Baptist Theological Research Articles

Spiritualis Uterus: The Question of Forced Baptism and Thomas Aquinas's Defense of Jewish Parental Rights

Spiritualis Uterus:The Question of Forced Baptism and Thomas Aquinas's Defense of Jewish Parental Rights Matthew A. Tapie1 On June 23, 1858, Pope Pius IX ordered police of the Papal States to remove a six-year-old Jewish boy, Edgardo Mortara, from his home, in Bologna. Edgardo had been secretly baptized by his Christian housekeeper after allegedly falling ill as an infant. Since the law of the Papal States required that a person baptized must be raised Catholic, Inquisition authorities forcibly removed Edgardo from his parents' home and transported him to Rome in order that he receive a Christian upbringing.2 'Worldwide protests followed. Thousands of people—from American protesters to the French emperor Napoleon III—demanded the child's return.'3 Along with assurances that the boy would be well taken care of, Pius IX insisted, Non possumus. Controversy over the Mortara affair in the United States emerged once more, in January 2018, with the publication of Dominican theologian Romanus Cessario's essay defending Pius IX's decision.4 In order to forestall anti-Catholic sentiment in reaction to an upcoming film based on David Kertzer's 1997 book on the Mortara case, Cessario argues that the separation of Edgardo from his Jewish parents is what the current Code of Canon Law, and Thomas Aquinas's theology of baptism, [End Page 289] required.5 If one accepts the Catholic Church's teaching on the efficacy of baptism, Pius IX's decision is not only just, it is an act of piety, and strength. In Cessario's view, one must look beyond the human pathos of the Mortara case to see that what was required by the law of the Church, and the Papal States, concerned the deeper realities of the power and permanence of baptism, and the logical, political consequences of receiving this sacrament. Cessario's argument is as follows:6 1. An infant in danger of death can be baptized licitly even against the will of non-Catholic parents. Cessario cites the 1983 Codex iuris canonici 868, and explains that § 2 affirms that 'an infant of Catholic parents or even of non-Catholic parents is baptized licitly in danger of death even against the will of their parents.' 2. Baptism seals a person with an indelible spiritual mark that configures a person to Christ. 3. The law of the Church and the civil law of the Papal States require that legitimately baptized children receive a Catholic education (expressed today in the Codex iuris canonici 868 § 2). 4. Therefore, Pius IX was right to relocate Edgardo from his family and raise him Catholic. Cessario appeals to Aquinas's theology of baptism in the second premise of his argument but does not cite to a text. He is likely referring to Aquinas's discussion of baptism in the Tertia Pars of the Summa theologiae. For Cessario, if one conceives of the Mortara case as a kidnapping, one has fallen victim to modern indifference to theological claims, and anti-Catholic prejudice.7 Outraged scholars and writers criticized Cessario's essay. Some charged that the essay damaged Catholic-Jewish relations.8 Others criticized theological aspects of Cessario's argument, and [End Page 290] a few of these authors cited Aquinas's teaching against forced baptism of Jewish children.9 Cessario and his critics appeal to Aquinas's teaching to argue for and against Pius IX's decision to remove Edgardo Mortara. However, this contemporary debate has overlooked the fact that the question of Aquinas's teaching on forced baptism was at the center of a rather extensive theological exchange between the Mortara family, and the Vatican's papal counsel, in 1858. Soon after Edgardo was abducted, the Mortara family, with the assistance of the Jewish community in Rome, submitted a formal document (referred to as Pro-memoria and Syllabus) that argued that the child must be returned because the Church, according to Aquinas, prohibits baptizing children of unbelievers without the consent of their parents. The Mortara family's document appealed to the same teachings in Aquinas cited by critics of Cessario. Yet the Vatican's refutation also appealed to Aquinas's teaching in order to defend the decision to separate...

