Baptism: The History and Doctrine of Christian Baptism

Most Christians are blissfully unaware of the bloody history of water baptism, and that Christians have murdered other Christians for baptizing people the “wrong” way. But is there a “right” way to baptize?

In this book, John Schoenheit examines the historic roots of baptism, and shows why, by the time of John the Baptist, baptism was an accepted practice in ancient Israel. He also examines the history of baptism in the Church, and shows the reasons why some people believe immersion is the correct method of baptism, while other people believe pouring or sprinkling is the preferred method.

Also, he explains that water baptism was symbolic and pointed to a greater reality. Animal sacrifice pointed to the greater reality of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and similarly, the prophets, John the Baptist, and even Jesus, taught that water baptism pointed to the greater reality of baptism in the spirit.

This book is more than simply a historic study. It reveals the heart of God in the water rituals of the Old Testament, the baptisms of John, Jesus, and the early Church, and then brings us into our modern times and shows what is acceptable, and what we should expect to see regarding baptism in our churches today.