The first argument I had with a Lutheran pastor was about infant baptism.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t get infant baptism. I find no example of it in the Bible. I’ve read Luther’s treatment of it in his Large Catechism and I still don’t get it (perhaps I’m just “simple-minded and unlearned,” as Luther calls those who disagree with the practice). I understand all the reasons for how and why infant baptism still counts as baptism in the eyes of God. I get that Biblically, it probably doesn’t matter when a person is baptized as long as they believe and are baptized at some point. What I don’t understand and what nobody has answered adequately for me is:  what Biblical foundation supports the practice? Every example of baptism I can find in the Bible is of an adult. (These adults all seem to have also first believed, but that’s a whole other can of worms.) The examples that aren’t specifically adults are vague at best (such as the reference to a family being baptized).

Now, I’m not arguing that infant baptism is somehow invalid. I agree with Luther’s assessment that it is the Holy Spirit that validates baptism, not a person’s belief. I also agree that God does work in and through those who have been baptized as infants, further demonstrating that infant baptism functions as intended. But neither of those points address the underlying question of why infant baptism became standard practice and has remained through the ages. I sort of thought the whole purpose of the reformation was to do away with traditions that seemed to have little or no Biblical foundation. If that’s the case, wouldn’t post-belief baptism (credobaptism) be more appropriate? Not any more valid, mind you, just a closer match to Biblical practices.

I really feel like in any church, you ought to be able to point at a practice and ask “what Biblical foundation does this have?” and be able to come up with an easy answer. I also feel that this should be especially true in a Lutheran church, considering its history and development. While an answer exists for infant baptism, it seems far from easy. It seems to be supported more by the Catholic background of the Lutheran church than a solid Biblical foundation.

Granted, I don’t see this as “primary doctrine”. I don’t see the age of baptism as having an impact on your relationship with Christ or on the grace Christ’s death and resurrection bring us. I can’t imagine God turning someone away who simply got wet at the wrong time. The problem, for me, is that the Lutheran church seems to have a lot of practices that stem not from the Bible, but from tradition. Yet this same church claims “Scripture alone” as one of its guiding principles.

Am I the only one that sees a disconnect here?