February 5, 2005

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  A friend revealed to me that they were not 100% sure/comfortable about the practice of Paedopatism... so this post is for her...excerpted from a paper, so pls excuse any (in this case inadvertant) pedantism...   Paedobaptism is the baptism of infants.  In contrast to those churches, such as the Baptist churches, whivh practice the ‘baptism of believers’, the sacrament of baptism is administered to infants in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist and other Protestant churches.  While not having the amount of scriptural support enjoyed by the baptism of believers, infant baptism can be supported by Scripture in the story in Acts of the baptism of the jailor and all his family (presumably there were infants and young children).  Likewise, when Jesus commanded his disciples to go and baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, he clearly did not specify who should receive this baptism.  Our Lord is silent in this regard.   Baptism is regarded as a sacrament by most mainline churches, although for the Baptist it is considered an ordinance, not a sacrament.  Whether or not it holds sacramental value, baptism is considered to be the primary rite of initiation into the Christian faith.  There is some question as to what happens during baptism, not just with the sign of water or the seal of the promises of Christ.  There seems to be an underlying something that has even the Baptist church, which does not view the rite as a sacrament, still considering it a requirement for membership.   One view of the sacrament is as being an opportunity for communal witness, for the community of faith into which the baby is born to make promises to support the child in his/her walk of faith, and for the adults to renew their own baptismal vows.  The signs and seals are present, and the adults participate in this communal witness as well.  For others, though, the sacrament is more than that.   Both the Anglican and the Roman Catholic Church hold baptism as a full sacrament, a visible sign of and inward and invisible grace.  The difference comes in the quality of that grace.  The Roman Catholic sees the sacrament as intrinsically imparting grace apart from any action of the baptized, an infused grace, which actually is necessary for salvation.  For the Episcopalian (Anglican), the grace is the grace of God, freely given to all who believe, and is responded to on behalf of the presented child by the parents and godparents of the baby.  The sacrament is not viewed as essential for salvation, but provides a spiritual help for the child’s walk in the Christian life.   Since the infant is not old enough to be able to profess any belief on his/her own, some would question whether the sacrament could be considered valid, let alone efficacious.  As the first step in the Christian life, it is easy to see why parents, thrilled by their own experience of God’s grace, would want their children to partake also.  However, provision should be made for the child to make their own faith profession as soon as they are capable, and this is why most churches that practice infant baptism also have the rite of Confirmation.   I used to be ambivalent about infant baptism.  I felt that it was helpful in keeping parents committed to the Christian path, since they might be more likely to adhere to Christian beliefs and practices if they were providing an example for their children.  I now feel that there is some activity of grace that takes place during the rite that transcends simply being a communal witness.  I feel that if I had not been sealed to Christ’s resurrection and the promises of that resurrection as a child, I might not be studying for the priesthood today.  Because she was baptized as an infant, I rest in the promises of Christ for my niece, who is in the midst of that teenage angst that can often corrupt, if not destroy, faith in God.  I do not see baptism as being necessary for my salvation, but it has been an incredible spiritual help in my journey, and that is due to its inherent grace.  Something happens there, more than just damp hair…

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