OpenTheo

Q&A#129 Baptism and Circumcision

Alastair Roberts

Q&A#129 Baptism and Circumcision

May 1, 2019
Alastair Roberts
Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Wondering whether or not you see a tight connection between baptism and circumcision? If yes, why no mention of it in Galatians/Romans? If no, what's going on with Colossians 2:11-12?"

Within this episode, I mention my recent Theopolis article on circumcision: https://theopolisinstitute.com/article/the-rite-of-circumcision-a-response-to-dru-johnson. I recommend Peter Leithart's book The Priesthood of the Plebs: https://amzn.to/2PFatjO. I also mention Alexander Schmemann's work: https://amzn.to/2UVfgyC.

My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts of my videos here: https://adversariapodcast.com/list-of-videos-and-podcasts/.

If you have any questions, you can leave them on my Curious Cat account: https://curiouscat.me/zugzwanged.

If you have enjoyed these talks, please tell your friends and consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged. You can also support me using my PayPal account: https://bit.ly/2RLaUcB.

The audio of all of my videos is available on my Soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/alastairadversaria. You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More on OpenTheo

Are You Accursed If You Tithe?
Are You Accursed If You Tithe?
#STRask
December 15, 2025
Questions about whether anyone who tithes is not a Christian and is accursed since Paul says that if you obey one part of the Mosaic Law you’re obliga
Can Two Logical People Come to Conflicting Conclusions Without Committing a Fallacy?
Can Two Logical People Come to Conflicting Conclusions Without Committing a Fallacy?
#STRask
January 8, 2026
Questions about whether two logical people can come to conflicting conclusions on a topic without committing a fallacy, how Greg, as a public figure,
Protestants and Catholics: What’s the Difference? With Chad Van Dixhoorn, Blair Smith, and Mark McDowell
Protestants and Catholics: What’s the Difference? With Chad Van Dixhoorn, Blair Smith, and Mark McDowell
Life and Books and Everything
November 26, 2025
How should Protestants think about the Catholic Mass? About the Eucharist? About the history and development of the papacy? In this panel discussion,
Isn’t the Covenant in Scripture Explicitly with Israel and Not the Gentile Nations?
Isn’t the Covenant in Scripture Explicitly with Israel and Not the Gentile Nations?
#STRask
March 12, 2026
Questions about what gives modern Christians confidence that they’ve inherited the Jews’ covenant with God if Scripture explicitly says it was with Is
Prove to Me That Jesus Is Not a Created Being
Prove to Me That Jesus Is Not a Created Being
#STRask
January 26, 2026
Questions about why we should think Jesus is not a created being, and what it means to say God became fully human if part of being human means not bei
What Is Wrong with Wokeness? With Neil Shenvi
What Is Wrong with Wokeness? With Neil Shenvi
Life and Books and Everything
January 19, 2026
In this timely interview, Kevin talks to Neil Shenvi about his new book (co-authored with Pat Sawyer), entitled “Post Woke: Asserting a Biblical Visio
Sense, Sensibility, and Adam Smith with Jan Van Vliet
Sense, Sensibility, and Adam Smith with Jan Van Vliet
Life and Books and Everything
February 16, 2026
This year is a special anniversary for the United States as Americans celebrate 250 years of independence. But 1776 was an important year in more ways
What Do You Think About Churches Advertising on Social Media?
What Do You Think About Churches Advertising on Social Media?
#STRask
January 19, 2026
Questions about whether there’s an issue with churches advertising on social media, whether it’s weird if we pray along with a YouTuber, and whether C
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
#STRask
November 17, 2025
Questions about how to convince someone that evil exists, whether Charlie Kirk’s murder was part of God’s plan, whether that would mean the murderer d
What Tools of Reasoning Help You Know What’s True, Right, and Good?
What Tools of Reasoning Help You Know What’s True, Right, and Good?
#STRask
December 4, 2025
Question about what tools of reasoning help us determine whether something is true or false, right or wrong, good or bad before bringing Scripture int
Does Open-Mindedness Require Studying Other Religions Before Becoming a Christian?
Does Open-Mindedness Require Studying Other Religions Before Becoming a Christian?
#STRask
February 9, 2026
Questions about the claim that if Christians really want to be open-minded, they need to read and study other religions before committing to Christian
Why Are So Many Christians Condemning LGB People Just Because of How They Love?
Why Are So Many Christians Condemning LGB People Just Because of How They Love?
#STRask
January 15, 2026
Questions about Christians condemning LGB people just because of how they love, how God can expect someone to be celibate when others are free to marr
How Should I Respond to an LGBTQ Person Who Says He Feels Good About Who He Is?
How Should I Respond to an LGBTQ Person Who Says He Feels Good About Who He Is?
#STRask
March 2, 2026
Questions about responding to an LGBTQ person who says he feels good about who he is, and whether—since we all have sin in our life we don’t consider
Did Jesus Prove He Wasn’t Sinless When He Overturned the Tables?
Did Jesus Prove He Wasn’t Sinless When He Overturned the Tables?
#STRask
December 29, 2025
Questions about whether Jesus proved he wasn’t sinless when he overturned the tables, whether Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Mark 3:22–26 was a b
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Risen Jesus
March 18, 2026
Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write the gospels that bear their names? The texts themselves do not name them as the authors and were published and