John Lilburne – człowiek, który za bardzo uwierzył w wolność

Lewellerzy byli ruchem politycznym działającym podczas angielskiej wojny domowej, który opowiadał się za radykalnymi reformami politycznymi, ponieważ ich Agreement of the People zawierały prawdopodobnie pierwsze nowożytne idee demokratyczne formalnie opracowane i zaadoptowane przez ruch polityczny. Jednym z liderów lewellerów i wpływowym agitatorem politycznym był John Lilburne, oficer Armii Nowego Wzoru, znany również jako Freeborn John. W niniejszym artykule autor próbuje z jego mów, listów i manifestów politycznych zrekonstruować spójną doktrynę Lilburne’a. Dowodzi, że myśl Freeborn Johna jest zakorzeniona w baptystycznej teologii, ponieważ jego argument społeczny i polityczny jest sekularyzacją baptystycznej koncepcji genezy kościoła. Z faktu, że władza kongregacji wywodziła się z równości i odpowiedzialności wiernych pod władzą Chrystusa, że w Jezusie Chrystusie wszyscy ludzie są równi i każdy jest wolny w relacji z Bogiem, i wyznaje swą wiarę dobrowolnie, Lilburne wywodzi uniwersale i naturalne uprawnienia, konwencjonalne pochodzenie społeczeństwa, rozszerzenie praw wyborczych, powszechną równość wobec prawa i tolerancję religijną.

Song of Songs by F. Scott Spencer

Reviewed by: Song of Songs by F. Scott Spencer Annette Schellenberg f. scott spencer, Song of Songs (Wisdom Commentary 25; Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2017). Pp. lxiv + 252. $39.95. The commentary on the Song of Songs by F. Scott Spencer was written for the Wisdom Commentary Series, which aims at “making the best of current feminist biblical scholarship available in an accessible format to ministers, preachers, teachers, scholars, and students” and thus hopes to “aid all readers in their advancement towards God’s vision of dignity, equality, and justice for all” (back of the book). Spencer, who is professor of New Testament and Preaching at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, does an excellent job in reaching these goals. His commentary interprets the Song “in a feminist key” (pp. xli, xlii), offers solid scholarship, is written in an engaging way, and includes (some) reflections on the theological significance of the Song while primarily cherishing its erotic and most “worldly” character. After acknowledgments, S. opens his commentary with an introduction (“Playing the Song of Songs in a Feminist Key”), in which he lays out his basic approach. He starts with some explanations of his intent to interpret the Song as a feminist—stating that he can only present his feminist reading and commenting on the fact that he is male (and white, late middle-aged). He then lays out his own methodological approach, explaining that he wants to “attend to linguistic and other literary features of the poem within its broad social and cultural milieu” (p. xliv), paying attention to comparative ancient Near Eastern traditions but primarily focusing on the Song itself. [End Page 519] In a first subsection (“Voices and Valence: The Choral Factor”), S. introduces the speakers of the Song and then concentrates on the woman. After stating that he assumes “a singular female singer throughout the Song” (p. xlv) and not multiple female voices collected in an anthology (see again p. li), he points out that the woman with her strong voice is only “a poetic persona, a literary construct of a passionate vocal woman” (p. xlviii). Thus, he addresses the possibility that she is just a male fantasy so that, after all, the Song still propagates not a female but a male perspective (as Donald C. Polasky [“What Will Ye See in the Shulammite? Women, Power and Panopticism in the Song of Songs,” BibInt 5 (1997) 68–81] and David J. A. Clines [“Why Is There a Song of Songs and What Does It Do to You If You Read It?,” in idem, Interested Parties: The Ideology of Writers and Readers of the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup 205; Gender, Culture, Theory 1; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1995) 94–121] have argued), but concludes with Cheryl Exum that, even if this was (partially) true, it remains that the female “protagonist is assertive, determined, and . . . vulnerable” (p. li; see Exum, “Ten Things Every Feminist Should Know about the Song of Songs,” in A Feminist Companion to the Song of Songs [ed. Athalya Brenner and Carole R. Fontaine; 2nd rev. ed.; Feminist Companion to the Bible 1; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 2000]), so that there is no reason why feminists (and others) might not just enjoy the text. In the second subsection of the introduction (“Harmony and Counterpoint: The Compositional Factor,” pp. li-liv), S. addresses the (related) question of whether the world of the Song is ideal, whether there is indeed full equality and mutuality between the two lovers. He acknowledges that the Song is full of “positive notes for feminists’ interests in women’s agency, opportunity, and equality” but denies that the Song depicts a “feminist Utopia or Eden,” pointing out especially Song 5:7 (p. liii). Thus, S. “attempt[s] to follow the Song’s score carefully . . . , alert to discordant detours and minor-key modulations along the way” (pp. liii-liv). Spencer next explains his reading strategy, concentrating particularly on the question of whether there is a narrative thread in the Song (“Score and Story: The Choreographical Factor”). He is aware that only a few passages in the Song “have an obvious story structure,” but nonetheless is willing to “succumb . . . to the temptation to find narrative threads” (p. lv...

