What does baptism do?
Earliest statement of each found so far: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins, Hermas, c. 140.
What the early Church said, in their own words →
- Methodist: Divided. Article XVII calls baptism 'a sign of regeneration or the new birth', which can be read either way; John Wesley affirmed 'the regenerating grace of infant baptism'.
- Oriental Orthodox placements rest mainly on Coptic and Ethiopian church texts. The Armenian texts checked so far are brief, and Syriac and Indian Orthodox texts are not yet checked.
a passage teaches it a passage rejects it authorship uncertain formally defined defined after this timeline ends
Baptism regenerates and forgives sinsCatholicOrthodoxOriental OrthodoxChurch of the EastLutheran14 teach it · Defined 1547 →
Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the momentReformed7 reject it · Confession 1646 →
Symbol of faith already receivedBaptistAnabaptistPentecostal15 reject it · Confession 1644 →
The positions
Baptism regenerates and forgives sins CatholicOrthodoxOriental OrthodoxChurch of the EastLutheran
What it holds: Baptism itself is God's means of regeneration and forgiveness of sins, and is ordinarily necessary for salvation.
Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the ChurchCatechism of the Catholic Church, 1213
Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of GodAugsburg Confession, Article IX (1530)
We believe Holy Baptism, which was instituted by the Lord, and is conferred in the name of the Holy Trinity, to be of the highest necessity.Confession of Dositheus (Synod of Jerusalem), Decree 16 (1672)
Through baptism we receive the Second Birth which is of water and the SpiritPope Shenouda III (Coptic Orthodox), Comparative Theology (1988)
It is a new birth, according to water and the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:5) without which one may not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.Assyrian Church of the East, Diocese of California, FAQ
Formally defined: Council of Carthage (418); Augsburg Confession IX (1530); Council of Trent (1547)
Earliest statement: Hermas, c. 140
Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment Reformed
What it holds: Baptism signs and seals God's promise of regeneration and forgiveness and conveys that grace to the elect in God's time, but not everyone baptized is regenerated and the grace is not tied to the moment.
to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sinsWestminster Confession of Faith, 28.1 (1646)
grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated, or saved, without it; or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated. ... The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administeredWestminster Confession of Faith, 28.5-6 (1646)
Formally defined: Westminster Confession 28 (1646)
No early passage in the works searched so far states it yet.
Symbol of faith already received BaptistAnabaptistPentecostal
What it holds: Baptism is an act of obedience by one already saved, picturing the faith and new life already received; it is not a means of regeneration.
It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.Baptist Faith and Message, Article VII (2000)
Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrectionSecond London Baptist Confession, 29.1 (1689)
Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.Assemblies of God, Statement of Fundamental Truths
Baptism by water is a sign that a person has repented, received forgiveness, renounced evil, and died to sinConfession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective (1995)
Formally defined: First London Confession (1644); Baptist Faith and Message (1925/2000)
No early passage in the works searched so far states it yet.
Common ground
These are affirmed by more than one position, so a passage saying only this counts for none of them.
