This Sunday we are privileged to witness the sacrament of baptism as several infants and young children of Tenth members will be baptized during both morning services.

Some may find the concept of infant baptism odd or irregular, and indeed, baptism is an issue over which good and godly Christians disagree. Credobaptists are those who understand the Bible to teach that only professing believers ought to receive the sacrament of baptism (credo meaning “belief”). However, Presbyterians have a long tradition of baptizing infants and children of believers. This is based on our understanding that since, “the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself,” (Acts 2:39) and since there is a continuity between the Old Testament sign of the covenant (circumcision) and the New Testament sign of the covenant (baptism), it is biblical to baptize the infants and children of believers.

Liam Goligher has written an excellent article in which he recounts his own journey from the credobaptist perspective to a paedobaptist understanding (paedo meaning “of or relating to children”). He also makes a very strong biblical and theological case for why it is consistent with Old and New Testament teaching to baptize the children of professing Christians.

If you have any questions about our practice of infant baptism, please consider reading Liam’s article or reaching out to your parish elder.