*both*exegetically*and*theologically.*Despite*the*presence*of*radical*Anabaptist* voices* making* the* case* for* abolition,* they* thoughtfully* and*deliberately*concluded*that,*“The*Baptism*of*young*children*is*in*any*wise*to*be*retained*in*the*Church,*as*most*agreeable*with*the*Institution*of*Christ.” 3 *In*this*article*we*will*examine*the*doctrine*of*baptism*in*the*Church*of*England.*We*will*look*first*at*the*Thirty:nine*Articles*of*Religion,*to*see*what*they*teach*on*the*subject.*Second,*we*will*sample*the*liturgical*expression*of*that* theology* in* the* 1662* Book* of* Common* Prayer.* Along* the* way* we* will*glance* at* the* official* Homilies* and* Canon* Law* of* the* Church* of* England* as*well,* and* touch* on* some* historic* moments* of* particular* controversy*surrounding* this* doctrine.* Finally,* we* will* note* some* recent* developments*and* suggest* a* few* ways* forward* for* those* who* remain* committed* to* the*Protestant*and*Reformed*doctrine*of*baptism.*It*is*a*doctrine*under*threat*today,*not*merely*of*attack*by*its*traditional*enemies*(folk*superstition*and*Roman*Catholicism),*but*also*of*neglect*by*its*more*natural*defenders,*due*to*widespread*ignorance,*misunderstanding,*and*diffident*silence*for*the*sake*of*pan:evangelical*unity.*My*brief*here*is*not*to*provide*a*full*exposition*of*the*biblical*case*for*baptism*or*infant*baptism*in*particular. 4 *What*I*hope*to*show* is* that* with* a* better* grasp* of* the* contours* of* confessional* Anglican*belief*on*the*subject*a*right*confidence*in*its*Evangelical*credentials*can*be*restored,* and* a* right* perspective* on* its* relative* importance* can* be* main:tained.* As* will* become* clear,* Anglican* doctrine* was* not* developed* in* an*English* bubble,* remote* from* the* wider* discussion* in* the* Reformed* com:munity*on*the*Continent,*and*so*I*hope*that*this*will*be*of*interest*and*use*also*to*non:Anglicans*and*those*outside*of*England*who*share*common*roots*in*European*Reformed*thought.*#************************************************************************3*Article*27*of*The*Thirty:nine*Articles*of*Religion.*See*below*on*the*wording*of*this*and*the*Article’s*debt*to*Calvin.*4*I*have*tried*to*give*a*flavour*of*the*biblical*case*for*infant*baptism*in*my*exposition*of*the*paedobaptist*doctrine*of*the*Congregationalist*divine,*John*Owen*(1616:1683),*in*“From*Life’s*First* Cry:* John* Owen* on* Infant* Baptism* and* Infant* Salvation”* in* L.* Gatiss* (ed.),* Preachers,#Pastors,#and#Ambassadors:#Puritan#Wisdom#for#Today’s#Church* (London:* Latimer* Trust,* 2011),*325:366.*
*FOUNDATIONS*The#ThirtyDnine#Articles#*In* this* first,* and* longest* section,* we* will* examine* the* Articles* of* Religion,*which*remain*the*official*doctrinal*standard*of*the*Church*of*England. 5 *Sub:stantially* drafted* by* the* martyred* Archbishop,* Thomas* Cranmer* (1489:1556)*under*Edward*VI,*they*were*edited*by*Bishop*John*Jewel*(1522:1571)*and*re:issued*in*their*definitive*form*under*Elizabeth*I*in*1571. 6 *Today,*no:one* is* to* be* ordained* as* a* minister* in* the* Church* of* England* unless* they*“possess* a* sufficient* knowledge”* both* of* Scripture* and* the* Articles,* and*ordinands*are*required*to*affirm*their*loyalty*to*this*“inheritance*of*faith”*as*their*“inspiration*and*guidance”*for*ministry. 7 *Articles*25:31*relate*the*Anglican*doctrine*of*the*sacraments,*with*Article*27*devoted*to*baptism*and*28:31*to*the*Lord’s*Supper.*So*we*will*look*first*at* what* Articles* 25:26* teach* regarding* sacraments* in* general,* with* a* par:ticular* eye* on* baptism,* and* then* secondly* at* the* specific* statements* about*baptism*in*Article*27.*What*we*will*observe*is*that*the*Anglican*doctrine*of*baptism* is* Protestant* (not* Roman* Catholic)* and* yet* indebted* to* the* early*church,*and*Calvinist*(not*Zwinglian)*in*its*Reformed*credentials.