The role of faith in infant baptism: a comparative study of Martin Luther and John Calvin

Abstract

Scholars have been debating on the practice of infant baptism since it became a doctrine during the Protestant reformation. The core of the debate anchors on the role that faith plays in baptism. Although Martin Luther and John Calvin oppose some tenets of the Roman Catholic Church’s practices and theology, they do not contend the practice of infant baptism. Instead, they attempt to develop theologies to settle the question of faith that baptism requires. This work sought to examine, compare, and contrast the theologies of Luther and Calvin on the role that faith plays in the practice of infant baptism, and ascertain their effects on Christianity. This work concludes that Luther and Calvin are unable to substantiate their arguments with any explicit biblical passage because their doctrine of infant baptism has no ground in the New Testament. Christ’s mandate to His disciples to preach the gospel and baptize states, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). This command requires the recipients of baptism to hear the preaching, express their faith in Christ, and then be baptized. Since infants lack these prerequisites, they are therefore unqualified for baptism; and their baptism becomes unbiblical.