Apparently, through his own study, Camus is convinced of the necessity of baptism and requests to be baptized, but Mumma refuses because Camus requested a private baptism. Instead, Mumma suggests that Camus continue his studies and postpone the baptism until "the two could agree on how to go about it."
A few months later Camus died in a car accident. There is no mention of whether Camus was ever baptized, but the reader is left to believe that he was not. The editors of
The One Year Book of Christian History then ask, "Do you expect to meet Albert Camus in heaven?"
I believe the more appropriate question is, Do we expect to see Howard Mumma in heaven? Did Philip refuse to baptize the Ethiopian Eunuch when only the two of them were present (Acts 8)? Did Paul refuse to baptize the Philippian jailer because it was an inconvenient hour (Acts 16)? Do the Scriptures anywhere mandate that a baptism must be a public occasion?
