Editing Infant baptism (section)

=== Fourth century ===
The fourth century marked a turning point for Christianity as it transitioned from [[Persecution of Christians|persecution]] to a [[Christianity as the Roman state religion|favored religion]] within the [[Roman Empire]]. This shift brought about divergent baptismal practices. In some areas, the longstanding [[Catechesis|catechumenate]] persisted, with rigorous pre-baptismal instruction exemplified by figures like [[Cyril of Jerusalem]] and [[Gregory of Nyssa]]. Simultaneously, infant baptism gained prominence, fueled by evolving theological understandings of [[original sin]]'s implications.<ref name=":43">{{cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=Kevin E. |date=May 2011 |title=Baptismal Theology and Practices and the Spiritual Nurture of Children Part I: Early and Medieval Church |journal=Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=130–145 |doi=10.1177/073989131100800109}}</ref>

During this period, the Church strongly condemned [[Pelagianism]], which questioned the necessity of baptism for [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]], and affirmed that baptism must be administered without delay. For example, official decrees such as the [[Council of Florence]]’s ''Pro Jacobitis'' warned against postponing baptism, thereby underlining that infants (and others) must receive baptism promptly to secure salvation. These developments, along with texts from the [[Councils of Carthage|Council of Carthage]] and the [[Roman Catechism]] that taught [[Salvation of infants#Early church|unbaptized infants could not attain heaven]], demonstrate that by the end of the fourth century infant baptism was a widely accepted and normative practice in the Church.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vorachek |first1=William R. |last2=Pearson |first2=William R. |last3=Rule |first3=Gordon S. |title=Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a Class-Mu Glutathione Transferase from Human Muscle, the Product of the GST4 Locus |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |date=1991 |volume=88 |issue=10 |pages=4443–4447 |doi=10.1073/pnas.88.10.4443 |doi-access=free |jstor=2357061 |pmid=2034681 |pmc=51676 |bibcode=1991PNAS...88.4443V }}</ref>

Several prominent Christian leaders, such as Tertullian, [[Rufinus of Assisi|Rufinus]], [[Gregory of Nazianzus]], [[Basil of Caesarea]], [[Ambrose]], [[Jerome]], [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], and [[Cyril of Alexandria]], attest to the widespread practice of [[Child dedication|infant ''dedication'']] or ''enrollment in the catechumenate'' rather than immediate baptism. This custom was observed across major Christian centers, from [[Carthage]] and [[Milan]] to [[Constantinople]] and [[Alexandria]]. Consequently, in the fourth century, dedicating infants and later instructing them in the catechumenate remained the normative practice, while infant baptism was generally administered only in cases of urgent necessity ([[emergency baptism]]).<ref name="Messmer Infant Dedication in the Early Church">{{cite journal |last1=Messmer |first1=Andrew |title=Infant Dedication in the Early Church: Texts, Commentary, and Present-Day Application |journal=Journal of European Baptist Studies |date=19 December 2022 |pages=61–89 Pages |doi=10.25782/jebs.v22i2.1064 }}</ref>
[[File:Baptism-Of-St.-Augustine,-1702.jpg|thumb|287x287px|[[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine of Hippo]] being baptized in 387 AD]]
According to Andrew Messmer (2022), many prominent Christian leaders, though born into Christian families, were not baptized as infants but received it later in life. For instance, [[Novatian]] (200–258) was only baptized during a grave illness, while [[Gregory of Nazianzus]] (c. 329–390) waited until around age thirty. [[Basil of Caesarea]] was baptized at approximately 27 (c. 357), and [[Gregory of Nyssa]] between ages 23 and 28. [[Ambrose|Ambrose of Milan]] (340–397) remained unbaptized until his sudden election as bishop in 374, and [[John Chrysostom]] (347–407) was baptized around age 20 (c. 368). [[Jerome]] (347–420) received baptism at 19 (366), and [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] (354–430), despite his devout mother Monica’s influence, delayed his baptism until age 33 (387). This pattern reflects the widespread practice of delaying baptism, even among those raised in Christian households.<ref name="Messmer Infant Dedication in the Early Church" />

Regarding their views, the early Church Fathers held divergent views on infant baptism, reflecting the theological tensions of their era. [[Augustine of Hippo]], in his [[Pelagianism#Pelagianism and Augustinianism|anti-Pelagian writings]], maintained that baptism was essential for cleansing original sin, asserting that only through this [[sacrament]] could infants be incorporated into Christ's flock. He issued grave warnings about the eternal consequences of dying unbaptized.<ref name="Jensen Material and documentary evidence" /> In contrast, [[Gregory of Nazianzus]] adopted a more moderate position, arguing that since infants lack awareness of sin or grace, baptism should be deferred unless imminent danger threatened their lives - suggesting age three as an appropriate minimum or when children could actively participate in the rite.<ref name="Jensen Material and documentary evidence" /> [[Jerome]] took a decidedly proactive stance, particularly in his correspondence with [[Laeta]] (403 AD), where he framed infant baptism as a fundamental parental obligation, implying negligence in those who delayed the sacrament. These differing perspectives illustrate the evolving theology surrounding baptismal practices in early Christianity.<ref name="Jensen Material and documentary evidence" />

According to Robin M. Jensen (2012), archaeological evidence supports the existence of diverse baptismal practices in early Christianity. The variation in baptismal font designs suggests differences in liturgical customs, while third- and fourth-century funerary inscriptions confirm that some infants received emergency baptisms - though these do not demonstrate it was a widespread norm.<ref name="Jensen Material and documentary evidence" /> The interpretation of iconographic evidence remains contested, as depictions of small figures undergoing baptism could represent either the baptism of Jesus or early instances of infant baptism.<ref name="Jensen Material and documentary evidence" /> This ambiguity in material evidence mirrors the theological diversity seen in textual sources from the period.