Opening Ceremonies - Article 27/39

XXVII. 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 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.

We note that the words baptism and christening were interchangeable for the Reformers. Initiation rites are important but, as discussed previously, controversial. Our local Baptist Church used to borrow one of our Parish Churches with a baptistery for their baptisms. We used to ask, as a courtesy, that they did not baptise people there who had previously been baptised as infants in the Church of England.

A member of my church, previously baptised as an infant, came to a living faith of his own. Wanting to make a public profession for himself we prepared him for confirmation and he was duly confirmed. Some years later he and his whole family left for a free evangelical church in order to allow his teenage children to experience a larger youth group (how hard it is for small churches to keep their teenagers) and they persuaded him to be baptised.

Now that's odd but it does show that many people desire the experience of baptism over and above the willingness to come to terms with the responsibilities of being a baptised person. I was baptised at four months and came to faith at about 19. Having been an ordained minister for 34 years now it is strange that many Christian churches will not consider I have been properly initiated.

Here's a tale. The Queen is booked to open a shopping centre. It is one of those rare occasions where the building project finished early and so shops are merrily trading for three weeks before the grand opening ceremony. On the day of the ceremony the Centre remains closed until 10.00 a.m. until the ribbon is cut and the plaque unveiled. Then trading continues.

Alternatively it is one of those less-than-rare occasions where the building work over-runs. On the day Her Maj is due all work stops and red carpet is placed over concrete. Barriers are erected in front of incomplete structures. The ribbon is cut, the plaque unveiled and then the builders hasten to finish the job.

Opening ceremonies do not have to precisely match the beginning of functionality.

Perfectly Clear - Article 16/39

XVI. OF SIN AFTER BAPTISM

NOT every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

Once you are in Christ, which for the reformers was after baptism, you can still sin and you can still be forgiven. We note they continue to grind the same axe, which is pretty sharp by now.

Let me tell you about my church. It is the only Christian church that meets on the estate. Not many of the regulars are dyed-in-the-wool Anglicans. The idea of confirmation (which I sell annually) is anathema to many who were baptised as adults. Even the idea of asking God to provide you with all the things you need to be a member of the Church of England (and that is a lot of gifts) doesn't cut the mustard. We've been independent for over two years but my confirmation register is empty.

So is my baptism one. Many of my folk also choose a thanksgiving for their children rather than baptism (more on this at Article 27), preferring to allow them to make the decision for themselves when they are older and to 'experience' baptism. It came as slight shock to one of our families when the children asked to be baptised aged 7 and 9 but we did it and it was great fun, outdoors in a paddling pool.

Why am I telling you this? Well we also operate an open table at communion. All those who want to be included in what we think we're up to when we do church are welcome to have bread and wine (raisins for small kids). Even babies just on solids. Because for us communion is not a sign of Christian maturity. It is a sign of belonging. To my Anglo-Catholic friends I am just a memorialist – I will pick up that glove as it lies at my feet and hold it dear. We don't check baptism certificates at the door.

What is the minimum a church must do to consider itself a Church of England Church? My neighbouring Rector suggested that it puts itself under the authority of the Bishop. We do this. Gladly and willingly.

Are we the finished article? By no means? Do we get things wrong? Absolutely and often. This Article adds one further small thought – it denies the theology of perfectionism.

I'd like to do more baptisms. I'd like to arrange some confirmations. But I don't want to be any less inclusive, welcoming or hospitable. There isn't as much bad theology around as people think.

Dead Dirty - A Poem for Pentecost

And another poem I wrote a couple of years ago but have never used, published or performed:

Dead dirty

Before the water you are thirsty

You are thirsty

As you approach the baptist you are thirsty

Your thirst to be quenched if you drink

As a sign of trusting the saviour you trust the baptist

To give you safe water

And refresh you

If you don't you stay parched

Before the water you are dirty

You are dirty

As you approach the baptist you are dirty

You will only be clean if he washes you

As a sign of trusting the saviour you trust the baptist

To wash you

And make you clean

And if you don't you stay dirty

Underwater you are dead

You are dead

As the baptist holds you under the water you are dead

You will only live if he releases you.

As a sign of trusting the saviour you trust the baptist

To let you go

And release you back into the wild.

And if he doesn't you are dead

Thirsty, dirty and dead

Dr Theo

This morning we welcome back Dr Theo Claptrap, eminent Anglican scholar, academic and eccentric, to the site to answer your questions on matters liturgical, biblical and ecclesiastical. Prepare for insensitivity if our experience is anything to go by. Welcome Dr Theo.

Morning. Do you have questions or what? I'm busy.

Quite. Only one today. That Royal Baptism? Was it a proper baptism or just a Christening?

Two words for the same thing. You had me drive all the way out here just to say that?

So why do we use two words?

Well the non-conformists - you know Anabaptists, free evangelicals, house church movement, other fruit loops - don't think what happened was a proper baptism so they tend to use the other word. Plus lots of people who can't tell their font from their baptistry just like a nice do for the baby and they avoid the b word.

Methodists?

Who cares what the Methodists think?

So why don't some people think it was 'proper'?

The general objection is that you need to make a profession of faith from your own lips before you can be baptised. Babies can't do that.

Isn't that where confirmation comes in?

Well yes. But a moment's thought tells you several reasons why others - the dumb, the stoopid - also can't make a profession of faith from their own lips so it ain't a hard and fast rule.

So you would say the only way to include someone in the household of faith is to baptise them?

Not just me. The Bible sees whole households baptised and this was the practice of the early church from way back when. It's only those whack-jobs who want to make faith a 'personal' thing who get this utterly, utterly wrong. It's about inclusion not maturity.

Some people say the service must be public.

Yeah right. Like the Ethiopian official in Acts?

