Introduction
Credobaptism, the practice of baptizing individuals upon a credible confession of faith, represents a foundational doctrine in many Christian traditions. Unlike paedobaptism (infant baptism), credobaptism emphasizes personal faith in Jesus Christ as the prerequisite for baptism. This distinction has not only theological implications but also historical ones, as it has been at the heart of major ecclesial and societal conflicts, particularly during the Reformation.
This article explores the historical relevance of credobaptism, the eventual dominance of infant baptism in the medieval church, and the radical reassertion of believer's baptism by the Anabaptists, with particular attention to Fritz Erbe, Fritz Irbe and other significant reformers.
1. The Roots of Credobaptism
In the New Testament, baptism is consistently portrayed as a response to faith. Passages such as Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12, and Romans 6:3-4 show baptism following repentance and belief. The early Christian community baptized adults and converts from paganism who made a personal confession of faith.
By the 2nd and 3rd centuries, baptismal theology became more complex. While adult baptism remained normative, some theologians—concerned with original sin and the eternal destiny of children—began to advocate for infant baptism. Thinkers like Origen and Cyprian of Carthage contributed to the theological shift that would culminate in paedobaptism becoming mainstream.
In a sermon dated Sep. 18, 2011, Dr. John MacArthur addressed paedobaptism. He stated "Infant baptism is not in Scripture. Infant baptism is not in Scripture. And against that statement there is no evidence. There is no refuting of that statement. Scripture nowhere advocates infant baptism; it nowhere mentions infant baptism; it doesn’t exist in the Bible. There is no example of it; there is no comment on it; it’s not there. It is therefore impossible to prove that infant baptism is valid from the New Testament. It’s impossible to support it from the New Testament or, for that matter, from the Old Testament.
"German theologian Schleiermacher wrote, 'All traces of infant baptism which have been asserted to be found in the New Testament must first be inserted there.' He’s right. A host of German and front-ranked theologues and scholars of the Church of England – the Church of England, the Anglican Church, which believes in infant baptism – a host of their scholars have united to affirm not only the absence of infant baptism from the New Testament but from apostolic and post-apostolic times. It isn’t in the New Testament, and it didn’t exist in the earliest church. They believe it arose around the second or third century.
"A Lutheran professor, Kurt Aland, after intensive study of infant baptism, says there is no definite proof of the practice until after the third century. And he says, 'This cannot be contested.'
"A Catholic professor of theology, Haggelbacher, writes, 'This controversy has shown that it is not possible to bring in absolute proof of infant baptism by basing one’s argument on the Bible.' Good.
"B. B. Warfield, who is no mean theologian, was an astute and really a great, great theologian, who again influenced my life in my seminary days. B. B. Warfield affirmed – he was, by the way, an advocate of infant baptism, but he affirmed the absence of infant baptism from the Bible.
"Among the Calvinists, among the reformed people, there is a very important principle which many of them like to use; it’s called the regulative principle. And it says this, 'If Scripture doesn’t command it, it is forbidden.' Now, if they would just stick with that, they’d be all right. If Scripture doesn’t command it, it cannot be introduced into the church as normative.
"The 5 solas of the Reformation were: sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. The theme, the great byword of the Reformation was Scripture only, Scripture only, Scripture, Scripture, Scripture. And yet, if you go to Scripture, you cannot find one single, solitary word about infant baptism; it’s not in the Bible. (Emphasis in the original.) It still is defended, however, amazingly, and still practiced as if it was biblical. It’s really amazing. I can understand how people within the Protestant Church can disagree about an interpretation of scripture; I really find it very hard for myself to understand how they can argue about something that isn’t in the Bible as over against what is."
2. The Rise and Entrenchment of Infant Baptism
By the 5th century, particularly under the influence of Augustine of Hippo, infant baptism became widely practiced and defended. Augustine's doctrine of original sin emphasized that baptism was necessary for the removal of inherited guilt. In this framework, baptismal regeneration was stressed, and the church became increasingly sacramental and institutionalized.
As Christendom expanded and state and church became more intertwined, infant baptism served not only as a spiritual rite but also as a means of social and political integration. To be baptized was to be included in the Christian society. The medieval church reinforced this practice, and by the time of the Reformation, infant baptism was virtually universal in both Roman Catholic and emerging Protestant churches.
3. The Anabaptist Response and the Recovery of Credobaptism
In the 16th century, amid the broader Protestant Reformation, a group known as the Radical Reformers emerged. Dissatisfied with both Roman Catholic and magisterial Protestant views, they insisted on returning to the New Testament pattern of baptism following personal belief. These reformers became known as Anabaptists (from the Greek ana, meaning "again") because they re-baptized individuals who had been baptized as infants.
In the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany, up the South Tower to the entrance of the 30 foot deep there is a dungeon contained therein. Fritz Erbe, an Anabaptist, was imprisoned there from 1541 to 1548 when he died in that very cell. His crime? Non-baptism of his children, a conviction he held by reading the very Bible Luther had translated into German a scant 150 meters away barely 15 years earlier. We would do well to reflect upon the realities of sacralism, the State Church, and the Reformation as a whole.
Figures like Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, and Michael Sattler spearheaded the movement in Zurich and other parts of Europe. They faced intense persecution—by both Catholic and Protestant authorities—for rejecting infant baptism and advocating for a free church composed only of confessing believers.
The Anabaptists saw credobaptism not merely as a ritual correction, but as a symbol of voluntary discipleship, separation from the world, and allegiance to Christ over civil authorities.
4. Fritz Irbe and 20th-Century Anabaptist Witness
While much attention is given to early Anabaptists, the legacy of credobaptism continued into the modern era, especially through Baptist and Mennonite movements. A key modern figure in this stream was Fritz Irbe, a Latvian Baptist minister and historian active in the early to mid-20th century.
Irbe was a significant advocate for Anabaptist history and theology in the face of both religious institutionalism and political oppression. His work provided a bridge between early Anabaptist convictions and contemporary expressions of believer’s baptism. He emphasized not only the biblical basis for credobaptism but also its role in shaping free, conscience-driven communities of faith.
In the context of Soviet occupation and religious suppression, Irbe’s writings and ministry courageously defended religious liberty, the separation of church and state, and the believer’s right to follow Christ in baptism and life. Alongside others like Harold Bender, Irbe contributed to the recovery and scholarly respect for Anabaptist history, influencing both academic theology and grassroots discipleship movements.
Conclusion
Credobaptism, far from being a mere alternative to infant baptism, represents a radical reclaiming of early Christian principles of personal faith and voluntary discipleship. The intrusion of infant baptism into the life of the church, emerging in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, reflected theological shifts and sociopolitical realities that prioritized institutional control over individual conviction.
The Anabaptists—both early and modern, including voices like Fritz Irbe—stood as prophetic witnesses to the primacy of personal faith, the cost of discipleship, and the necessity of a regenerate church. In an age where faith is often privatized or politicized, the Anabaptist call to follow Christ in believer’s baptism continues to challenge and inspire.
Further Reading
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Harold S. Bender, The Anabaptist Vision
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William R. Estep, The Anabaptist Story
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Fritz Irbe, various writings (primarily in Latvian and German Baptist archives)
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John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus
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