Where does the practice of sprinkling as a mode of baptism come from?

Question

I grew up in a credobaptist tradition. Studying both Scripture and church history for myself without the blinders of tradition, I have come to accept paedobaptism, as I have come to a different understanding of what baptism is altogether.

However, try as I might, I have been unable to find any sources that seem to be giving sprinkling an honest look (from either credo or paedobaptist perspectives). As far as I can tell, credobaptists seem to simply lump it in with infant baptism (and therefore reject it as part of that), or as Catholic tradition (that pours over into later traditions, and therefore reject it as part of that), while paedobaptists seem to argue that you can't safely immerse an infant, and so sprinkling has to be acceptable. Both arguments seem circular to me.

Can someone help me out with sources, either in Scripture or early Church tradition, linking sprinkling with Christian baptism? Sprinkling/splashing was very much a part of Jewish tradition and law, but is it clear somewhere, or just assumed, that sprinkling according to Jewish custom was equivalent to baptism by immersion?

Answer 1

The Early Church

"Sprinkling" can refer to either baptism by affusion or by aspersion, as both basically amount to tiny little pours or droplets of water. While it might make sense to couple this practice with infant baptism for "safety" reasons (babies do actually reflexively hold their breath when submerged), that's not the real reason for this form of baptism.

We find in the Didache, which is a first century manual for how the Church does thing, in Chap 7, gives fairly explicit instructions on how to baptise.

And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

The "pour out water thrice" refers to affusion which literally means to pour onto (usually from a shell) or aspersion (perhaps using palm leaves or an aspergilium), which literally means to scatter upon. It can be used with anyone, not just babies. And, never fear, you can get pretty wet with either method!