Kaste ja kasvatus lapsen käsitteen valossa
Abstract
Baptism and religious upbringing in the light of the concept of the child
The aim of this article is to examine how the logically different meanings of the term “child” direct different conceptions of being a child, as well as conceptions of baptism and religious upbringing. Martin Luther’s ideas, that enlarge the use of concepts “gift” and “child”, are utilized to challenge the current discussion that highlights the child’s right to choose baptism and religious upbringing. The concept of the child refers both to age- and development-based conceptions and to biological, social and psychological relations of being a child. There are theological parallels between being a child on the social level and on the theological level related to baptism and upbringing.
