The Biblical Doctrine of Baptism

A study document issued by the Special Commission on Baptism of the Church of Scotland, which the General Assembly appointed in 1953 to re-examine the doctrine of baptism, with Torrance as convener and John Heron as secretary. Their introductory note says that the commission's first task was the biblical doctrine, published in its interim report of 1955 and sent to presbyteries; in the light of the comment and criticism received, a sub-committee (William Lillie, James Barr, R. A. S. Barbour, D. F. S. Dick, with the convener and secretary) rewrote the report in a shorter and clearer form. The Saint Andrew Press published it in 1958 and reprinted it in 1960. It begins with the antecedents of Christian baptism in the Old Testament, late Judaism and John the Baptist, then sets baptism within the saving events of Christ's life.