Featured Changing doctrine:

Don’t know any other SBC church to baptize infants. That’s sort of a big thing in baptists circles.

I do think Martin Luther had a really good argument for infant baptism (though I don’t agree)

Since salvation is of God Holy Spirit, perhaps babies can communicate (spiritually) with God Holy Spirit in a way He understands but we do not.

That gives me some reassurance for my belief all infants that die go to heaven.

peace to you

 

I'd say he should find himself a PCA church to preach in.

 

That SBC church should have called for his immediate resignation or fired him.

 

Correct.
The normative argument for infant baptism is a slippery slope that can easily be compromised into baptismal regeneration. It is a distinction of baptists that we hold to a regulative principle on baptism which keeps us from baptizing anyone who cannot confess their faith.

 

By the sound of it the Church Council seems willing to hear him out. If I had a pastor that served my Church for a long time I'd be willing to let him state his beliefs in a sermon, so long as he's not preaching blasphemy. And while I don't agree with infant baptism, I don't think it's anywhere near blasphemy. I probably wouldn't want a sermon "series" though.

If the Church already leans reformed it's only a small leap from Reformed Baptist to baptizing babies. That's one of the reasons Reformed Baptists and Presbyterians get along so well. Even Non-Reformed Baptists get along pretty good with Presbyterians usually.

 

no.

In for a penny, In for a pound ...
... They should PRAY to the Blessed Virgin for Guidance and seek reconciliation to the Holy Father in Rome. (They have the SWAG to do Baby Baptisms right)!

... OR reread the Baptist Faith and Message and kick him to the curb.

 

He should resign from that church, and seek ordination in a Presbyterian church!

His new conviction regarding water baptism is not Baptist!

 

Yea, nip it in the bud and can him now before it takes root and grows. 'Baptismal regeneration' advocates Alexander Campbell and 'Raccoon' John Smith ripped the Old Baptists apart right here in the Bluegrass early 1800s, and spawned the Church Of Christ denomination, Arminian to the hilt.

Right here in my county there are large 'Christian' denomination* churches that first began as Baptist.

* 'new school' Church Of Christ

 

Baptist?

 

No, but some baby dedications border on the Catholic sprinkling.

 

Should just go ahead and fire him.

 

For A Baptist to properly Baptize a Baby, the baby would have to be completely immersed. Might drown a few that way.

 

The Orthodox Church does that. So far, no drownings.
When my children were first year infants, I would bring them to the pool and dunk them. They all have a natural reflex to stop breathing under water. No big deal with dunking.
The issue comes in how one would define covenant people and how these people are identified. There is a biblical argument for children being a part of the covenant, even before having faith. Is it set in a regulative principle? No. But, there is a normative principle that allows for infant baptism.
As a baptist, I follow the regulative principle and thus do not promote infant baptism.
However, to play a bit of a devil's advocate, many baptist churches have infant dedication services. There is no regulative principle for this being done. Instead, it is inferred through a few select verses. Infant baptism is also inferred by a few select verses.

 

Hah ... wait til it comes time to explain why the Baptized Babies cannot become Voting Members!
(per the by-laws ... I mean if he was baptized then the infant must have made a credible confession of faith, so what blocks his full membership - he is growing every day!)

 

Greek Orthodox immerse babies.

 

In one video I saw, a better description would be "Greek Orthodox spin babies like a baton, sheer terror written large across infant faces, as they are repeatedly plunged into a dunking tank."

"There are no atheists in foxholes" was the thought that crossed my mind watching it ... I believe THAT baby met God!

[EDIT] found it:

 

Yes, that wouldn't be good.

I don't ever want to have to do chest compressions on a child. Immersing babies is good way to cause it.

 

All of you are missing the sarcasm. We dunk folks right. Deep and hold them a while.