Firstly, we have a historical record of the word "Catholic" (e.g. means 'universal' from the Greek καθόλου) being used in the Christian church by Christians to describe themselves and the Christian church as early as 107 AD (see Ignatius of Antioch's
Letter to the Smyrnaeans), only about 9 years after the death of John. It would be impossible to assert correctly that all 'Catholics' throughout history are 'heretics' for one would have to damn every Christian from the second century to the Protestant Reformation which would be a blatantly and egregious error to make.
The truth is that it took centuries for Roman Catholicism to emerge as a distinct theological entity [respite with authoritarian false doctrine and practices] from the simple, self governing, independent New Testament Catholic assemblies that existed from the time of the apostles in the first century.
Now let's discuss infant baptism. The most important Christian theologian in Rome in his day was Hippolytus (170 AD–235 AD) who stated, "If [the children] cannot [answer for themselves], let their parents answer, or someone from their family" with respect to water baptism arguing that young children were “covered” by their Christian parents (or guardians if their parents were deceased).
Furthermore, it's important to note that third and fourth-century Christian writers speak of the baptism of infants as an apostolic custom, though in the New Testament itself, the only piece of potentially hard evidence extant from apostolic times is the reference to the baptism of “households” in Acts (up to four cases) and in Paul (once).
The four New Testament references are Acts 10:2 when Cornelius feared God “with all his household [syn panti tō oikō autou],” and Peter was sent to declare to him “a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household [kai pas ho oikos sou]” (Acts 11:14); for Peter’s visit, Cornelius called together “his relatives and close friends” (Acts 10:24), and when “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word” spoken by Peter (Acts 10:44), the apostle commanded them [all] to be baptized (Acts 10:48); Acts 16:14–15, Lydia, whose heart the Lord had opened to Paul’s message, “was baptized, and her household [kai ho oikos autēs]”; Acts 16:31–32, Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailor “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household [su kai ho oikos sou],” and they “spoke the word of the Lord to him and to
all that were in his house [pasin tois en tē oikia autou]”; at once the jailor “was baptized, and
all those belonging to him [kai hoi autou hapantes]” (Acts 16:33), and “he rejoiced with
all his household [panoikei] that he had believed in God” (Acts 16:34); and Acts 18:8, “Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with
all his household [syn holō tō oikō autou]; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.” In 1 Corinthians 1:16 Paul writes that he “baptized the household of Stephen [ton Stephana oikon],” “the firstfruits of Achaia,” who “have devoted themselves to the service of the saints” (1 Cor 16:15).
As the story is told in some of these cases, it may be possible to equate the baptized with those who heard the word and believed, but in others the “household” that was “saved” may have been more extensive. In particular, those looking for apostolic evidence of infant baptism argue that the “households” which were “saved” and “baptized” will have included infants. However, in the estimation of those opposed to infant baptism, infants can hardly be said to have heard the word and believed and so will not have been baptized.
I will take the position that infant baptism certainly may have occurred historically in the church before the fourth century; however, it is not a theological requirement nor substitute for water immersion by one who has reached an age of where they can decide for themselves.
[Theological note: The classical modern debate on the early history of infant baptism is that between scholars
Joachim Jeremias arguing for (see the 2004 edition of '
Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries' by Joachim Jeremias) and
Kurt Aland arguing against (see the 2004 edition of '
Did the Early Church Baptize Infants?' by Kurt Aland)].
Reference the 'Dictionary of the later New Testament and its developments. 1997 (R. P. Martin & P. H. Davids, Ed.) Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. for a summary of that debate.
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