The Synoptic Gospels explicitly report that Jesus blessed children (Mark 10:13– 16 parr.). Whether an early Christian practice lies behind this report is an open question (Hahn). Later, the pericope was naturally employed at the baptism of children (Baptism) and was also used for its theological legitimization (e.g. Luther in WA 17/II, 72–88; Calvin in CR 45, 534–536).
Against the background of the theological critique of pedobaptism by K. Barth (KD IV/4), recent pedagogical objections (Stuhlmann), and the emerging empirical decrease in infant bapti…