Richard Baxter's Understanding of Infant Baptism
862KB ∙ PDF file
The seventeenth century was an age of theological conflict. Few theologians, however, were as embroiled in polemical discussion as Richard Baxter (1615–1691). The present study addresses another important area of disagreement. Repeatedly, Baxter feels the need to defend also his understanding of the sacraments against what he regards as the extremes of antipaedobaptism and sacramentalism. Of course, the doctrine of the sacraments is intimately related to the doctrine of grace. Nevertheless, Baxter’s understanding of the sacraments was—with Thomas Blake (1597?–1657) being one notable exception—not attacked by the (high) Calvinist opponents of his doctrine of justification.
This study begins with a historical overview of Baxter’s controversies on the sacraments followed by several chapters in which I undertake a theological examination of the debates. Perhaps the most fundamental question that must be addressed concerns the admission requirements of the sacraments.
Download
