LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

18 LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW IX
Concerning the intention of the one baptising, Schleiermacher
affirms the anti-Donatist decisions of the early church. The validity of a
Baptism is not contingent on the intention of the one baptising. This is
because the one baptising is doing so as a representative of the church, and
the intention of the church is always right and true. The only condition laid
down for a Baptism being valid is that it be done according to the institution
of Christ. This does not necessarily imply a repetition of the ipsissima verba
“very words” of Jesus, but nevertheless it is true that “along with the action
there must go a presentation of the Word of God on which discipleship rests;
and this in point of fact is the Word of Father, Son, and Spirit ... .” 17
Though it is true that the validity of Baptism is not based on the
intention of the one baptising, Schleiermacher says that the saving virtue of
Baptism is contingent on the state of heart of the one performing it. The one
baptising must judge the heart of the one being baptised as much as is
possible to determine whether faith is present. Since it is impossible to judge
the heart, the rule to follow will always be “the sympathy of the church”, 18
i.e., the person’s attitude to the fellowship in which he desires to partake.
Where faith is not present in the heart of the one being baptised, the Baptism
is a sin! 19 This brings to the fore the tensions inherent in Schleiermacher’s
view of infant Baptism, since he holds that infants do not believe. 20 The
beginning of Schleiermacher’s answer to this difficulty may be seen in his
view of the benefit of Baptism in the sphere of the church.
The benefit of such action of the church lies in the fact that Baptism
puts the individual in the place of the influence of the Holy Spirit, i.e., the
Church:
… the influence of the appropriated perfection of Christ and the
enjoyment of His appropriated blessedness become real only within the
fellowship of believers; … it is only within the fellowship that an
individual can come to have the forgiveness of sins … and divine
sonship … . 21
This is Schleiermacher’s equivalent of saying, “Outside of the church there
is no salvation.” This concept of the influence of the Spirit will become
nor beneficial to expel the so-called Rationalists from our church community, even if it were
done amiably and without rancor.”
17 Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith 628.
18 Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith 633.
19 Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith 633.
20 Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith 635: “infant baptism … is administered in the
absence of repentance and faith in those baptized … there need be no talk of proving that
even in such children faith can be produced by baptism … .”
21 Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith 631.