Jesus Loves the Little Children (Daniel Hyde)

In Jesus Loves the Little Children, Daniel Hyde explains why we (many denominations of Christianity) baptize children. He looks at:

• Defining terms (understanding what baptism is)
• Circumcision and baptism (and the similarities between this respective Old Testament and New Testament signs)
• Covenant and baptism (understanding the nature of how God relates to His people and their children)
• Baptism or dedication (looking at the differences between them)
• The mode of baptism (immersion, pouring, or sprinkling)
• A brief history of infant baptism from early church sources

Overall, this is a solid introduction. Believers can squabble over this doctrine, because there is no command in Scripture that explicit says baptize (or do not baptize) your children. I agree with Hyde that "infant baptism is a biblical doctrine because it is a "good and necessary consequence" of the entirety of scriptural teaching." And I think he does a reasonable job presenting his case, looking across the Scriptures in the above areas (especially in his discussion of original sin and how that doctrine applies here . . . that isn't always mentioned but should be). Sometimes, I think his arguments/proofs aren't quite as firm as he states (even though I agree with him), but this is a good introduction nonetheless. I would recommend it alongside R.C. Sproul's introduction to the topic.

Rating: A-