Baptism as an Event of Taking Responsibility

For those whose context is rich with cultural and communal rites of passage, how does the church ensure that baptism is not just another ritual, but is understood to be a deliberate participation of a Christian in an event that brings decisive change into the new life that Christ brings?

In this in-depth study, Dr. Pontien Ndagijimana Batibuka explores afresh Paul’s teaching on baptism demonstrating that it encompasses both divine intervention and human action, rather than simply being about an action of Christ. Readers are invited to re-examine Romans 5:12–6:23 through a socio-religious lens rather than the christological reading that has historically prevailed. Through Dr. Batibuka’s skilful exploration of the stages of initiation in antiquity he argues the importance of Christians actively taking responsibility for their baptism, while further shedding light on the interaction of both the divine and human roles. Baptism is more than a ritual done to a passive candidate, it is an event in which the believer personally decides for, and pledges allegiance to, Jesus Christ.

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