- Baptism is commanded by Christ
- Baptism is linked with repentance, forgiveness and new life (Acts 2:38) in quoting Scripture
- Baptism joins a person to the visible church
- Faith is required of adult candidates
Every deciding passage, earliest first
Hermas, c. 140
For before a person bears the name of the Son of God, he says, that person is dead; but when he receives the seal, he puts away the deadness and takes up life. The seal, then, is the water: into the water the dead go down, and they come up living. So this seal was also preached to them, and they used it, so that they might enter the kingdom of God.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Justin Martyr, c. 155
As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and who undertake to be able to live accordingly, are taught to pray and ask God with fasting for the forgiveness of their past sins, while we pray and fast with them. Then they are brought by us to where there is water, and in the manner of regeneration by which we ourselves were regenerated they are regenerated. For in the name of God the Father and Master of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then wash in the water.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180
And for this reason the baptism of our regeneration proceeds through these three points: God the Father bestowing on us regeneration through his Son by the Holy Spirit. For as many as carry the Spirit of God are led to the Word, that is to the Son; and the Son brings them to the Father; and the Father causes them to possess incorruption. (led by the Spirit; incorruption)
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180
And that this baptism is the seal of eternal life, and is the new birth unto God, that we should no longer be sons of mortal men only, but of the eternal and everlasting God; (new birth; Tt 3:5) and that what is everlasting and continuing is made God; and is over all things that are made, and all things are put under him; (all things under him; Ps 8:6) and all the things that are put under him are made his own; for God is not ruler and Lord over the things of another, but over his own; and all things are God’s; and therefore God is Almighty, and all things are of God.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180
Now faith occasions this for us, even as the elders, the disciples of the apostles, have handed down to us. First of all it bids us bear in mind that we have received baptism for the remission of sins, in the name of God the Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became incarnate and died and rose again, and in the Holy Spirit of God. (; Acts 2:38; remission of sins)
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Tertullian, c. 200
When it is laid down that no one can attain salvation without baptism, the rule rests on the Lord's own pronouncement: "Unless someone is born of water, he will not have life" (John 3:5). From that very text certain people raise scrupulous -- or rather reckless -- objections: how can the prescription apply to the apostles, whom we do not find baptized in the Lord except for Paul? Since Paul alone of them "put on the baptism of Christ," either the danger of the others who lack Christ's water must be prejudged so the rule stands, or the rule must be rescinded if salvation is also established for…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Tertullian, c. 200
Our water's sacrament is a blessed thing: washed in it, we are set free from the sins of our former blindness into eternal life. This digest will not be wasted effort. It instructs both those who are being most thoroughly formed and those who are merely content to have believed simply, without exploring the reasons behind the traditions, who carry an untested, probable faith through sheer ignorance. And so, recently a certain viper of the Caian heresy seized many with its most poisonous doctrine, destroying Baptism above all. Naturally enough: for vipers, asps, and even king snakes all seek ou…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Tertullian, c. 200
This much will do for the points where the logic of baptism first comes into focus. Already back then the very act foreshadowed the rite: the Spirit of God, hovering over the waters at creation (Genesis 1:2), was destined to remake those who would be dipped. The Holy One was borne over the holy element; either the water received holiness from the Spirit above it, or the Spirit imparted holiness to the water he rode. Since any substance underneath inevitably absorbs the quality of what hovers above — especially when the spiritual penetrates the bodily, slipping in and settling deep by sheer fin…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Tertullian, c. 200
After leaving the baptismal bath, we receive a blessed anointing that comes from an ancient practice: in the old days, priests were anointed with oil from a horn. That custom goes back to Aaron, whom Moses anointed. The very name 'Christ' comes from 'chrism,' meaning anointing — the title fits the Lord because He was anointed spiritually, by the Spirit from God the Father, just as Acts says: 'They were truly gathered together in this city against Your holy Son, whom You anointed' (Acts 4:27). In us, too, the anointing is applied physically, but its benefit is spiritual — exactly like baptism i…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Tertullian, c. 208
