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88*The*Anglican*Doctrine*of*Baptism**with*brothers*and*sisters*who*read*the*Scriptures*differently*at*this*point.*Sadly,*however,*as*a*result*of*this*and*other*trends*(such*as*a*knee:jerk*anti:Romanism),*at*many*Anglican*Evangelical*baptisms*one*is*likely*to*hear*only*a*list*of*things*which*baptism*is*not,*rather*than*a*clear*and*robust*exposition*of* its* covenantal* basis,* blessings,* and* obligations.* Little* wonder,* then,* if*people*go*away*with*the*impression*that*we*are*embarrassed*about*infant*baptism*and*do*not*take*it*as*seriously*as*Anglican*Evangelicals*have*done*in*the*past.*Hence*it*would*seem*that*there*is*some*confusion*regarding*baptism*in*a*number*of*Anglican*Evangelical*churches*at*present.*As*a*result,*many*have*lapsed* into* either* Zwinglianism* or* a* kind* of* default* anti:paedobaptism,*because*these*seem*easier*to*understand*and*feel*most*distant*from*Roman*Catholicism. 100 *This* mystification* in* the* pews* may* be* due* partly* to* the*absence*of*seemingly*trustworthy*material*on*the*subject.*There*are*many*Presbyterian*works*of*great*value,*clarity,*and*erudition, 101 *but*less*from*a*distinctively*Anglican*perspective*that*is*dependable. 102 **Our*modern*liturgies*are*often*deliberately*ambiguous,*overstuffed*with*complex*symbolism,*and*usually*left*unexplained.*Few*expository*preachers*would*pause*in*a*standard*Sunday* sermon* to* unpack* the* implications* of* their* text* for* the* doctrine* of*infant*baptism*(or*perhaps,*any*other*doctrine).*It*is*to*be*feared,*therefore,*that* congregations* are* not* often* exposed* to* the* biblical* and* theological*reasoning*behind*the*practice,*which*leaves*them*only*with*superstitious*or*erroneous* explanations* from* less* reliable* sources* that* can* quickly* be*dismissed* by* the* biblically* literate.* It* may* also* be* that* uncertainty* in* the*pews* is* due* to* uncertainty* in* the* pastor’s* study,* for* which* a* general*downplaying*of*doctrine*and*church*history*might*well*be*responsible.*In* addition,* there* are* movements* within* Reformed* and* conservative*evangelicalism* at* present,* with* support* from* certain* circles* in* the* United*States,* which* are* strongly* and* passionately* paedobaptist* but* which* also*defend*some*less*mainstream*views.*‘Federal*Vision’*theology,*for*example,*has* proved* to* be* somewhat* divisive* and* controversial,* and* theologians*********************************************************************100*On* Zwinglianism* as* a* default* position* for* some* Anglican* Evangelicals* regarding* the*other* sacrament,* see* the* ever:provocative* Carl* R.* Trueman,* “The* Incarnation* and* the* Lord’s*Supper”* in* D.* G.* Peterson* (ed.),* The# Word# Became# Flesh:# Evangelicals# and# the# Incarnation*(Carlisle:*Paternoster,*2003),*189:190.*101*For* example,* most* recently* there* is* Robert* Letham,* A# Christian's# Pocket# Guide# to#Baptism:# A# Water# that# Unites* (Fearn:* Christian* Focus,* 2012).* But* see* also* Daniel* Hyde,* Jesus#Loves#the#Little#Children:#Why#We#Baptize#Children*(Grandville:*Reformed*Fellowship,*2006);*G.*Strawbridge* (ed.),* The# Case# for# Covenantal# Infant# Baptism* (Phillipsburg:* Presbyterian* &*Reformed,*2003),*Robert*R.*Booth,*Children#of#the#Promise:#The#Biblical#Case#for#Infant#Baptism*(Phillipsburg:*Presbyterian*&*Reformed,*1995),*and*Pierre:Charles*Marcel,*The#Biblical#Doctrine#of#Infant#Baptism:#Sacrament#of#the#Covenant#of#Grace*(Cambridge:*James*Clarke*&*Co,*1953).*102*Michael*Green,*Baptism:#Its#Purpose,#Practice#and#Power*(London:*Hodder*and*Stoughton,*1987)*is*a*notable*Anglican*defence*of*the*evangelical*view.*See*also*the*relevant*chapters*in*J.*C.*Ryle’s,*Knots#Untied*(London,*1874).*