And how many godparents?

Three is plenty but give royalty a bit of leash. You don't want to go upsetting Benjamin Battersby-Blenkinsop or the co-Prince Regent of Lower Bavaria.

Are those real people?

Idiot.

Sprinkling or immersion?

Who cares? Inuit have a problem either way.

Re-baptism?

What, like re-building, re-constructing, re-opening?

Yeah.

Well it's nothing like those things. Only thing you can do is argue that the first baptism wasn't valid. Either it was the opening ceremony or not. You don't re-open something that has never been closed.

Re-launch?

Have a re-affirmation of baptism vows. Or a confirmation. Chuck some water around if that's what makes you happy. Inuit watch out for the sharp bits.

Christening gowns?

No time to stitch those up or get them cleaned. Bible's motto is 'Quick, get the water.' One baptism. Once. Now.

Thank you very much Dr Theo.

My burden. Got any gin?

Well that should won't might get on the agenda of theological colleges any time soon. Dr Claptrap will be back when the flack has died down. About two years is normally the gap. Thanks to the late Miles Kington for doing this sort of thing so well.

A Few Thoughts on Baptism

Recently a member of the church I pastor - we'll call him Bill - left to join another, local evangelical church. Not an Anglican one. This member had been baptised and confirmed an Anglican and I had the great pleasure of baptising one of his children, old enough to make the promises for herself.

Another member of the church approached me a few weeks later and asked how I thought she should respond to an invitation to Bill's baptism. Apparently he was being baptised by immersion into membership of this new church.

We seem to be in a mess about baptism again.

The arguments for and against infant baptism have been well rehearsed. To summarise the pro position - whole households were baptised in the New Testament which knows of no way to treat someone as a Christian except to baptise them.

Those who practice only 'believers'' baptism argue that a profession of faith is needed from the lips of the candidate before any baptism takes place. Such people object to the practice of infant baptism (they tend to call it 'christening') and particularly to indiscriminate baptism which treats everyone as in before they opt out rather than vice-versa.

I don't think it's ever going to be resolved although it is a muddle for those who are on the outside of the church looking in. A parish with a strict policy looks silly if people simply go to another church of the same denomination just down the road.

As many of you know the practice of confirmation is to allow those who were baptised as infants to make their promises for themselves. It is administered by a bishop (I know not why). It is also the rite of full membership of the Anglican church although it feels a little odd to many adult converts who are asked to be baptised and then confirmed in quick succession. I was baptised aged 4 months and confirmed aged 19.

I wondered what they did at an American church I really respect - Mars Hill Bible Church. Their web-site states their policy as 'accepting anyone's baptism as valid if they do.' So, if you are satisfied that your 'christening' aged 4 months was valid, Mars Hill will be too. If you are not they will baptise you.

It saves a  lot of trouble and offers those who practice infant baptism more respect than most non-Anglicans do.

As with much Anglican stuff, I wouldn't choose to start from here, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Stairway

Wonderful story from a source at CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society). The short cartoon video 'Stairway' tells the story of a couple bringing a child for baptism. It is a training tool for the church to use in visiting. A previous General Director apparently decreed that the female minister depicted by go-ahead CPAS back in the day, should be replaced by a man when the video was reprinted. This was done.

'What nobody knows' says my source, 'is that he is gay.' Priceless.

Initiation

You know there are several different things an organisation might make you do if you wanted to take out membership. Fill out an application form. Register online. Pay a subscription. Undergo an interview. Call in to one of our branches.

How far down the list, how far down the list of possible induction proceedures would you expect to find, 'Be plunged into a large amount of cold water?'

And we wonder why the church is struggling. Just a thought.

Baptism

The baptistry at Holy Trinity, Nailsea is set into the church floor. To develop it permission was granted to remove human remains. When the church was originally built many burials took place under the church floor until that was full. Then the church yard was used. So candidates being baptised by immersion are being sent down under the water and amongst the dead. They are in the only part of the under floor area of the church or graveyard that contains no bones. Fantastic symbolism.

It is with a great sense of mischief and rejoicing then that I will try on Sunday evening to avoid making any reference to the fact that the surname of two of those to be baptised is Boddy. I may fail. Sorry in advance.

Baptism Policy

I enjoy dipping into Good in Parts, the blog of Kathryn, an anglican curate learning on the job. There is an interesting post about whether Godparents should be Christians.

When I was in my first curacy I visited a family who had asked for baptism and I made the appropriate arrangements. They were not a church-going family but agreed to the baptism taking place in a main service. We (the vicar and I) usually went through the service on one occasion and discussed the responsibilities of bringing up a child as a Christian on another. We often suspected that we wouldn't see families such as this until their second-born arrived but we tended to be welcoming and interested in staying in touch.

We invited newly baptised children to our children's groups and playgroups and generally built quite good growth by not saying 'no' if possible. Like Kathryn we wanted to be inclusive and helpful.

Well this family came to church and had the baptism and shortly afterwards sent me a change of address card to say they'd moved down the road from Mapperley to Porchester. I sent a card.

A few weeks later I discovered I had been conned. They had never lived in the house I visited them in; it was a relative's house. They had moved in for the night, put their own wedding photos on the mantlepiece and, with the house owners hiding upstairs in the bedroom trying not to giggle, welcomed me in. Twice.

They wanted a baptism at St Jude's because that is where they were married. And if they'd come to church for a few weeks before hand we would have agreed.

No matter what hoops you give people to jump through - training evenings, preparation classes or attendance at three to ten services - they will usually jump. It taught me that some people are so desperate for the tradition of baptism in a particular place that they will even lie to get it. I think I lowered my expectations at that point. When visiting before baptisms I sometimes tell this tale and ask the question, if you get what you want, what will it mean?