Religion: For Adults Only?

Last week the best-known Baptist in the world, Evangelist Billy Graham, was in a controversy with some members of his own church over what they considered his un-Baptist views on baptism.

The fundamental distinguishing belief of Baptists is that baptism should be administered only to believers as a sign and symbol of their conversion—not as a means of grace, or cleansing from sin, or a setting apart, as with other forms of Christianity. The corollary to the Baptist tenet is that infants are too young to believe and therefore must not be baptized. Yet in an interview in the biweekly Lutheran Standard, official publication of the 2,300,000-member American Lutheran Church. Graham was quoted as saying: “I still have some personal problems in this matter of infant baptism, but all of my children with the exception of the youngest were baptized as infants. I do believe that something happens at the baptism of an infant, particularly if the parents are Christians and teach their children Christian truths from childhood. We cannot fully understand the mysteries of God, but I believe that a miracle can happen in these children so that they are regenerated, that is, made Christian, through infant baptism.”

“Strange thoughts, these.” editorialized the Washington weekly Capital Baptist. “We do not believe in baptismal regeneration for adults, who are supposed to know what they are doing, much less for infants … If Graham really believes the things he is quoted as saying, he probably has started the biggest controversy that Baptists have had for many a moon.”

At week’s end, Graham said he deplored the controversy, and felt that the Lutheran Standard had “misinterpreted several statements I made.” His children, he explained, were baptized at the age of 9 and 10 by their own choice in the Presbyterian faith of their mother. Describing his as “an ecumenical family,” Convinced Baptist Graham said that while he respects the opinions of those who have different views on baptism “my personal convictions are those of my denomination.”