But what exit for that castaway? ‘By the Creator’s fire,’ they say, ‘he will be caught.’ Has he then so little an element prepared even for this cause by which to relegate his sinners even without savagery, lest he hand them over to the Creator? What then will the Creator do? I believe he will prepare a more sulphurous gehenna for them as for his blasphemers—unless perhaps a jealous God may spare deserters of his adversary. O god everywhere perverse, irrational in all, vain in all—and so nobody! Whose status, condition, nature, or any order I see cannot stand—already not even the sacrament of …
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyprian of Carthage, c. 255
The very interrogation used in Baptism also bears witness to the truth. When we ask, "Do you believe in eternal life and the remission of sins through the holy Church?" we acknowledge that remission of sins is given only within the Church; among heretics, where the Church is not, sins cannot be forgiven. Consequently, those who claim heretics can baptize must either alter the interrogation or uphold the truth—unless they are willing to grant the Church to those they say possess Baptism. It is likewise necessary that the baptized person be anointed, so that by receiving the Chrism—that is, the …
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Firmilian of Caesarea, c. 256
Since Stephanus and his allies claim that forgiveness of sins and a second birth can take place in the baptism of heretics—even though they themselves admit that the Holy Spirit is not present among them—they ought to consider and understand that a spiritual birth cannot happen without the Holy Spirit. The blessed apostle Paul demonstrates this: before the Lord had sent the Holy Spirit, he baptized again with a spiritual baptism those who had received John’s baptism, and then laid hands on them so that they might receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-6). So when we see Paul rebaptizing his discip…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Firmilian of Caesarea, c. 256
Someone may ask, "What will become of those who were admitted without the Church's baptism after coming from heretics?" If they have already died, we count them among those who were catechized here but passed away before receiving baptism. They not only gained the benefit of the truth and faith they reached after abandoning their error, even though death prevented them from receiving the full completion of grace. As for those who are still alive, they must be baptized with the Church's baptism so that they may obtain the forgiveness of sins. Otherwise, relying on someone else's presumption, th…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Firmilian of Caesarea, c. 256
What does Stephanus really want — that the presence and sanctity of Christ be with those baptized among heretics? For if the Apostle is not lying when he says, "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal 3:27), then the one baptized there in Christ has put on Christ. But if he has put on Christ, he was able to receive the Holy Spirit, who is sent by Christ, and it is in vain that hands are laid on him when he comes to receive the Spirit — unless he puts on the Spirit from Christ in such a way that Christ is indeed present among heretics, but the Holy Spirit is not the…
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Apollinaris of Laodicea, c. 390
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
The Lord lifts him up to the true understanding by ascribing the rebirth to grace (John 3:5), which is accomplished through the ministry of water for the body.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Amphilochius of Iconium, c. 395
Doubtful authorship: Ascription to Amphilochius is debated.
We stand and aim to become part of them; and the mother is certainly the church and the one who has nurtured you. So, if the heretic recognizes these, he knows the benefit from them, that through these he escaped the tyranny of the devil, and through these he was named a Christian? What do I say, 'Christian'? He clothed himself with Christ himself; for the scripture says: 'As many as were baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ' (Gal 3:27), only if you have not again stripped yourself off by the serpent. What then is against these things? Do you recognize these, or have you d…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Amphilochius of Iconium, c. 395
Let us sing the new song, for behold, Adam has been renewed and Eve has been carried up to the heavens, for the devil has been hurled into the fire. Let us borrow that song from Miriam, the sister of Moses, for it suits us now just as it suited them then. Let the chorus of those holy ones stand with us and sing what it sang then at the Red Sea: “Let us sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously glorified” (Exodus 15:1). For what has he done? “Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea” (Exodus 15:1). Horse and rider: the horse is the sin that is mad for women, and the rider is the demon seated upo…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Didymus the Blind, c. 398
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
The Marcionites baptize living people on behalf of unillumined dead people, not knowing that baptism saves only the one who receives it. But the apostle calls our bodies dead, on whose behalf we are baptized; for by their own nature, without a soul, these do not live, but they have life from the souls that are present with them. Likewise Abraham also called the soulless body dead.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Didymus the Blind, c. 398
Doubtful authorship: Attribution of De Trinitate to Didymus is disputed.