**1. Effectual#signs#of#God’s#good#will#to#the#faithful#(Article#25)#*The* Articles* begin* their* sacramental* affirmations* by* clearing* the* ground*with*some*statements*in*Article*25*about*sacraments*in*general:**Sacraments*ordained*of*Christ,*be*not*only*badges*or*tokens*of*Christian*men's*profession,*but*rather*they*be*certain*sure*witnesses,*and*effectual*signs*of*grace,*and*God's*good*will*towards*us,*by*the*which*he*doth*work*invisibly*in*us,*and*doth*not*only*quicken,*but*also*strengthen*and*confirm*our*Faith*in*him.***This*opening*paragraph*of*Article*25,*which*significantly*echoes*the*Lutheran*Augsburg* Confession* and* the* Second* Swiss* Confession,* makes* it* clear* that*sacraments* are* not* only* badges* or* tokens* of* something* in* those* receiving*********************************************************************5*Canon*36*of*1604*required*all*ministers*to*subscribe*to*the*Articles*at*ordination*and*on*admission*to*a*benefice.*Today’s*Canon*A5*asserts*that*“The*doctrine*of*the*Church*of*England*is*grounded*in*the*Holy*Scriptures,*and*in*such*teachings*of*the*ancient*Fathers*and*Councils*of*the*Church*as*are*agreeable*to*the*said*Scriptures.*In*particular*such*doctrine*is*to*be*found*in*the*Thirty:nine*Articles*of*Religion,*The*Book*of*Common*Prayer,*and*the*Ordinal.”*6 *Jewel* was* the* chief* apologist* for* the* Elizabethan* Settlement* and* defender* of* the*Protestant*Reformation*in*England.*His*Apologia#Ecclesiae#Anglicanae*(Apology#for#the#Church#of#England)*was*first*published*in*1562,*450*years*ago*this*year.*7*See*Canons*C7*and*C15,*the*latter*of*which*says,*“Led*by*the*Holy*Spirit,*[the*Church*of*England]*has*borne*witness*to*Christian*truth*in*its*historic*formularies,*the*Thirty:nine*Articles*of* Religion,* The* Book* of* Common* Prayer#and* the* Ordering* of* Bishops,* Priests* and* Deacons.”*Ordinands*affirm*and*declare*“my*belief*in*the*faith...*to*which*the*historic*formularies*of*the*Church*of*England*bear*witness.”*!67*
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No 63AUTUMN 2012ContentsEditorial 1
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Foundations*63*(November*2012):*194
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FOUNDATIONS*3**Baptist* Confession*
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Foundations*63*(November*2012):*5:1
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FOUNDATIONS*7**Among*the*points*of*
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FOUNDATIONS*9**Infants”. 9 *The*s
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FOUNDATIONS*11**Baptists* and* paed
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*FOUNDATIONS*“Dipping%is%not%nece
Page 17 and 18: FOUNDATIONS*15**Few* statements* ha
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Page 22 and 23: 20*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine
Page 46 and 47: 44* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 50 and 51: 48**A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 62 and 63: 60**A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 70 and 71: 68*The*Anglican*Doctrine*of*Baptism
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Page 94 and 95: 92* “Let*the*little*children*come
Page 102 and 103: 100*“Let*the*little*children*come
Page 104 and 105: 102*“Let*the*little*children*come
Page 106 and 107: 104* “Let*the*little*children*com
Page 114 and 115: 112**Baptism:*Three*Views**written*
Page 116 and 117: 114**Baptism:*Three*Views**family)*
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116**Baptism:*Three*Views**“impas
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118**A*Christian’s*Pocket*Guide*t
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