Tracing the Theological Development of the South African Baptismal Rites: The Journey to An Anglican Prayer Book 1989 and Beyond

This essay analyzes the theological changes which are reflected in successive revisions of Southern Africa's Anglican liturgy from 1900 to 1989. The following liturgies are examined: A Book of Common Prayer—South Africa (1954); Proposals for the Revision of the Rites of Baptism and Confirmation (1967); the Church Unity Commission's ecumenical liturgies in the 1970s; Birth and Growth in Christ (1984); and An Anglican Prayer Book 1989. The article also includes valuable source material which influenced the revised liturgies, including two official reports on the theology of baptism and confirmation. The author finds that theological uncertainty surrounding the underpinning of current rites brings into question whether full church membership is actually granted during baptism.

Analyzing Demographic Influence, Usage and Availability of Electronic Resources among Baptist Theological Seminary Students, Ogbomoso, Nigeria

The primary aim of the study is to identify whether there are any significant or major differences among demographic variables such as gender, age group, faculty, usage and experience of users among the Baptist Theological Seminary student of Ogbomoso. The study adopted a descriptive survey research method. Questionnaires were used as the main instrument for data collection after a detailed literature review. The questionnaire was designed and distributed to 238 respondents in Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso. The sampling method adopted for this study was Systematic Random Technique. The researcher made use of 238 and 207 were returned, given a response rate of 87.0%. Simple percentage was used to analyze the collected questionnaires through presentations of simplified tables. The findings revealed that there was significant relationship between availability of electronic resources and utilization of electronic library resources. Demographic factors were also analyzed to see if it has effect on usage of electronic library resources. There was no significant relationship between gender and use of electronic library resources though the respondents were more of males. The internet, e-journals and other electronic resources were important sources of information for the students. Majority of users centered their usage of electronic resources on Internet usage only. Students’ demographic factors should not be a barrier to e-resources use and as a result, students of all ages and gender should endeavor to acquire knowledge required to enable them make effective use of online library resources anytime and anywhere. Both young and old students should be encouraged and sensitized on the benefits available in the use of library electronic resources. The great majority of the faculties use printed sources more than e‐sources, but they also use e‐sources quite frequently. Use is mostly of books, websites and printed journals. It was also found that the use of e‐resources is higher in some faculties than others and also, the results indicated that the use of e‐resources is positively influenced by the respondents’ perceived usefulness of resources, the convenience of access to the sources and their academic productivity. This study would hopefully benefit the academicians, researchers, policy makers, and practitioners that has interest on electronic library resources and demographic related data.

Brian Haymes: Doing Theology for the Church

ABSTRACTThis article is a discussion of the contribution of the Baptist pastor and theologian Brian Haymes to the life and thought of Baptists in the UK. I argue that Haymes’ work is shaped by three concerns – the activity of doing theology, the being of the church, the church in the world

Motyw eschatologiczny w rytach katechumenalnych i chrzcielnych na przykładzie homilii katechetycznych Teodora z Mopsuestii

Motyw eschatologiczny, choć nie znajduje się na pierwszym planie teologii chrzcielnej, to jednak zajmuje w niej istotne miejsce. Odwoływano się do niego zarówno w rytach katechumenalnych, jak i podczas celebracji chrzcielnej. Omawiany motyw spotykamy szczególnie często w pouczeniach katechetycznych Teodora z Mopsuestii (350–428), w których tłumaczy on przebieg oraz teologię sakramentu chrztu i Eucharystii. Artykuł przytacza najważniejsze elementy tego nauczania i wskazuje momenty w celebracji, gdzie elementy eschatologiczne wydają się być wyjątkowo podkreślane, próbując przy tym pytać o przyczynę podobnej praktyki.

