Editing Infant baptism (section)

==== Lutheran Churches ====
[[File:Lutheran_baptism.jpg|left|thumb|Baptism of a child in Finland by a Lutheran pastor (2015)]]
[[Lutheranism|Lutherans]] uphold infant baptism by pointing to scriptural references where entire households were baptized (e.g., [[Acts 16]]:15). They argue that households in biblical times included children. According to [[Martin Luther]], baptism is not founded on personal faith, as one can never be certain of faith. Instead, it is based on God's word and commandment. The faith involved is that of those who bring the child to baptism (fides aliena), such as parents, godparents, and the church congregation.<ref name=":8">(Heller, 2023, pp. 10-15)</ref>

Lutherans believe that through baptism, the child receives infused faith, mediated by the prayers of the church, parents, and godparents. Baptism purifies and renews the child. Personal faith is not a prerequisite for baptism but is nourished by it, as the individual continually adheres to God's grace and renounces sin throughout life. [[Augsburg Confession|The Augsburg Confession (II)]] states that baptism is necessary for salvation. It is an assignment to Christ, a surrender into Jesus’ death and resurrection, and a gift of new life that calls the baptized to walk in faith.<ref name=":8" />

While baptism marks initiation into the church and incorporation into the people of God, it is viewed as the beginning of a lifelong journey. If not taken in faith, baptism remains incomplete. In the post-Reformation era, [[Lutheran orthodoxy]] reaffirmed the necessity of infant baptism. However, later movements such as [[Pietism]] and [[Rationalism]] emphasized inner experience over the sacrament, leading figures like [[John Wesley]] to argue that true rebirth occurs through personal transformation, not the outward ritual.<ref name=":8" />