Listen "09 - Baptism Through First-Century Eyes"
Episode Synopsis
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
Check out our website for articles and more resources.
Support us on Patreon. All funds are used to design, create, host, and advertise the podcast.
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
Check out our website for articles and more resources.
Support us on Patreon. All funds are used to design, create, host, and advertise the podcast.
More episodes of the podcast The Learning Laborers
46 - A Biblical Theology of Work
01/09/2025
45 - Season 3 Recap & What We're Learning
29/07/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.