Dr. Ulrich Zwingli and Baptism
Zwingli was one of the first to
formulate a covenantal framework for baptism.
On
the 6th of November in the preceding year [1525], a public discussion on
the subject of infant baptism had been held in the council hall, when Zwingli
and his friends proposed the following theses:
—
“Children
born of believing parents are children of God, like those
who
were born under the Old Testament, and consequently may
receive
baptism.
“Baptism
under the New Testament is what circumcision was
under
the Old; consequently, baptism ought now to be
administered
to children, as circumcision was formerly.
“We
cannot prove the custom of re-baptizing either by examples,
texts,
or arguments drawn from Scripture; and those who are re-baptized
crucify
Jesus Christ afresh.” |
