The Rev Dr Tim Stratford, from Kirkby, said a group of clergy from deprived parishes in the Liverpool Diocese had discussed their misgivings about some of the language in the baptismal service.
He said the tension between understandability and historic theological references was “as sharp as ever” in rites such as baptism involving large numbers of people including parents and godparents who are “unchurched”.
One of the passages highlighted by the group was the Prayer over Water, during the baptismal service, which speaks of the children of Israel being led from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.
How about a sermon or homily that teaches and explains the rite of baptism in a situation like this? If parents are “unchurched” seeking baptism for their child, doesn’t the rector have a repsonsibility to first teach the parents?
He sure does, and any priest who [i]doesn’t[/i] isn’t doing his job!
This looks like a less sensational version of the Daily Mail piece on “baptism lite” posted on this site 3 days ago. “Drive-by baptism” might be more accurate. Along with #1 above, I wonder why C of E clergy don’t seem to welcome the child’s baptism as an opportunity to interpret the symbolic language, to teach parents and godparents (and guests) on the meaning of baptism.
Or why that wasn’t addressed in the preparation time with parents and godparents.
I’m not trying to be disdainful of the parents and godparents. I don’t think their ignorance is entirely their fault.
But I wonder why “unchurched” people are being selected as godparents without the expectation that they will have to learn something in order to fulfill the commitments they are making. Good luck with that.
Pax Christi!
Chuck Bradshaw
Hulls Cove, Maine
What is left out is that the “churched” are unchurched. Front end to back door. These buildings will make great condos or “Grace and Favor” apartments.
Hmmm, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I think that teaching and sacrament preparation are vital. On the other hand, he says the impetus for offering an alternative, simpler prayer is to reach the “distressed” areas and their populations.
I get that, having taught in “distressed” areas. Those with a low level of literacy and a poor educational background won’t understand the implications of what is happening unless you frame it all in terms that they can understand. In teaching Steinbeck to such students, I started with “Of Mice and Men,” not “The Grapes of Wrath.” I can see the need to do the same in bringing the Good News to the less-advantaged.
However, the Church shouldn’t leave them there. They need to commit to ongoing catechesis of the masses, especially “the distressed” so that one day they CAN appreciate the complexity and beauty of the theological equivalent of “The Grapes …”
There’s not only “new” people with complete ignorance, there’s their parents, who might have had some understanding & just didn’t care especially. I marvel at the family that asked my sister to be a godmother 30+ years ago in Britain. The mother was a public school religious teacher. And an atheist, as was the father. It didn’t stop them from going through the stupid gesture of an Anglican baptism for their child. The first thing one might endeavor to do is advise people that sacraments are not magic or social ritual. If clergy (big if) had the guts to say “no” to such baptisms things would be on the first step to improvement, but guts are not required from the highest level of cleric to the lowest. In fact they’re selected against so each successive year gets worse.