BAPTISM OF INFANTS
800.2
800.2. The Baptism of
Infants or Young Children
When
the sponsors shall have presented themselves with the child (or children) the
minister shall say:
DEARLY
BELOVED: The sacrament of baptism is the
sign and seal of the new covenant of grace.
[While we do not hold that baptism imparts the regenerating grace of
God, we do believe that Christian baptism]
It is a powerful instance of God’s prevenient grace signifying [signifies] for this young child God’s
gracious acceptance within the community of Christian faith [on the basis of
prevenient grace]. It anticipates his
(her) personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ.
The earliest and simplest statement of Christian belief,
into which you now bring your child to be baptized, is the Apostles’ Creed,
which reads as follows:
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven
and earth;
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was
conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin
Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He
descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended
into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence
He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
“I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic
(universal) Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”
Will you have your child baptized into this faith? If so, answer, “I will.”
Response: I will.
In presenting this child for baptism you are hereby
witnessing to your own personal Christian faith and to your purpose to guide
him (her) early in life to a knowledge of Christ as Savior. To this end it is your duty to teach him
(her), as soon as he (she) shall be able to learn, the nature and end of this
holy sacrament; to watch over his (her) education, that he (she) may not be
lead astray; to direct his (her) feet to the sanctuary; to restrain him (her)
from evil associates and habits; and as much as in you lies, to bring him (her)
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The minister may then ask the parents or guardians to name the child, and shall then baptize the child, repeating his (her) full name and saying:
_______________,
I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
The
minister may then offer the following prayer or may use an extemporary
prayer.
Heavenly
Father, we humbly pray that Thou wilt take this child into Thy loving
care. Abundantly enrich him (her) with
Thy heavenly grace; bring him (her) safely through the perils of childhood;
deliver him (her) from the temptations of youth; lead him (her) to a personal
knowledge of Christ as Savior; help him (her) to grow in wisdom, and in
stature, and in favor with God and man, and to persevere therein to the
end. Uphold the parents with loving
care, that with wise counsel and holy example they may faithfully discharge
their responsibilities to both this child and to Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1. The changes above
bring this ritual of baptism into much closer alignment with the ritual for The
Baptism of Believers. Since believers
and infant baptisms are both Christian baptisms, they should reflect the same
reality.
2. While the changes
above bring this ritual into much closer alignment with that of The Baptism of
Believers, it marks a greater distinction between it and the rituals for The
Dedication of Infants or Young Children.
Since those two acts are significantly different, it is fitting that the
rituals be sufficiently distinct.
3. While clarifying
statements can be made parenthetically by the presiding clergy, we need not
state in the ritual itself what we do not
believe, but rather what we do believe. The above resolution allows us to make the
baptism of infants and young children a positive, celebratory time, rather than
presenting a sense of uncertainty or defensiveness, which the wording of the current
ritual may produce.
4. The above
resolution is more consistent with Wesleyan sacramental theology and the
teachings of John Wesley, which utilizes the Apostles’ Creed, and which speaks
of the sacraments as means of God’s
grace. (It is not that baptism, itself,
imparts any grace, but rather that God does
impart grace through the means, by faith.)
5. The above
resolution is more closely in line with Article of Faith XII. Baptism,
paragraph 16, in that it neither reduces our beliefs, nor imposes doctrinal
positions not stated within the Article of Faith. Thus, the above resolution provides a ritual
that is readily usable for all who espouse belief in Article of Faith XII,
whereas, the current ritual is does not provide such an opportunity for all who
wholeheartedly espouse belief in Article of Faith XII.
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