When Is a Child Mature Enough to Make a Profession of Faith?

Is there a minimum age for baptism?

That’s the essence of a question asked of Mark Driscoll, pastor of The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In the video, Driscoll and his wife Grace answer a question from one of their members who wrote that her 4-year old daughter asked to be baptized. The writer asked Driscoll if that was a good idea considering the girl’s age.

The Driscolls said they also had a child who asked for baptism at around the same age. They consented after asking several questions of their son to find out if his conviction was true and if the child understood his profession of faith.

Driscoll said he initially discounted baptizing his son at such a young age because children often seem interested in something but due to immaturity the enthusiasm doesn’t last. As he put it, “Sometimes kids say, ‘I want to be a pumpkin or an astronaut.’ Ok, we’ll see tomorrow.”

The Driscoll’s advice is that parents are in the best position to determine a child’s heart and should make that decision. To help them in their conclusion he says if a child’s profession and evidence of faith appear true, there is no reason not to allow baptism or the taking of communion. Read More

For Anglicans who practice paedobaptism and subscribe to the doctrine of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, the question of when a child is mature enough to make a profession of faith arises at two different times - when considering the child for admission to the Lord's Table and when consider the child for presentation to the bishop for confirmation. Historically Anglicans have required examination of the child by his or her pastor and by the bishop or his representative (e.g., archdeacon) and not relied solely upon the decision of the parents.