Issues, Etc. Infant Baptism in the Early Church – Dr. Jordan Cooper, 8/7/25 (2192)
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Aug 7, 2025 Dr. Jordan Cooper, Executive Director of Just and Sinner and a professor of systematic theology, dives deep into the practice of infant baptism in early Christianity. He examines the scriptural foundations and historical prevalence of this tradition, connecting household baptisms to Old Testament covenant practices. Cooper highlights how infant baptism became a norm by the fifth century and addresses misconceptions surrounding its significance. Tune in for insights into early church teachings and the evolution of baptismal practices.
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Household Baptisms Imply Infant Inclusion
- The New Testament records multiple 'household' baptisms that implicitly include children and likely infants.
- Luke's Hebraic phrasing links household baptisms to Old Testament covenantal family inclusion.
Ancient Households Included Infants And Servants
- Dr. Jordan Cooper illustrates ancient households including children and live-in servants when interpreting 'oikos.'
- He emphasizes households were large and would commonly contain infants or servants raised in the home.
Peter's Promise Includes Children
- Peter's sermon at Pentecost explicitly says the promise is for 'you and your children,' linking baptism to children.
- Luke frames Acts as a narrative where baptism brings households and children into God's promise.
