Christian Initiation

A penetrating study of the debate over baptism, tracing a path from New Testament theology to a modern ecumenical approach. Tracing the issues arising from the New Testament in the traditions of the churches, Wainwright provides an ecumenical conspectus of the continuous debate on Christian baptism. He surveys the positions of different churches on baptism and confirmation, and relates them to the New Testament treatment. He shows that the New Testament's apparent favouring of different views of the relation between grace and faith in baptism provides a basis for an ecumenical pattern of Christian initiation.