General Synod have this week been discussing the proposal to simplify some if the language in the baptismal liturgy. This issue has been in and out of the news for several weeks with all sorts of crazy headlines including "taking Christianity out if christenings" and similar.
I'm pleased to say that the BBC has reported sensibly, as I expect of them; discussing the real issues about parents and godparents understanding the service when they choose to have their child baptised.
So what do I think?
Well I am no liturgical traditionalist, but I love the formality and weight of the baptism service. It is a weighty decision to have your child baptised into the church, I like that the service shows this.
We are discussing re-introducing baptism courses at church which will help that parents and godparents understand the decision, commitment and service. Surely this is a better idea than simplifying the service alone.
The service can be hard for the guests to understand, but surely it is down to the priest to help explain the service as part of the presiding role. I have never just blindly read a liturgy at a service, it is explained and enhanced as part of the presiding.
Basically I'm not opposed totally to these plans, but I do wonder whether it is perhaps missing the bigger issues of education of both churches and baptism families.
What do you think?
3 comments:
I do welcome the thought of simplifying the service of Baptism. It's often hard to explain just how serious it has to be.
Like you though I hope they don't overdo it.
The thing is, simplifying it or not, it won't make a difference to those who stand and repeat the words without meaning them at all. At our old church, a rather pretty village church, with ample photo opportunity for weddings and baptisms (cynnical enough yet..?!) used to have stacks of baptisms where people who had never even set foot in the church before would bring their babies and 300 London friends for the Sunday service, just to get them dunked, then never be seen again.
Now of course I am not against them bringing their children to be baptised, I firmly believe that something spiritual happens during baptism and I would not want to deter people from giving their chidlren that opportunity. It's just the mindless hypocrisy of it all that irritates me.
Personally, I don't think the service is overly complicated anyway, but I would like to see all parents (and Godparents) who are bringing their children for baptism, having to attend some sort of session (even just an hour would do) explaining to them what they are actually saying during the service and that perhaps they should think about that first!
sorry of that seems rather negative - pet hate from old church!
red :)
Our practice here in Yateley is to do two baptism prep visits to each 'family' before the service. The first one is done by me, a Reader/LLM, and includes me usually showing the CPAS DVD which is excellent at last 10 minutes, and talking through with the adults what the different elements of the baptism liturgy mean, and generally suggesting elements of church life that the family can get involved in at a level they can cope with as they start this journey of faith together (which is normally the case).
Our vicar (or currently a neighbouring 'spare' clergyperson since we're in vacancy) then does a second visit to get to know the family themselves before the service, and follow up on any questions they may have and make up for my theological weaknesses.
And, all our baptism services take place in a Sunday service where the family of the church can really make them properly welcome, but where they experience, at least once, what it means to take part in Christian worship.
We've also (once) had a baptism in a Messy Church (saturday afternoon) service!
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