Baptism in a Secular Age

In the Western world, the cultural conditions for interpreting and practicing baptism have changed radically in recent decades. An increasing level of religious plurality is one cultural trend that the theology of baptism must take seriously. One option for responding to this challenge is to interpret baptism as a rite of drastic communal transition whereby one enters into the church and leaves the world—with all its plurality—behind. Another option is to view baptism as a rite that, by bringing us into the church's fellowship with God in Christ, draws us into communion with all living creatures and calls upon us to engage in openness toward others.

Infant Baptism and Korean Methodism

No one is born as a Christian. One needs a mark to become part of a Christian community. The mark happens by sacraments that declare “what God is doing to bring us to faith.” Christian Baptism is a means to experience and understand the ways “God acts to initiate us into the community of the faithful.” There are variety of stages and sign-acts in Baptism. And they inevitably involve the love of God and the way of expressing it theologically. Many Christian denominations in Korea have their own theology of Christian baptism. Korean Christians seem outwardly to follow their Protestant position in theology. But we sometimes encounter the fact that they used to confuse the nature of Christian baptism. In fact, it is not easy for Korean Protestants to refuse this criticism. Many baptized christians seems not to feel and realize how important their baptism is in their journey as believers. In addition, even though many Christian leaders insist they follows the baptismal theology of the Protestant reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin, they practically seem to receive Zwingli’s theological concept. Zwingli made some strong points in favor of infant baptism by considering it to be a New Testament ‘covenant sign,’ but, precisely speaking, he merely regarded baptism as a dedicatory sign. In fact, the meaning of baptism is very lightly understood and treated today. In this situation, the theological understanding of infant baptism seems not to be dealt seriously and meaningfully. Furthermore, infant baptism is still a troubling issue today. In this article, it is explored what an infant baptism is and what Korean Methodist Church teaches in terms of infant baptism through analyzing its liturgical documents.

Going Deeper with New Testament Greek: An Intermediate Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament

Going Deeper with New Testament Greek is an intermediate NT Greek grammar, written by well-known NT professors Andreas J. Köstenberger (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary), Benjamin L. Merkle (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary), and Robert L. Plummer (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). The book is aimed at the needs of both intermediate Greek students and teachers.Going Deeper with New Testament Greek: An IntermediateStudy of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament.By Andreas J. Köstenberger, Benjamin L. Merkle, and RobertL. Plummer. N ashville: B&H Academic, 2016, ix + 550pp.;ISBN 978-1-4336-7908-7; 49.99 USD.** The review received on 13.12.2016; approved for publication 20.12.2016.

