Baptisms and Christenings was written by the Revd Giles Legood, co-author of 'The Godparents' Handbook' (SPCK,1997), £4.99
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You have recently had a baby and you are thinking of having it baptised (christened)? Congratulations! The birth of a baby is a good reason to think about the mystery of life. We are struck by the miracle of evolution that can produce life. Perhaps your children are a little older and you are only now thinking about what faith is all about. Perhaps you are thinking of being baptised yourself and making a commitment to Christ and the Church. Whatever your reason for thinking about baptism these pages will help you think through some of the issues involved and help you with the events of the service.
The decision to undergo baptism is an exciting decision. For parents and Godparents of young children it is also a helpful reminder of their own decision to join the Christian Church. Do take the chance to talk through any questions you have about the service or about the Christian faith with the priest who will be leading the baptism service.
Many, many people will have been to a baptism service. Although the baptism itself is often over quite quickly the baptism service is rich in imagery and it can be much more meaningful if this symbolism and imagery is understood. At the heart of the service is the symbolism of water being poured over the person who is being baptised. This act goes back thousands of years and was given special meaning by Jesus himself.
When Jesus was about 30 years old, he began his ministry of teaching and preaching by presenting himself for baptism by John the Baptist. John modelled himself on the great prophets of Israel who lived in the eighth century before Christ. John believed that God was about to usher in a new age and called on the Jewish people to prepare for this by repenting of their sins and being baptised. John stood in the river Jordan and called on those around him to come and get baptised in the river. John baptised by immersing the entire person in the water. After Jesus’ death the church grew very rapidly and baptism became the way of joining the Christian community. In most cases, new members were adults who had about heard the story of Jesus and wanted to follow him receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
As the Church started to grow, the practice of baptising children became more common. Origen, writing in the third century, remarks in passing that, “the Church has received from the apostles the tradition of baptizing children.” Hippolytus of Rome, also writing in the third century, comments, “Children will be baptized first. All those who can speak for themselves will speak. As for those who cannot, their parents or one of their family will speak for them.” Although some of the Church Fathers (leaders of the early Church who formulated doctrine) thought it was more sensible to wait for children to grow up so they can affirm their own faith as an adult, most thought that children could be baptized if they came from Christian homes. Those who held this view thought it important that such children would be surrounded by the faith as they grew up.
The decision for baptism is a decision about joining the Christian community. As we have seen, this has been the case since the earliest days of Christianity. All converts to Christianity proclaimed their faith by being baptized. Today when a people are baptized they (or their parents and Godparents, in the case of young children) are declaring their intention to grow as a member of the Christian community. They are joining a community that is almost 2000 years old and is found in virtually every country in the world.
The Christian community is not simply another club. There are lots of associations that provide a social life and support. The church is a community which believes that life should be centred on God as revealed in the life of Jesus. It is a community committed to praying for those who are its members and those who are not. Christianity is a religion that demands that our faith be put into action to create a better world. Not only should we love others as individuals, but we should change society so that it is a better place in which to live. Christians have a desire to change the world and make it more like the one they believe God intended.
For centuries the great majority of Christians have talked about baptism as a sacrament. A sacrament is a sign of a reality that God has given to us. In baptism water is taken, blessed and poured over the candidate three times, in the name of the Christian Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
At a baptism service certain elements take place. Though their order may vary from one service to another, they are:
Additionally, the service may include clothing the candidates for baptism with a white garment.
At baptism promises are made provide those being baptised with the resources, opportunities, and encouragement to follow Christ as they grow up. The fulfilment of baptism is confirmation. The decision to be confirmed is one made by someone who is not a young child. Here a person, “confirms.” the decision made on their behalf by their parents and Godparents at baptism.
