Offer up your children - 8 December 2010 |
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Here are the questions for session 42 of the Emmanuel Guided Reading Course.
In this week’s session we’re looking at the chapter on infant baptism in Calvin, Institutes, IV.xvi (2:1323-1359). This will give us an opportunity to examine further what baptism is, and also to reflect on some of the common objections to infant baptism.
A few words from Calvin before we begin about God’s grace to our children: “Unless we wish spitefully to obscure God’s goodness, let us offer our infants to him, for he gives them a place among those of his family and household, that is, the members of the church” (IV.xvi.32)
1. What factors inclined Calvin to include this “appendix” on infant baptism (IV.xvi.1)?
2. How should “the value of baptism, its object, and indeed its entire nature” be determined (IV.xvi.2)?
3. In what respect are circumcision and baptism similar (IV.xvi.3) and different (IVxvi.4)? What conclusion does Calvin draw from this (IV.xvi.4)?
4. How do Calvin’s views of (a) the significance of baptism, and (b) its relationship to circumcision combine to produce an argument for infant baptism in IV.xvi.5-6?
In sections 7 to 9 Calvin considers Jesus’ attitude to children, and find further support for his argument in favour of infant baptism. You might find it helpful to read Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16 and Luke 18:15-17 before proceeding.
5. “Jesus welcomed children, but he didn’t baptize them!” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.7)?
6. “The children were already old enough to ‘come’ to Jesus, so they obviously weren’t infants.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.7)?
7. “Scripture doesn’t record any instances of infant baptism.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.8)?
8. “Infant baptism was unknown in the early church.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.8)?
9. “What’s the point in baptizing an infant – they’ve not got a clue what’s going on!” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.9)?
10. “I believe that God promises to bless my children; the word of God is enough for me, I don’t need baptism.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.9)?
11. Summarise in a couple of sentences the Anabaptist arguments against infant baptism in IV.xvi.10-16. How does Calvin respond?
12. “Infants shouldn’t be baptised because they can’t experience the spiritual regeneration that baptism signifies.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.17)?
13. How can infants, whose understanding is so minimal, be regenerated (IV.xvi.17-19)?
14. “Infants can’t repent or believe.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.20)? What might be added to Calvin’s argument in view of Psalm 8:2; 22:9-10; 71:5-6?
15. “In Scripture, baptism follows either repentance or profession of faith or both. Children can’t do this, therefore they should not be baptised.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.23-24)?
16. “If infants should be baptized, they should receive the Lord’s Supper too.” How would Calvin respond (IV.xvi.30)? How would you respond?
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Guided Reading Course, Minister's Blog