The 39 Articles of Religion: Article XVII, Of Baptism

Who and when should someone be baptized? There is no answer that has satisfied all Christian Churches. Anglicans, however, have taken a clear position, believing the Scriptures are sufficiently clear to affirm our baptismal practices. The primary disagreement among Christians is the baptism of children. As John Rogers writes, "Foundational to the baptism of infants who are the children of believers is the inclusion of children in the Covenant of grace. The inclusion of children as members of God's covenant people was made clear when circumcision, the sign of membership in the Abrahamic Covenant . . . was extended to the children." "Baptism, like circumcision, is to be administered to the children of the Covenant [of grace].

XVII. Of Baptism.

Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or New-Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God.

The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.