Many people coming to Anglicanism stumble over infant baptism. They come for the beauty of the liturgy, the appreciation of both Word and Sacrament, of Scripture and Tradition. But for many, whether Baptist or not, infant baptism is a hang-up. There are many good reasons for such worries and many good answers—including on this site…
“The Best Children’s Book I Have Read on Baptism”: Why You Should Read “On The Day You Were Baptized” by Sarah Howell
The phrase “remember your baptism” is familiar to many Lutherans and Anglicans alike. Luther famously wrote in his Larger Catechism, “Therefore, if you live in repentance, you walk in Baptism. For Baptism not only illustrates such a new life, but also produces, begins, and exercises it.” But, of course, for those who are baptized and…
Bautismo Infantil: ¿Por qué los Anglicanos Bautizan a los Bebés?
¿Por qué bautizar a los infantes? El verso lema anglicano para niños tendría que ser: “Dejen que los niños vengan a mí y no los obstaculicen, porque a tales pertenece el reino de los cielos”. Comenzando muy temprano en la vida de la Iglesia cristiana, los niños cristianos fueron vistos como miembros de la comunidad…
Why You Should Read Scot McKnight’s New Book about Infant Baptism
I was baptized as a (very slightly) older child when I was 6 years old. I was baptized because I had decided to follow Jesus and “accept him into my heart,” as I said at the time. For the next 17 years, I was confident that only professing believers should be baptized. I no longer…
Confirmation: A Rookie Anglican Guide
What is Confirmation? Confirmation is a church practice that falls into the category of what the Anglican Catechism calls “rites and institutions commonly called sacraments.” Along with Confirmation, there are four others like it: Absolution (confessing one’s sins and receiving forgiveness in the presence of a priest), Ordination, Marriage, and Anointing the Sick. These practices,…
Another Surprise Baptism Brings Sudden Appearance
I am leading a tour group of pastors through the Holy Land. Our group is about a dozen clergy, spouses, some dedicated lay people from their churches, and a father with his teenage son. A few days into the trip, the father and son asked if the young man could be baptized here in Israel. Wow….
Collect Reflections: The First Sunday after the Epiphany; The Baptism of Our Lord
This post, in addition to being a part of Rookie Anglican, is part of a series on the Collects of the Christian Year (ACNA), called “Collect Reflections.” If you’re just jumping in, make sure to check out the introductory post, “Announcing Collect Reflections.” All Collect Reflection posts can be found here. Epiphany-what? Sadly, the time for saying “Merry…
Getting Over the Hurdle of Infant Baptism: An Atonement Argument
Like many current Anglicans, I grew up as a Baptist, a Southern Baptist in fact. I even went to a Baptist college on the campus of a Southern Baptist seminary and got an excellent foundational education in the Scriptures and Great Books. When I married an Anglican, we started attending Baptist churches but never found…
Meet RD Glenn: What Would Cranmer Do?
The Rev. Ray David Glenn and I are friends. We have known each other since 2010. When his wife died suddenly seven years ago, he and I became even closer. (For reasons I cannot explain, RD is the ONLY person I ever routinely Facetime with. It cannot be that actually wants to see me. But…
Last Minute Instructions for Lent
Lent is drawing near! The word “Lent” comes from the Old English “lencten,” meaning springtime, when the days lengthen. You’ve probably already noticed that! Lent spans the 40 days, excluding Sundays, leading up to the great Paschal Feast of Easter. It is always celebrated in the Western Church on the First Sunday after the first…
Baptism Creates International Incident
A surprise baptism at the original site of the Lord’s baptism (Mark 1:9-11) created an international incident yesterday and a glimpse of the age to come. Here is what happened. I am leading a tour of 30 adults through the Holy Land. Our bus pulled up to the newly renovated site commemorating the Lord Jesus’s…
A Baptismal Affront
For several reasons, I’ve been thinking often about baptism lately. These two beautiful children recently became my sister and brother in Christ. It involved a little water, a little oil, some vows made by parents and godparents, and some prayers offered. The courts of heaven and Apostles Anglican Church resounded with joy. Every baptism is a mystery…
