Who Will Cleanse from Postbaptismal Sins?
Bishops and Forgiveness from Postbaptismal Sins AD 250 to 391
- History & Biography
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Published: 2026
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Publisher's Description
The questions studied in this book are whether, in the period between AD 250 and 391, there was pardon for sins committed after water baptism, whether all sins were considered remissible after baptism or if there were exceptions, the conditions for obtaining such forgiveness, which actions constituted an appropriate manifestation of sorrow and remorse for sins, and which officers of the church held authority to hear and adjudicate confessions of sins and declare them forgiven on earth and in heaven. The book questions whether the decisions reached in this time period are applicable today. It is a sequel to the author’s “The Forgiveness of Post-Baptismal Sin in Ancient Christianity” in Churchman: A Journal of Anglican Theology 105.4, later expanded into the book Can Sins Be Forgiven After Baptism? (2019).
Endorsements (1)
“Dr. Brattston’s survey of the church’s policies regarding the forgiveness of sins after baptism is an important contribution to our understanding of the social impact of Christianity on the late Roman Empire. His conclusion, that such matters were decided locally on a case-by-case basis shows how the church was sensitive to local conditions even as it tried to establish a uniform discipline that would command respect everywhere. This study covers the fascinating period in which the church went from being a persecuted minority to becoming the official state religion and is of considerable importance in helping us comprehend that transition.”
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