The Parish of the Holy Cross, Shrewsbury
The
Abbey Office, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. SY2 6BS
Tel. 01743 232723 - email:
Parish Office
Why have your child baptised?
We hope that the following
questions and answers will help you understand further about baptism.
To give him/her
a proper name?
Children are properly named when their birth is registered.
To make sure he/she
keeps well?
Baptism is not a spiritual inoculation or insurance policy. Indeed, God
is displeased if parents and Godparents make the baptismal promises dishonestly.
Because granny
is pressing to have baby 'done'?
It's the child's parents who must give the child a Christian upbringing.
It is their faith which will count in the first instance, so they must
decide - whatever other people may wish.
To make sure that
the child will go to heaven if he/she dies young?
This idea is still prevalent today, but we would wonder what sort of a
God would judge children in such a way, whether they had been baptised
or not.
To thank God for
the child's birth?
This is a good thing to do, but there is a service especially for thanksgiving
for the birth of a child, which is not the same as baptism. A service
of thanksgiving is appropriate in instances where parents find it difficult
to make the promises demanded during baptism or when they want their child
to make up its own mind about baptism at a later date. The minister will
be pleased to advise.
To give the child
a good start in life?
Yes, baptism is an ideal beginning, but it is only a beginning. The child's
Christian upbringing must continue otherwise it is start of nothing and
the baptism is meaningless.
So the child can grow up as a Christian?
The act of baptism does not make anyone a Christian. That only happens when children reach a point of maturity when they can make a profession of trust in Jesus for themselves. Until then, they must rely on their parents and Godparents for their help and guidance.
| More Baptism information |
| About Godparents |
 |
Sunday |
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| Want
answers to the big questions of life? The Alpha Course |
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