Anglican Confirmation, 1662–1820 by Phillip Tovey

Reviewed by: Anglican Confirmation, 1662–1820 by Phillip Tovey Martha F. Bowden Phillip Tovey. Anglican Confirmation, 1662–1820. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. Pp. xii [H11001] 201. $149.95. Mr. Tovey emphasizes the historical context of Anglican confirmation in the eighteenth century, spreading a net wide enough to include not just British parish churches, but the wider imperial map, including the North American colonies and the Indian subcontinent. The intention is to subvert misperceptions caused by viewing the eighteenth-century church through "Victorian lenses." His review of the twentieth-century scholarship that began to dismantle Victorian ecclesiastical historiography is useful, but omits a number of revisionist historians such as Jeremy Gregory, B. W. Young, and Peter B. Nockells. Some of them are drawn into the later discussion, but the groundbreaking collection, The Church of England c.1689–c.1833: From Toleration to Tractarianism (1993), edited by J. Walsh, C. Haydon, and S. Taylor, does not appear. The Victorian two-step theory of initiation, forgiveness (baptism) followed by reception of the Spirit (confirmation), which became the accepted orthodoxy, was not part of most eighteenth-century theologians' view of the rite, nor was confirmation universally considered a sacrament. Mr. Tovey's very thorough research is a useful [End Page 84] reminder that the church in this period was not the sleepy, complacent organization that is also the legacy of Victorian history-making. He demonstrates a church engaged in concerned scrutiny of the meaning and proper procedures for confirmation, the place of catechizing, and the qualifications of candidates, revealing the very different theologies of baptism that ground the arguments. Samuel Clarke believed that confirmation was required to provide full membership in the church, when confirmands entered into the covenant introduced in baptism; Thomas Bray did not believe in "automatic baptismal regeneration." Richard Baxter's famous description of the chaos attending his confirmation, long considered normative, appears to be an exception. Thus it is unfortunate that the frontispiece, showing a bishop laying hands on a group of young men kneeling at a communion rail, dates from 1885. It may indicate the paucity of images of church practices in the earlier period, but it is solidly Victorian. The chapters cover theology, liturgy, sermons, practice, case studies of five dioceses, and the Anglican communion in North America. Because confirmation was eliminated in 1645 with the abolition of the Book of Common Prayer and not reinstated officially until the Restoration there were many congregants in 1660 who had never been confirmed. Mr. Tovey disputesS. L. Ollard's claim, however, that the vast numbers of candidates at eighteenth-century confirmation services, sometimes more than 3,000, indicated a need to "catch up." He points out that in that case, the numbers would diminish as the century progresses, but they do not. He also refutes Ollard's contention that catechizing was neglected in the period. The variety of catechetical materials and descriptions of practice in visitation returns demonstrate that Laurence Sterne, whom Mr. Tovey does not mention, and whom Ollard points to as exceptional for instructing youth at the parsonage rather than catechizing them briefly at Evensong, was in fact in line with many of his contemporaries. The chapter on sermons illustrates changing practice in the period. As he indicates, the confirmation rite calls for neither readings from scripture nor a sermon, but there is some evidence that the service normally included both; the sermons are easier to establish, because there are so many in print. Here again, the history of the practice is illuminating, because earlier in the period, the sermon was normally preached, not by the bishop, but by another clergyman. By the end of the century, though, it was normative for the bishop to preach, supporting the argument that confirmation was increasingly accepted as an episcopal act as the century went on. Here, however, the dates of publication can be misleading. Thomas Secker's sermon published in 1790 is used as evidence of increasing episcopal involvement late in the period, but this publication must be a reprint since Secker died in 1768. It is less easy to establish what the lectionary might have been; later versions of the Book of Common Prayer have passages from...

