Sunday, August 26, 2012

Why we're not baptising our daughter

A dark corner of my mind says that, at six months of age, you get your bouncing bundle of joy baptised.

But it is increasingly likely that my daughter won't be.

I know... you're stunned.

How can I? I WORK FOR A CHURCH!

Now, if you've baptised your child, then more power to you. That's awesome.

In a month or so my wife and I will have some kind of ceremony giving thanks for the blessing which Hanna is, but I can't bring myself to go through with a baptism.

If baptism is an outward sign of an inward change; an external identifier that you are dying to the First Adam and committing your life to Christ, why would we make that choice for a six month old?

Admittedly, confirmation is a fantastic public acknowledgement of what God has and is doing in your life (I remember mine fondly), but it misses the powerful symbolism which baptism provides (one which I have zero memory of).

Why would we deny Hanna the opportunity to make a public commitment of faith, knowing the significance of what she is undertaking?

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