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Loading... Infant Baptism and the Covenant of Graceby Mr. Paul K. Jewett
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. As a Pedobaptist, I must say that I am impressed with Dr. Jewett's work on this subject. Though his Baptist bias shines through the work at various places, and there are some of the typical Baptist errors in argumentation throughout (ie attempting to find evidence for infant baptism instead of looking at it correctly from the direction of Infant inclusion in the Covenant), the work as a whole attempts to analyze the subject of Infant Baptism in a holistic manner. I must say that if your view of Pedobaptism cannot pass the muster of Jewett's work in a consistent biblical manner, it is not worth holding onto. no reviews | add a review
This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. Paul Jewett, author of the creative and highly provocative book Man As Male and Female, here turns his critical attention to the practice of infant baptism. Jewett does not accept the traditional "covenant" argument for baptizing infants, and this book explains why he believes this argument fails. Infant baptism is not a subject which can be isolated. For, as Jewett would have his readers understand, one's view on this issue is integrally related to one's view of the sacraments in general and thereby to the whole doctrine of the church and salvation. Thus it is understandable that what appears to be a minor theological question has had such divisive effects on the church. A discussion of the historical source of infant baptism begins Jewett's critique and introduces such issues as the distinction between infants and children, the silence of certain early church fathers on the subject, infant communion, and catechetical instruction. The second and major portion of this book examines the theological issue, focusing specifically on the covenant argument, which suggests that baptism replaces circumcision as the sign of the covenant and thereby is given to infants. This argument, Jewett claims, fails to take into account the historical character of revelation, and contains certain contradictions. Jewett concludes with a creative defense of believer baptism, one which is theologically responsible and which recognizes the profound truths of covenant theology. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)234.1612Religions Christian doctrinal theology Salvation; Soteriology Grace Sacraments Baptism Infant BaptismLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Jewett insists often that only those blindly entrenched in the paedobaptist tradition can resist the arguments in favour of credobaptism. As one who has (for years) been entrenched in the Baptist tradition, I think the very opposite is true. Indeed, the more of Jewett's book I read the more convinced I became of the merits (not of credobaptism but) of paeodobaptism.
Those who are willing to think through these issues should make the time to read "Infant Baptism & The Covenant of Grace". Jewett has done a very fine job. But, don't expect this book to do for you what you think (and even hope) it might. If you are a sincere student of the Bible you may just find yourself adopting the very arguments Jewett set out to defeat. ( )