The Atonement in Lukan Theology by John Kimbell

Reviewed by: The Atonement in Lukan Theology by John Kimbell Linda M. Maloney john kimbell, The Atonement in Lukan Theology (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars, 2014). Pp. xi + 199. £39.99. It is the obligation of a doctoral dissertation to state and defend a thesis. In The Atonement in Lukan Theology, which John Kimbell wrote under the direction of Thomas R. Schreiner for the faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2009), this duty is fulfilled in workmanlike fashion. K. states as his thesis that “Luke presents the death of [End Page 143] Jesus as an atoning death that brings about the forgiveness of sins” (p. 3) and proceeds through five chapters to leave no text unexamined in his quest to support that thesis. After the introduction, he writes in chap. 2 of “The New Covenant Sacrifice,” concentrating on the disputed Luke 22:19b–20 (“This is my body, which is given for you. . . . This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood”). K. favors the disputed text, which he believes supports his thesis. (This chapter was previously published as “Jesus’ Death in Luke-Acts: The New Covenant Sacrifice,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 16 [2012] 28–48.) There follow two more chapters on specific passages: chap. 3 treats Luke’s account of Jesus’ passion as affirmative of the atonement thesis; chap. 4 deals with the Isaian “Servant Song” and traces all appearances of the attribution of “servant” status to Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. The fifth chapter is a kind of catchall for “Additional Narrative Indicators,” including passages from both Luke and Acts on the need for and nature of salvation, Jesus’ proclamation on sin and forgiveness, what K. characterizes as “historical instances in Acts” and the preaching of the apostles as given there, baptism and baptism “with fire,” and texts about being “delivered into the hands of . . .” and being “hung on a tree.” In a brief conclusion, K. summarizes the findings and asserts that “it seems warranted to conclude that Luke’s theology of atonement is more robust and integral to his narrative than scholars have generally affirmed.” K. is certainly aware that he is in the minority in opting to find a theologia crucis in Luke’s Gospel and Acts rather than, or dominant over, a theologia gloriae; the latter is antithetical to his theological tradition, as he tacitly admits when he continues: “While it may be true that Luke uniquely emphasizes the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus as essential to the salvation of God’s people, it is also true that his narrative highlights the soteriological significance of Jesus’ death.” Echoing his opening, he writes that “Luke presents the death of Jesus as an atonement that provides for the forgiveness of sins, removes God’s wrath against his people, and restores them to fellowship with him” (quotations in this paragraph from p. 161). Thesis defended. There are some weak points in the exposition. For example, K. seems fixated on a one-to-one comparison between Jesus and the Isaianic “Servant,” touching not at all on the collective nature of that figure as posited by many modern scholars (and in fact repeatedly referring to that figure as an “individual”). Similarly, he dismisses in a footnote “the general claim by Joel Green and Mark Baker that ‘[t]he theory of penal substitutionary atonement allows a cultural norm particular to modern Western society, rather than the biblical narrative, to determine God’s nature and actions’” (p. 146 n. 30, quoting their Recovering the Scandal of the Cross: Atonement in New Testament and Contemporary Contexts [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000] 169). K. does so “on the basis of the above survey,” but his is a determinedly text-oriented examination that takes almost no account of changing cultural backgrounds. That is not the only instance in which potentially challenging arguments by contemporary scholars are relegated to the footnotes and dismissed without much comment. Kimbell writes at one point that “while Jewish Christians may have followed Mosaic customs through their participation in the temple cult, Luke does not draw attention to this” (really not? in Acts in particular?), “and it would be inconsistent with his narrative...

Reevaluation of Snow White and the Queen in the Postmodern Retellings of Grimms’ “Snow White”

This article examines how the two main characters of “Snow White”― Snow White and the queen―have been reevaluated, modified, and vivified in a number of postmodern fairytale retellings. First, by switching the traits of Snow White and the queen, the retellings disconnect the automatic correlation of the stereotypes of the characters at the mention of their names. And second, by depicting the relationship between Snow White and the queen in terms of the natural cycle of female life, the retellings do away with a simple opposition of good and evil and explore the complex psychology and the motivations behind the deeds of the characters. By closely analyzing the two main characters depicted in several postmodern retellings, this article substantiates that the fairytale retellings revisit the past texts with a critical impulse in mind. Using the similar elements that allow for an intertextual reading of the texts, these retellings highlight the differences. By employing the past texts while carrying contemporary sensibilities and ideology, they reevaluate the traditional ideology that has been assumed as “natural.” (Korea Baptist Theological University/Seminary)

Vitamin N For the Soul

Vitamin N For the Soul

Baptism or Gospel of Grace?: Romans 6 Revisited

Romans 6 has been a difficult chapter owing to a number of dialectical elements: being and doing, theology and ethics, indicative and imperative, divine and human agency, and ‘already’ and ‘not yet’. Despite some previous attempts to view this chapter as presenting the theology of baptism, this article argues that Paul’s primary concern in this chapter is to explain the fundamentals of the gospel of grace and their implications for Christian life. The proper understanding of the gospel of grace includes: that everyone belongs to one of the two domains of authority (either under the domain of law/sin or under the domain of grace/Christ); that by the grace of God believers have experienced the transfer of lordship; and that despite this transfer, both aspects of ‘already’ and ‘not yet’ are creatively working together in Christian life. This article concludes with two implications: that the gospel of grace does require (rather than ignore) a moral life and that in Christian moral life we must not lose sight of both God’s empowerment and humans’ power.

