CROSS Spirit- and Water-Baptism 143
Jesus as Lord and water-baptism.^86 In chs. 4-9 he proceeds to argue that
the normal pattern (instances such as Acts 8.12-17 being exceptional) of
conversion-initiation is repentance-faith expressed in baptism, with the gift
of the Spirit being given in and through the whole conversion process.However, in contrast to those like Bruce and Beasley-Murray noted above,
he maintains that 'while water-baptism is an important element in the
complex of conversion-initiation, it is neither to be equated or confused
with Spirit-baptism nor to be given the most prominent part in that com-
plex event'.^87 In a recent essay Dunn again rightly emphasizes that the gift
of the Spirit is the decisive factor in conversion-initiation, but later he asks
whether, in contemporary baptismal theology and practice, we are 'subor-
dinating the Spirit to a rite which we humans decide to administer',
'compromising the sovereignty of the pneuma to "blow where it wills'",
and 'putting too much emphasis on the ritual moment' when so much is
included in baptism?^88 When baptism is separated from conversion—
infant baptism putting it before and believer's baptism usually after^89 —Iwould agree with Dunn, but when we are talking about conversion-initia-
tion in the New Testament, the process of becoming a Christian, then
seeing water-baptism as the occasion of reception of the Spirit is true to
the New Testament rite and is in accord with Peter's inaugural sermon of
the Church (Acts 2.38). As already noted, in the same article Dunn argues
on exegetical grounds for a 'strong sacramental theology of Christian
baptism'.^90 While Dunn is seeking to walk the tightrope of not wanting to
attribute too much to water-baptism, he equally does not want to attribute
too little either.
Beasley-Murray contends that in the primitive Church 'baptism and
conversion are inseparable... (cf. Acts 2.41; 16.33), so that the effect of
the one may be predicated of the other'.^91 This is synecdoche. He brings
the various elements of this process together when he writes: 'the "seal of
the Spirit" is neither baptism in water, nor baptism of the Spirit divorced- Dunn, Baptism, p. 4.
- Dunn, Baptism, p. 4.
- Dunn, 'Baptism and the Unity of the Church', pp. 82 and 85.
- On the separation of baptism from conversion by British Baptists (in this
conversion first and baptism later), see A.R. Cross, Baptism and the Baptists: Theology
and Practice in Twentieth-Century Britain (SBHT, 3; Carlisle: Paternoster Press,
2000), e.g. pp. 342-43. - Dunn, 'Baptism and the Unity of the Church', p. 93.
- Beasley-Murray, 'j3aTTri£co', p. 149.