#287 Being Born Again in the Church Fathers - Jimmy Akin
Oct 14, 2023
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Jimmy Akin, an expert on the beliefs of the Church Fathers, discusses baptismal regeneration in this episode. He provides quotes from St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, and Tertullian to support the argument that the Church Fathers believed in being 'born again' through baptism.
The writings of the Church Fathers confirm their belief in baptismal regeneration, establishing that early Christians were familiar with the idea of being born again or regenerated through baptism.
The Church Fathers emphasize the importance and efficacy of baptism, viewing it as essential for salvation and as a means of cleansing from sin and experiencing spiritual regeneration.
Deep dives
Belief in baptismal regeneration in the writings of the Church Fathers
The podcast episode discusses the belief in baptismal regeneration as found in the writings of the Church Fathers. The host highlights that the early Christians would have been familiar with the concept of being born again or regenerated through baptism. This belief is confirmed by the writings of the Church Fathers, who consistently associated being born again or born of water and spirit with the sacrament of baptism. Specific examples from the Church Fathers, such as St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, and Tertullian, are discussed to support this idea.
Support from Church Fathers for the significance of baptism
In addition to the belief in baptismal regeneration, the podcast explores the writings of the Church Fathers that emphasize the importance and efficacy of baptism. The podcast presents quotes from St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, and Tertullian, among others, that demonstrate that baptism is seen as essential for salvation. These quotes highlight that baptism is seen as a means of cleansing from sin and spiritual regeneration. The podcast concludes that the writings of the Church Fathers provide a strong basis for the understanding of the significant role of baptism in the Christian faith.
DAY 287
CHALLENGE
“The idea we’re born again or regenerated in baptism is an invention of men that the early Christians would never have heard of.”
DEFENSE
The writings of the Church Fathers reveal that they believed in baptismal regeneration.
We elsewhere cover the scriptural basis for this teaching (see Day 286), and the writings of the Church Fathers confirm that they believed it too. In fact, despite searching, I have been unable to discover any Fa- ther who denied that Jesus’ statements regarding being “born again” and “born of water and Spirit” (John 3:3, 5) referred to baptism…
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