What did first-century baptisms look like? How was it similar to other rituals of the time? How was it different?

In this episode Taylor interviews Denver about baptism in the early church. Denver believes that a thoughtful examination of the historical and cultural context of this important ritual will lead to an even richer understanding of its theological significance for the church today. Together, Denver and Taylor explore immersion rituals in the first century, John the Baptizer's ministry, Jesus' baptism, and early Christian baptism. They end with a discussion about how church leaders might incorporate these ideas into their own baptism practices.

• Check out Denver's blog series on baptism.
• For more on the Jewish ritual context, see Judaism: Practice and Belief by E.P. Sanders
• For the Greco-Roman ritual context, see At the Origins of Christian Worship or Destroyer of the Gods by Larry Hurtado
• For the political/cultural significance of baptism, see Caesar and the Sacrament by Alan Streett
• For a socio-historical examination of first-century baptism, see chapter 5 in The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks

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