Perspectief 2016-34

Perspectie 48 Dr. Jelle Creemers Recognition: faith, sacraments and ministries What are the consequences of all this for the recognition of faith, sacraments, and ministries, questions typically asked in ecumenical conversation? As was said earlier, personal faith is the starting point for all questions of recognition, and there is typically a stronger emphasis on fides quae than on fides qua . As restoriationist churches, free churches tend to be critical to all post-biblical theological and organizational developments of the Christian church. When asked what one has to believe to be recognized as a Christian, typically articles of faith are mentioned which roughly coincide with the articles of the Apostolic creed. Concerning sacraments, it is important to note that sacramentology is generally low and very diverse. Most free churches would only baptize individuals on the basis of their personal confession of Jesus Christ as Lord. As an infant is not able to witness to a conscious faith response and as baptism is not considered essential to salvation, most free churches will not baptize infants. The consequences thereof in view of accepting in a local community a Christian baptized as an infant are different. Some churches would fully recognize infant baptism and just ask the believer to confess her faith publicly as a condition for local church membership. Other churches would only allow full membership on the basis of ‘real baptism’ – it is obviously not considered ‘re-baptism’. Note, however, and this may sound a bit odd, that most free churches would be very open to accept all other Christians to the local celebration of the Lord’s Supper, independent of one’s ecclesial affiliation or even of one’s baptism. Thus, while free churches are often considered not ecumenical because of their refusal to recognize infant baptism, they usually are a giant ecumenical step ahead of other churches in showing Eucharistic hospitality to people from other Christian traditions and confessions. Conclusion Just like other traditions, free churches are very ecumenical – in their own way. Their different starting point in conversionist soteriology, however, makes them unusual partners in ecumenical dialogue. Their full acceptance as partners in dialogue and their full