# ECF and Baptismal Regeneration



## Quatchu (Oct 26, 2011)

I recently heard that the Early Church Fathers believed in baptismal regeneration. How does one reconcile this if the do not believe baptism saves?


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## Afterthought (Oct 26, 2011)

This layman reconciles that by saying: they misunderstood and/or distorted Scripture as time went on, for various reasons. Additionally, because of the concept of sacramental union, it is quite easy to understand how such a teaching could be distorted or misunderstood over time. I've also seen it argued on here that some of the ECFs were themselves speaking sacramentally. But I'm no historian, just a layman, so I lean on the first sentence. (And maybe now someone else who really knows their stuff could say something more!)


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## MW (Oct 27, 2011)

First, different things are happening in the early church fathers to what we are familiar with. They often pick up and use biblical language with a certain simplicity which was not cognisant of later theological developments or differences. It is somewhat unreasonable to use their statements to speak to a theological issue of which they were not even aware. Secondly, many of their statements were made in the context of new converts. This is especially true of Justin and Irenaeus. Where baptism is accompanied with a profession of faith and a transformed life one has good reason to believe in its efficacy because there is no hesitation with respect to the person's faith. Thirdly, there is no doubt that later fathers gave some credence to the error itself, but that can clearly be shown to be a later development and a departure from the teaching of Scripture. Finally, were it demonstrated that the early church fathers taught this error it would only further demonstrate the clear difference which exists between the infallible writings of the New Testament and the inferior productions of sub-apostolic times, thereby substantiating the Biblical canon as the only rule of faith and life.

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## bug (Oct 28, 2011)

Quatchu said:


> I recently heard that the Early Church Fathers believed in baptismal regeneration. How does one reconcile this if the do not believe baptism saves?



Some excellent answers have already been given, I would just add as well that we have to be very careful of anyone who suggests the ECF were united perfectly on many of their teachings, for they were not. Often they were violently opposed to one another in regards of doctrinal matters. Also, depending which ones you are talking about you have to consider what scriptures they were familiar with, men like Justin Martyr for example appear entirely ignorent of Paul's writings, as James White likes to point out. 

There is a lot of spade work that goes into contextualising and understanding each early church father and most people I come across who make bold claims like this one are merely rpeating parrot fashion what they have been told, or are at best quoting secondary sources.


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