The Westminster Confession on Baptism

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), ch. 28

The Westminster Assembly, 1643–1649

Neat, dry, and refusing to go out of its depth.

Catch rate: 135 / 255
Base research: 120
Stat total: 230

Base stats

Every stat is a checkable fact about the actual book, not a designer's mood. Bars are drawn against the highest value any book reaches.

Stamina56

Contend58

Defend66

Popularity50

Total230

Why these numbers

The game's own explanation, as a reader sees it in the backpack.

Stamina 56

STAMINA — Low. It is one chapter.

Contend 58

CONTEND — Moderate. It says what it says and stops.

Defend 66

DEFEND — High. It is a confession, so every clause was chosen with care.

Popularity 50

POPULARITY — Moderate. Churches have used it for three and a half centuries.

Cited for this book

The Westminster Assembly met in London for six years and the confession was its most lasting work. Its chapter on baptism says dipping is not necessary, that pouring or sprinkling is right, and that the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptised. It also says grace and salvation are not tied to the water.

Moves learned

By levelling up. A book that develops keeps what it knew and learns the rest on its new schedule.

Lv	Move	Type	Cat.	Pwr	Acc	PP
1	Random Verse	Bible	Argument	10	100%	30
1	Dipping Is Not Necessary	Ecclesiology	Argument	64	100%	15
9	The Infants of Believing Parents	Ecclesiology	Argument	66	100%	15
30	Chapter…	Bible	Scripture	—	—	12

The quotes behind its moves

How to read these. In Scholar’s Dream, books argue with each other. Each thing a book can do in a debate is a move, and most moves carry a real quotation — the words the book puts on the table when it uses that move.

Strong against lists the opposing books and arguments a move was written to answer. Used against one of them, it hits much harder than usual: ×2 means twice the normal force, ×4 four times. It is the game’s way of saying: this is the sentence that answers that argument. Open an entry to read why.

“Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person.”
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), ch. 28, “Of Baptism,” paragraph 3, public domain.public domain

Dipping Is Not Necessary

EcclesiologyArgument · power 64 · 100% accurate

In the gameThe Westminster Confession on the mode. Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling. It is the one clause in the chapter its Baptist neighbour contradicts word for word.

“Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one, or both, believing parents, are to be baptized.”
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), ch. 28, “Of Baptism,” paragraph 4, public domain.public domain

The Infants of Believing Parents

EcclesiologyArgument · power 66 · 100% accurate

In the gameThe Westminster Confession on who is to be baptised. Those who profess faith, and also the infants of one or both believing parents.