believer’s baptism by immersion, all the way!
although i don’t believe sprinkling or pouring is the proper mode, i don’t think it’s a test of salvation or anything. but, for me it’s a serious enough issue that it’s probably a test of fellowship in a local church because i could not personally take part in anything but believer’s baptism by immersion.

this is right in line with my current course of study…the early church fathers, catholic traditions, etc.
i wish you would have published this BEFORE i confessed to my wife that i bought a bunch of books on amazon despite our broken budget
thanks for keeping us sharp. and my birthday is may 10th, if you were wondering what to get me…

When I was a kid I went to the salvation army who didn’t believe in baptism at all and then after long years of being an atheist I was baptized, at 50 years of age, for the first time. The priest made the sign of the cross on my forehead with water, so I didn’t get my hair washed in the baptismal font like my wee fellow baptizees. Like everything else in the Anglican church there are lots of opinions – like , for example whether you should take communion with or without baptism. One thing all anglicans seem to agree on is that you only get baptized once, even if it was when you were an infant and even if it was in a different church. I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think that baptism represents a commitment to repent and start anew and I don’t see how infants can make that decision. On the other hand I see the value of parents and the faith community having a ritual for enfolding the new baby into the community of faith. Infant baptisms are always every one’s favourite services because of the hope and lovethat goes with it. I think of baptism as being a symbol rather than a sacrament; the power is in the thought and commitment that comes before. Without that, baptism, whether adult or infant, sprinkling or immersion, is just getting wet.

As a graduate student I had this premier scholar and Christian gentleman for two classes. (“Backgrounds to the New Testament” and “The History of the Early Church.”)
I came away from both of these classes with such a deep respect for Dr. Ferguson and for anyone who would be engaged in the rigors of this kind of study. Part of my respect was also because I heard of his involvement in a local congregation very near the campus where he taught for so many years. He seemed to be at home in both worlds and I appreciate him for that.

Hello Scot,
I am part of the Church of Christ tradition and just want to say it’s been pleasantly surprising that recently you’ve given shouts out to several leaders within our movement. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not keeping points. It’s just great to see that our history of sectarianism is melting away a bit.
Thanks for noticing.

Put me down for dunking, but I don’t think it matters much.

I just wonder if God cares about the exact method – if he deducts points for sprinkling or whatever. Sacrament or symbol.
You would think if the method were so critical He would’ve laid it out so specifically that we wouldn’t need eminent scholars to illuminate us.
No one gets too wrapped up in all the ways communion is served and to whom.

“No one gets too wrapped up in all the ways communion is served and to whom.”
Sure they do. And it’s just as silly.