Hey all, I think this is the right place to post this; if there's a better sub-forum let me know, as this is my first thread other than introducing myself.
So, I have an inside joke with my parents, who are baptists. I remind them often that I hope one day they'll read the Westminster Confession, believe it, and apologize for not baptizing me as an infant. They usually respond in kind with a smart-alec comment of their own. It's all in good fun.
Well, I posted that on facebook sometime last week with most of the people commenting understanding that it's a joke (even though I hope it actually happens one day!). However, I happen to be facebook friends with the son of a popular classical dispensational teacher who initially only asked what I thought the benefit of paedobaptism was. When I answered he went into a tirade about how baptism is only an outward sign of an inward change of heart (slight paraphrase), the vast majority of protestants agree with him, and only the Roman Catholic's and high church protestants (who are very close to the RC's) believe that baptism is the means of any sort of grace.
He said many other things, and I responded to them all; but specifically to his equating Presbyterian baptism with RC baptism, I went to the Westminster Confession and the RC Catechism and stated the different views on baptism, adding that I assumed he was ignorant on the subject because I did not want to question his character.... which led to him again jump down my throat about how I was the one who was wrong and he was right. Now, he has calmed down and wants to discuss the Abrahamic covenant... but the whole thing is just frustrating to me, because I was just posting something I thought was funny; I had no idea the controversy that would ensue.
This isn't particularly about baptism, just covenant theology in general. I've yet to hear a covenantal baptist equate the Presbyterian view with the RC's.
So, I have an inside joke with my parents, who are baptists. I remind them often that I hope one day they'll read the Westminster Confession, believe it, and apologize for not baptizing me as an infant. They usually respond in kind with a smart-alec comment of their own. It's all in good fun.
Well, I posted that on facebook sometime last week with most of the people commenting understanding that it's a joke (even though I hope it actually happens one day!). However, I happen to be facebook friends with the son of a popular classical dispensational teacher who initially only asked what I thought the benefit of paedobaptism was. When I answered he went into a tirade about how baptism is only an outward sign of an inward change of heart (slight paraphrase), the vast majority of protestants agree with him, and only the Roman Catholic's and high church protestants (who are very close to the RC's) believe that baptism is the means of any sort of grace.
He said many other things, and I responded to them all; but specifically to his equating Presbyterian baptism with RC baptism, I went to the Westminster Confession and the RC Catechism and stated the different views on baptism, adding that I assumed he was ignorant on the subject because I did not want to question his character.... which led to him again jump down my throat about how I was the one who was wrong and he was right. Now, he has calmed down and wants to discuss the Abrahamic covenant... but the whole thing is just frustrating to me, because I was just posting something I thought was funny; I had no idea the controversy that would ensue.
This isn't particularly about baptism, just covenant theology in general. I've yet to hear a covenantal baptist equate the Presbyterian view with the RC's.
