250 Dimensions of Baptism
public, confessional sign of resistance and hope'.^57 Sadly, the 'social struc-
ture can encourage baptism through the pressure of the public aspect of
religion' and then baptism takes the impress of society's predominating
interest.^58 Infant baptism could profitably undergo reform into vocational
baptism. This requires the Church itself to change. It must develop from a
'religious welfare institution' to a social body.^59 But more, voluntary
baptism is not one of choice at all. It is baptism into the liberty of Christ
where that means the pain of alienation from present associations and
groups and commission to service for their reconciliation and liberation.
So it must not be the symbol of inner emigration and resignation before a
wicked world, but rather a sign of messianic service in the world.^60 Equally
the move from infant baptism to voluntary baptism must not lead to the
congregation as an introverted 'self-made ghetto':^61 'Baptism as the call-
ing event in the life of an individual person corresponds only to a church
that follows Christ's call, the "call to freedom".'^62
Baptism just has to be an event of public significance. It publicly marks
transition from given social association to chosen affiliation and it char-
acterizes the Church in general as a Church in the world serving it for
reconciliation and liberation. Baptism is the very opposite of what infant
baptism, in Moltmann's view, speaks of. Baptism is departure not domes-
tication. Moltmann's view of baptism puts the baptized person out on a
limb from prevailing convention—just as Tertullian's approach did. Molt-
mann takes issue with both Anabaptists (in danger of pulling out of the
world) and Luther whose two-kingdoms doctrine allowed him to go along
with the world's ways, co-operating without criticism.^63 Reformed faith,
however, lives from a process of reformation aimed not just at the Church
but also at the surrounding world:
Personal life no longer consists of participation in a supraindividual,
objective, ecclesiastical process into which one is born... Living faith stems
rather from an event of calling. Man is called out of his manifold rela-
tionships in religion, society and state and into communion with Christ. In
this communion with Christ the old man, who was a slave to the laws of the- Moltmann, Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 232.
- Moltmann, Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 232.
- Moltmann, Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 242.
- Moltmann, Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 241.
- Moltmann, Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 242.
- Moltmann, Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 242.
- Moltmann, On Human Dignity, pp. 64-77.