“You were baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God.” Therefore, look, look, how the name of the Son is entirely a divine name, and likewise that of the Holy Spirit; for one name has revealed both of them. And that the Holy Spirit, as if having gathered them ineffably from the beginning, now recreates. For to have loosed the old signified to be recreated. By this title: “having regenerated us through the bath of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). The Psalmist is no less worthy of being known regarding those already existing in generat…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Severianus of Gabala, c. 400
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
says, to the law, and have become another man, to the one risen from the dead. How then could a pure virgin have been previously married? But having been reborn through the bath of regeneration and having passed into another life, a pure virgin is justly so named. Faith in Christ and the brightness of the Spirit confirm the Christian life (2 Cor 11:4). If then you did not receive these things, you seek well those who still wish to live according to the law (2 Cor 11:10–12). Not reproaching the Corinthians, he says this, but reproving those who use the preaching as a matter of commerce. Therefo…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Severianus of Gabala, c. 400
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
Not the observance of the law, he says, makes those who believed better than the Gentiles than the Jews, but the power of baptism, providing to clothe oneself with Christ, makes the grace common to all together: barbarians, Greeks, Jews, female, male (Gal 3:27–28). And the female and the male were not merely mixed—insofar as one sought through the word toward what was set before him—but if baptism brings the male and the female differing into one grace, how much more the Greek and the Jew.
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Asterius of Amasea, c. 405
Such things are achieved through a fall. In this first act, the creative power is shown, and by the command to wash in the pool of Siloam, the salvation through water is demonstrated to us, which the one sent (Siloam) granted to all. For then we see well when we are cleansed by the mystical water; then the light of grace surrounds us, when the power of baptism washes away the stain of sins and the spots. And all who obey the command of Siloam see the spiritual light, which enlightens every man coming into the world. Oh, the wonder and the great energy!
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Asterius of Amasea, c. 405
How did he respond when persuaded by the call? He gave a remission of sins without cost, and a release from those who grieve that is uncalculated and brief. The Word sanctified, the Spirit sealed; the old man was buried by the water, the new man was born rising by grace.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Asterius of Amasea, c. 405
Do not allow yourself to die in circumcision; draw through repentance toward your own recognition, and kindle in the hearts the flame of the Spirit. For if they are improved in this way, it is evident that you will not stand against their sin, but having washed in the bath of grace, both your blood and mine, they will become free from the accusations.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
John Chrysostom, c. 407
That these things happened before through the apostles is witnessed by the churches everywhere in the world, and by peoples, cities, and nations who ran to laymen and fishermen. For unlettered and poor and needy and lowly men would never have prevailed over the world if they had not had the help of signs. But neither have you been left without the grace of the Spirit. Even now many symbols of that gift remain, far greater and more wonderful than the ones just listed. For it is not the same thing to raise a body that has died and to deliver a soul that has been killed by sins from that destruct…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
Augustine says that the authors deny that infants inherit original sin needing remission in baptism. They nevertheless affirm, and indeed proclaim, that the washing of rebirth adopts them from being children of human beings into being children of God (Titus 3:5; John 1:12–13; Romans 8:15).
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
Baptism is necessary at every age, so that the creature may be adopted among the children of God, not because it inherits anything from its parents that must be cleansed by the washing of rebirth (Titus 3:5; John 1:12–13; Romans 8:15).
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
Baptism makes people completely new. The apostle is a witness to this, for he testifies that through the washing of water the church gathered from the nations is made holy and spotless (Ephesians 5:26–27).
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
We acknowledge that the grace of baptism is beneficial to every age, so completely that we pronounce an eternal anathema on all who think it unnecessary even for infants. But we believe this grace to be rich in spiritual gifts. Abundant in its many favors and worthy of reverence for its powers, it heals the different kinds of weakness and the different conditions of human beings by one power that bestows both remedies and gifts. When it is administered, it does not need to be changed to suit particular cases: it distributes its own gifts according to the capacity of those who approach. No craf…
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
“You see how many gifts baptism gives. Some people think that heavenly grace consists only in the forgiveness of sins. We, however, have counted ten honors. This is why we baptize infants too, although they are not stained by sin: so that holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, and brotherhood with Christ may be added to them, and so that they may be his members.”
