Baptism in the Early Church

History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries.

This magisterial volume is a comprehensive survey of the doctrine and practice
of baptism in the first five centuries of Christian history, arranged
geographically within chronological periods. Baptism in the Early Church
covers the antecedents to Christian baptism and traces the history of Christian
doctrine and practice from the New Testament through the writings of the church
fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries. The book deals primarily with the
literary sources, though it also gives attention to depictions of baptism
(primarily of Jesus) in various art forms and to the surviving baptismal fonts.

Ferguson's thorough study points to the central importance of baptism in the
early church. Many blessings were attributed to baptism, but the two earliest
and most consistently mentioned are forgiveness of sins and the reception of
the Holy Spirit; faith and repentance were necessary in order to receive
these benefits. Jewish immersion rites, the practice of John the Baptist,
the meaning of the words used for baptism, the literary descriptions, and the
material remains argue that full immersion was the normal practice, and the
evidence from art is consistent with this interpretation.

Containing nearly everything currently known about the early Christian ritual
of baptism, with extensive citations to the primary and secondary literature,
Ferguson's Baptism in the Early Church is destined to be a standard
reference work.

'This valuable compendium of references to baptism in the early Christian
centuries will be gratefully received by scholars and students focused on
ancient Christianity and its developments. Ferguson sets his work in the
context of other scholarly studies, carefully examining each reference. The
topics covered include not only rites and formulas but also the physical
setting, so both textual and artifactual evidence is considered. Warmly
recommended!' - Larry W. Hurtado

Recommended € 54,90