Baptism and the Kingdom: lessons from Luke-Acts for a post-Christendom Church

Attempts to reform baptismal practice are characteristic of both dual-practice and credobaptist churches. Such reforms of baptism are frequently discussed within contours shaped by the concept of sacrament and the discourse it has generated. This article proposes, with reference to Luke-Acts, that the meaning of baptism can be illuminated in alternative ways by reference to its relationship to the kingdom of God. Whilst not an anti-sacramental argument, it proposes that elements of the theology of baptism can be constructively pursued by reference to the explicit and implicit links Luke makes between baptism and the kingdom. By so drawing on Luke-Acts, the agency of the Church (in addition to that of the baptisand and God) can be given particular attention. This leads, in turn, to a proposal for an ecclesial posture of both intentionality and vulnerability to attend baptismal practice.

Impact of the Remnants of African Worldviews on Perception of Pastors Towards Ministering to Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria

abstractNigerian communities and the society at large are filled with diverse kinds of people who are hurting, such as the poor, the sick, the captives, the oppressed, and particularly, those with disabilities. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are people with special needs. Although the church is saddled with the task of the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15–18) and the ministry to the disabled is very much included in this task, not too many people (Christians and the church included) are interested in considering ministering to these persons. Most times PWDs are neglected or isolated, likely because of ignorance, forgetfulness, the difficulties encountered by some individuals or persons ministering to them, or the differing perceptions towards PWDs in the African communities. Therefore, there was a keen interest to carry out a study on perception of pastors towards the ministry to PWDs. The study employed a descriptive survey research method. Postgraduate students of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, were used as the subjects of the study. A questionnaire was designed and used to collate data. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for descriptive statistics of frequencies and simple percentages. The findings from this research have proven that remnants of African worldviews on and attitude towards disability have a very minimal or almost insignificant affect on Pastors ministering to PWDs. African worldviews on disability are gradually fading away. Notwithstanding, the attitude of people towards PWDs in the church and society is still poor and not encouraging. Therefore, there is an increasing need for pastors and churches to improve on their ministerial responsibilities towards PWDs, and in situations where the ministry to PWDs has not received attention, concerted efforts should be pulled together to ensure that PWDs are reached for Christ and also impacted positively.

‘Confessing God from a Good Conscience’: 1 Peter 3:21 and Early Christian Baptismal Theology

1 Peter 3:21 has been called ‘the nearest approach to a definition of 'baptism that the NT affords’, yet the key phrase συνeιδήσeως ἀγαθῆς ἐπeρώτημα eἰς θeόν is notoriously ambiguous and thus open to divergent interpretations. This article considers under-utilized comparative material from the early Christian tradition to shed light on the passage. Five sources are investigated: the early baptismal catechesis known as the Two Ways tradition; the interpretations of the verse put forward by Basil of Caesarea, ps.-Didymus the Blind, and Cyril of Alexandria; and finally the translation of the verse in the Syriac Peshitta version. Several of these texts associate the ἐπeρώτημα of 1 Peter with the ὁμολογία of the baptizand, a conjunction of terms that, as has long been noted, also occurs in legal contracts in the papyri. Moreover, the evidence of these early sources supports a subjective reading of the genitive in the Petrine verse, and also demonstrates some diversity with respect to the content of the ‘pledge’, with some authors highlighting moral commitment and others emphasizing correct belief. Hence, the view of baptism as a formal contract with subsequent binding force on the parties involved remains constant from 1 Peter through these later sources, and represents 1 Peter’s contribution to early Christian baptismal theology.

The Witness of Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch. Edited by William G.Rusch. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2013.

The Witness of Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch. Edited by William G.Rusch. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2013.

Ikke blot en lære, men en åndsretning

Since the foundation of the first Danish Baptist congregation in 1839, Danish Baptists have held widely different theological opinions. It may be argued, however, that many Danish Baptists have subscribed to what may be called a “narrative personalism”. By this concept is meant a narrative conception of faith that sees personal history as being central. The “personal” should be distinguished from the purely subjective or individual, on the one hand, and the collective or general, on the other. Danish Baptist theologians such as the founding father, P.C. Mønster, P. Olsen and Kjell Kyrø-Rasmussen have in different ways expressed views that made the concrete relationships between persons of faith in the community of believers more fundamental than,e.g., written creeds and other dogmatic expressions of faith.