– Thomas G. Long

To see how the theology of Christian baptism speaks to a contemporary issue like sexuality and ordination, we must first understand baptism itself, and to do that is to grapple with the symbols of water and fire. Whether in a font, a pool, or a river, water is the central symbol of baptism, just as bread and wine are the central symbols of the Lord’s Supper. But to the symbol of water, Jesus added the symbol of fire…

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