WHEN King Louis IX of France was asked what he thought about his baptism, he said: “I think more of the place where I was baptised than I do of Reims Cathedral where I was crowned King; for the dignity of a child of God, which was bestowed on me at baptism, is greater than that of the ruler of the kingdom. The latter I shall lose at death: the other will be my passport to everlasting glory.”
Though full of stories, this wonderful book doesn’t include that one; but those that it does include are chosen to make the same point. The author, Kevin J. Roberts, is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Granite Springs Church, Greater Sacramento, in California. He believes passionately in baptism: “The best gift a pastor (or anyone) can give his or her church or neighborhood is an identity deeply grounded in God’s grace and symbolized in our baptism. To live our baptism is to love our truest, deepest, most life-giving selves.”
The author writes lucidly about baptism, interweaving fascinating stories from his 30 years as a pastor, as well as those of other Christians, with some impressive theology and church history. It is all done in a thoroughly engaging manner. In the foreword, Cornelius Plantinga writes that “you wouldn’t necessarily think of a book on baptism as interesting — let alone fascinating. To me, this one is.” It is to me, too.
We are reminded that we should, as Christians, see baptism as defining our primary identity as persons. Like Martin Luther’s, our proclamation in times of trouble and discouragement should be “I am baptised.”
In an interesting chapter, “Baptismal Clothes”, we are told how St John Chrysostom and others emphasised the importance of baptismal robes to symbolise the new identity in Christ. The author references Sam Wells in suggesting that when the Early Church heard the word “robe”, its members thought of one thing: the baptismal robe. “Baptism meant not just a ceremony with words and water, but also a new social location and putting the rest of one’s life in jeopardy in order to enjoy being at the wedding banquet. If you weren’t prepared to take steps to show that being at the banquet meant everything to you, then you’d best not be there.”
The author argues that “baptism should give those of us who follow Jesus a particular framework for suffering which is neither morbid nor morose, not sullen or brooding or angry.” Baptism overcomes destructive nationalism, since “Christ is the true patria” (St Augustine, quoted on page 117) and racism. Since baptism and the Bible are the two great ecumenical instruments, the ecumenical potential of baptism is emphasised: “The timeless wisdom of the Bible and the timeless teaching of the church are that all believers are one in Christ.” Finally, and affectingly, the healing potential of baptism is proclaimed.
There is so much more. I thoroughly recommend this book, which is informative, engaging, and inspiring.
Dr John Inge is the Bishop of Worcester.
Living under Water: Baptism as a way of life
Kevin J. Adams
Eerdmans £15.99
978-0-8028-7963-9
Church Times Bookshop £14.39