[Kolokotronis]

” Obvious even from Augustine’s writings baptism wasn’t well thought out.”

“Concerning baptism, baptize in this manner: Having said all these things beforehand, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living water [that is, in running water, as in a river]. If there is no living water, baptize in other water; and, if you are not able to use cold water, use warm. If you have neither, pour water three times upon the head in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” The Didache (70AD)

Now the Didache was written nearly 300 years before +Augustine was born. Seems to me that it is a pretty good example of what the practice and belief was of the early Church. It was originally written, if I recall correctly, in Aramaic though it may have been in Greek. It is from Antioch and in 70 AD the memory of +Peter being the head of the Church there would have been very fresh. +Augustine’s confusion about baptism is not attributable to any confusion among theologians of the time. It is attributable to +Augustine’s limited knowledge of what was going on and had gone on in the the great centers of Christianity in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“(Are you prepare to agree with Augustine they go to hell if they’re not baptized?)”

No. That pernicious concept arises, as do others, from +Augustine’s concept of Original Sin.

“Meanwhile, while all the theologians were contemplating the meaning, all of us Baptists were down by the river dunking those we could get out hands on. ;O)”

See, you learned the practice from Orthodox Syrians!

“Probably because he couldn’t read Greek.

Hmmmm....maybe that was to his credit. :O)”

I suspect that there are those who argue exactly that...and with a straight face too! :)

[HarleyD]

Seems to me that it [The Didache] is a pretty good example of what the practice and belief was of the early Church.

The Didache hardly goes into the theological implications or wrestles with the purpose of baptism. It only gives instructions as to how baptism should be carried out. BTW, the Didache implies immersion baptism and, only on rare occasions, sprinkling. Does the Orthodox immerse? From your response the Syrian Orthodox must.