FOUNDATIONS*89**associated* with* this* movement* have* written* and* focused* much* in* the* last*few* years* on* issues* of* covenant* and* baptism. 103 *Yet* it* would* be* illogically*sloppy*to*so*associate*a*belief*in*infant*baptism*with*the*Federal*Vision*that*holding* to* the* former* was* thought* to* automatically* implicate* every*paedobaptist* in* the* perceived* peculiarities* of* the* latter* (be* it* post:millennialism,* preterism,* or* paedocommunion).* Some* critics* who* are* less*enamoured* by* Reformed* theology* generally* can* see* a* Romanising* “high*church”* drift* or* an* American* home:schooling* conspiracy* behind* everyone*who* holds* convictions* regarding* infant* baptism,* even* just* standard*centuries:old*Anglican*convictions.*Yet*a*greater*awareness*and*appreciation*of* our* Reformation* (and* post:Reformation)* heritage* could* prevent* such*over:reactions.* But* on* this* subject,* I* defer* to* the* authority* of* our* beloved*Bishop*J.*C.*Ryle:**The*subject*of*infant*baptism*is*undoubtedly*a*delicate*and*difficult*one.*Holy*and*praying*men*are*unable*to*see*alike*upon*it.*Although*they*read*the*same*Bible,*and*profess*to*be*led*by*the*same* Spirit,* they* arrive* at* different* conclusions* about* this* sacrament.*The* great* majority* of*Christians*hold,*that*infant*baptism*is*Scriptural*and*right.*A*comparatively*small*section*of*the*Protestant*Church,*but*one*containing*many*eminent*saints*among*its*members,*regards*infant*baptism* as* unscriptural* and* wrong...* But* the* difference* now* referred* to,* must* not* make*members*of*the*Church*of*England*shrink*from*holding*decided*opinions*on*the*subject.*That*church*has*declared*plainly*in*its*Articles*that*'the*baptism*of*young*children*is*in*any*wise*to*be*retained,*as*most*agreeable*with*the*institution*of*Christ.'**To*this*opinion*we*need*not*be*afraid*to*adhere. 104 **May* this* article* go* some* way* towards* helping* Anglican*Evangelicals*to*recover*that*same*gracious,*yet*unashamed,*confidence.***!**********************************************************************103*For* example,* see* Steve* Wilkins* and* Duane* Garner* (eds.),* The#Federal#Vision* (Monroe:*Athanasius* Press,* 2004);* Doug* Wilson,* To# a# Thousand# Generations:# Infant# Baptism# D# Covenant#Mercy# to# the# Children# of# God# (Moscow:* Canon* Press,* 1996)* and* Reformed# is# Not# Enough:#Recovering#the#Objectivity#of#the#Covenant* (Moscow:* Canon* Press,* 2002);* Peter* J.* Leithart,* The#Baptized#Body*(Moscow:*Canon*Press,*2007);*Rich*Lusk,*Paedofaith:#A#Primer#on#the#Mystery#of#Infant#Salvation#and#a#Handbook#for#Covenant#Parents*(Monroe:*Athanasius*Press,*2004);*Mark*Horne,* Why# Baptize# Babies?# An# Explanation# of# the# Theology# and# Practice# of# the# Reformed#Churches* (Monroe:* Athanasius* Press,* 2007);* and* R.* A.* Smith,* The# Baptism# of# Jesus# the# Christ*(Eugene:*Wipf*and*Stock,*2010).*104*J.*C.*Ryle,*Expository#Thoughts#on#Mark*(Edinburgh:*Banner*of*Truth,*1985),*page*204.*!
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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
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FOUNDATIONS*15**Few* statements* ha
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20*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine
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Page 40 and 41: 38*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 68 and 69: 66*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
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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)*
Page 118 and 119: 116**Baptism:*Three*Views**“impas
Page 120 and 121: 118**A*Christian’s*Pocket*Guide*t
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