242 Dimensions of Baptism
widespread concern in the churches—one which might surprise us with
our romanticized view of the martyr Church. For the Shepherdthe 'second
repentance' attacks the clinging of new Christians to their possessions, and
to life in the present age. Too many Christians fear that in the Church they
will serve the poor with their wealth.^15 They 'had been brought into peril
by loving this world and its goods too well'.^16 It is clear why the baptismal
process common in Tertullian's time involved a renunciation of the world.^17
This was not a denial of the beauties and pleasures of creation. It was
turning away from unrighteousness in the human world and its ways
which ignored the cry of the poor.
In Tertullian the public nature of baptismal confession comes through in
the notion of the 'pledge of repentance' (Depaen. 2). R.F. Evans makes
clear that the background was common in the notion that the Church is an
outpost of the kingdom of God and, 'Christ is the "imperial commander"to whom the Christian soldier now owes the complete obedience proper to
his baptismal oath of allegiance'.^18
It is integral to Tertullian's embrace of the military and imperial meta-
phor for the Christian life and worldview. It ensures that any baptismal
theology of his involves an irrevocable pledge to Christ as emperor, with
all the challenge to imperial culture which that carries, notwithstanding the
claims of its benign character in The Apology. Of course, when Tertullianwrote on baptism, this was not the issue. He wrote to address disparage-
ment of baptism and what he saw as the misuse of post-baptismal
repentance. All the same, his famous plea for delay of baptism underlines
his view of the rite as a defining moment for public confession and
commitment—a point of departure, crowned by the renunciation and oath
of loyalty, empowered by the Holy Spirit.Moltmann
At first sight we can expect little meeting of spirits between Moltmann and
Tertullian on baptism. The two writers are worlds, if not galaxies, apart in
ecclesiology and worldview. Tertullian champions the rule {monarchia) of
God. Moltmann thinks this very term belongs to an outmoded, 'patriar-- Telfer, The Forgiveness of Sins, p. 45.
- Telfer, The Forgiveness of Sins, p. 49.
- Evans, Tertullian's Homily on Baptism, p. xxvii, and many other sources.
- R.F. Evans, One and Holy: The Church in Latin Patristic Thought (London:
SPCK, 1972), p. 9.