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
The grace of baptism need not be changed according to the circumstances, since it distributes its own gifts according to the capacity of those who come to it. So Christ, who is the redeemer of his own work, continually increases his gifts to his image with generous kindness. Those whom he made good by creating them, he makes better by renewing and adopting them.
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
By both our practice and our speech, we testify that everyone must be reborn through baptism. But this benefit is not bestowed so that people seem to have been kidnapped from the devil’s rightful possession. Rather, those who are God’s works become God’s children; those born in a lowly condition, but not a guilty one, are reborn at great worth, but without a false accusation. Those who come forth from God’s institutions are advanced by God’s mysteries; those who bring nature’s works receive grace’s gifts. Their Lord, who made them good by creating them, makes them better by renewing and adopti…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Julian of Eclanum, c. 418
You located salvation in baptism and argued consistently that if the Manichaeans, who call nature evil, spoke truly, Christians would be foolish to believe baptism’s remedy should be applied to an evil nature. Thus anyone affirming that human nature is evil is forced to deny grace. This also works in reverse: anyone affirming grace praises human nature, understanding grace to have been provided for its salvation.
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Through baptism, we become empowered to cast off the burden of sin, and as we reject ungodliness, we are enabled to think on high things and to lift our hearts up to heavenly things, for we are baptized into the putting away of sin, and in this way, we become, in a certain manner, light and free, as if we had wings.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
ameful to know, it is not without penalty to speak. And having chosen to honor the genuine in faith everywhere, it is fitting to remember blessed Paul writing thus: ‘For it is impossible that those once enlightened, and having tasted a good utterance of God, and powers of a coming age, and having fallen aside, be renewed again unto repentance.’ (Hebrews 6:4) For those once brought unto partaking of the heavenly and divine grace through the holy baptism, and having received the true and life-giving word concerning resurrection and Christ’s kingdom, if they should choose to run back toward what …
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Cyril: …ship. And a cleansing for the having-been-defiled, the ash-heap with water. For a releasing of sin, the passion of the Savior, sanctifying us through water, through which we will gain not a putting-away of filth of flesh, according to the having-been-written (1 Peter 3:21), but the washing-off of the defilements in souls; ‘For wash yourselves,’ he says, ‘and become clean;’ (Isaiah 1:16) and a prophetic word from above was ordering for us.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Cyril: For it has been written that ‘And the Lord spoke toward Moses, saying: Make a bronze laver, and its base bronze, so as to wash. And you will set it between the tent of the testimony and between the altar. And you will pour water into it; and Aaron and his sons will wash from it the hands and the feet with water. When they enter into the tent of the testimony, they will wash with water, and they will not die; or when they come forward toward the altar to liturgize, and to bring up the whole-burnt-offerings to the Lord, they will wash the hands and the feet with water… and it will be for …
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
ven the one seeming to be somehow holy according to law is unholy before God, if he should not wash off with the water, and that the power of the worship in law is not enough unto cleansing. For they were washing beforehand, though consecrated according to law; and what is cleansed is not somehow the pure, but the dirty and unclean. And such a thing Christ himself has also said: ‘The one who has been bathed has no need, except to wash the feet, for he is pure.’ (John 13:10) And most wise Paul also writes that it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. So then the law is i…
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Concerning the catechumens and penitents, if they are near the end, and if some, having been rebuked because of reproaches, are about to die, let them be baptized while being catechized, so that they may not depart as unsharers of the grace, being uncommunicant; for it seems that this also should be attended to by the ordinances of the church.
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
He calls greater than John the believer reborn through the washing — a state he names “kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 11:11) since the kingdom of heaven is given to the faithful, which the Baptist had not yet attained. Even the one only baptized, if he does not yet have a virtuous life, is above John. So the saying is praise of holy baptism.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
self the type of the holy baptism, washing us with holy waters unto putting-away of sin, and carrying off unto the kingdom of the heavens. And from-above and from heaven is the holy baptism; and a riddle of this, the hyacinth color. Or do I not seem to you to say these things best, as at least in such hard-to-grasp of contemplations?
