Circumcision/baptism Question

[Brother Adam]

I'm confused about how only boys are circumcised in the Jewish faith, but suddenly in baptism, it is boys and girls. How were girls introduced to Judiasm?

[ICTHUS]

Girls were incorporated into the Old Covenant by being a member of the household of a man who was under the Covenant.

The following is from a defense of paedobaptism that I wrote some time ago, which can be found [url="http://www.christianguitar.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1112655&postcount=76"]here[/url] if you're interested in reading the whole thing.

[quote]Female children were made members of the Old Covenant by being a member of the household of a circumcised (i.e. within the Covenant) male. Genesis 34:13-24 demonstrates that a group of Jewish males refused to give their sister in marriage to a man who was not circumcised, implying that a female was outside the Old Covenant (and therefore, not a member of Gods people) if she was in the household of an uncircumcised male. [/quote]

This is from a Protestant website, but I think it speaks succinctly to the issue:

[b]Q. Why was circumcision—the outward seal of church membership in the Old Testament dispensation—not applied to females?[/b]

A. Because the female in the Old Testament dispensation was always represented in the male. The man is responsible for particular acts, not the woman (Gen. 2:16-17; Gen. 3:9-11; Lev. 27:2; Num. 30).

[Bruce S]

As an interesting aside, Muslims "circumcise" or more accurately "clitorectomy" females too.

And remember, Abraham was only circumcised 15 YEARS AFTER he entered into a covenental arrangement with God. It was ONLY the outward sign, NOT the two way convent, Jews got that one wrong, still do.

Baptism MUST be done with a persons KNOWING ASSENT to be fully a deliberate decision to be "Born Again" of water and spirit. Child baptism is not done with the assent of the individual, but with stand-in's for the child.

I have been both baptised as a child, in the Catholic Church, and as a willing adult, outside the Catholic Church.

[Jake Huether]

[quote name='Bruce S' date='Apr 6 2004, 04:52 AM'] As an interesting aside, Muslims "circumcise" or more accurately "clitorectomy" females too.

And remember, Abraham was only circumcised 15 YEARS AFTER he entered into a covenental arrangement with God. It was ONLY the outward sign, NOT the two way convent, Jews got that one wrong, still do.

Baptism MUST be done with a persons KNOWING ASSENT to be fully a deliberate decision to be "Born Again" of water and spirit. Child baptism is not done with the assent of the individual, but with stand-in's for the child.

I have been both baptised as a child, in the Catholic Church, and as a willing adult, outside the Catholic Church. [/quote]
Interesting...

I thought God told Abraham to have all babies circumsised 8 DAYS after their birth.

And where in the Bible (or anywhere in history prior to the 16th century) was it mandated that Baptism required a persons knowing assent?