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444
We approach the grace of holy baptism, which sanctifies us and gives us the power to remove sins and be reborn spiritually, conforming us to Christ. This baptism also gives us a bold entrance into the kingdom of heaven, as Jesus said, 'Unless one is born of water and spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of God.' The Jews, however, lack this gift, for they do not have the power of bread, which is the life-giving power in Christ, nor do they have the power of water.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Translation in progress
Ammonius of Alexandria, c. 499
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
; but John’s baptism gave forgiveness of voluntary sins to those truly repenting, and Christ’s of all sins, and also supplied Holy Spirit and the dignity of adoption.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Ammonius of Alexandria, c. 499
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
He is a lamb as given for forgiveness of sins of those being regenerated “through washing of rebirth” (Titus 3:5); and by saying “taking away” he shows that he always takes away.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Ammonius of Alexandria, c. 499
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
Water cleanses the body and the Spirit sanctifies the invisible soul. Water is taken in the place of a mother, and the Spirit in the place of God who forms. Sensible water is re-elemented toward divine power and sanctifies those in whom rebirth happens. Water differs from Spirit only in conception, since it is the same in activity; water is a symbol of burial and resurrection, and therefore is necessarily taken. Three immersions and three emergings happen so that we may know that by power of Father and Son and Holy Spirit all is fulfilled.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Ammonius of Alexandria, c. 499
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
Through baptism Christ betroths the church reborn. This spiritual yoke joins to God through the teaching word. The bride is a pure virgin through rightness of doctrines; she is also Christ’s wife as bearing good deeds not from herself but through Christ who sows in her—of whom none of the generated can be bridegroom, since none of them is primarily giver of goods. So every rational nature of angels and humans is bride.
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Ammonius of Alexandria, c. 499
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
The one living the upper life of the angels and learning high doctrines through Christ is born from above. The one undergoing the second birth through the washing is born from above, and the one partaking of Holy Spirit. “From above” signifies rebirth through the Spirit and shows that the Spirit is from the Father’s essence; for thus, naming himself also from above, he signifies that he is from the Father’s essence.
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Sign and seal of grace, not tied to the moment
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
Ammonius of Alexandria, c. 499
Catena fragment, author uncertain: A catena fragment: the ascription rests on the catena heading and is not secure.
Christ is bridegroom and the church bride and the bridal chamber the place of baptism, where spiritual joining happens, since all is bright and full of joy and gladness. For what is more blessed than to be cleansed of sins and cleave to God and “become partaker of divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) through sharing the Holy Spirit? These are the earnest; the more perfect things are in the future, when the bridegroom enters again and brings with him the virgin souls and the bridal door is shut and only those inside enjoy the gladness and no one enters there anymore. So as long as today’s age, or each …
- Teaches: Baptism regenerates and forgives sins
- Rejects: Symbol of faith already received
How this was made
Every whole work in the library on 21 October 2026 was searched for this question. Works added since then are not searched yet. The short excerpts on the topic pages (many from Tertullian, Justin, Irenaeus and Ignatius) join the search once their English has been checked against the Greek or Latin original: 94% of them (1,814 of 1,925) have passed that check, and the rest are still held out, so an early witness may occasionally be missing from these lanes. Two AI models from different labs judged each passage against all the positions at once, seeing them only as letters, without names or churches. A third model settled disagreements, and Claude reviewers then checked every deciding verdict against the passage and, for the earliest dates, against the Greek or Latin. A writer's silence is never counted.
The evidence is only as deep as the works searched: 1st century: 5 writers, 2nd century: 23 writers, 3rd century: 22 writers, 4th century: 18 writers, 5th century: 11 writers, 6th century: 5 writers, 8th century: 1 writer. The lanes are redrawn when the search is run again.