Wronging a rite: The baby-talk baptism that replaces beauty with banality
by Peter Mullen, The Conservative Woman:
EVEN in Tier Three there are activities which the Government has not yet managed to ban. For instance, that which is sometimes referred to as the procreation of children.
Christenings, however, present difficulties. It so happened that a friend recently gave birth to her first child and I was invited to his Christening – if and when these ceremonies are permitted again.
Thankfully, in all our insecurities, the Church of England does not leave us comfortless. There is a reassuring note on the church’s webpage which says: ‘You can still contact a church and talk about plans for a date next year. Read more about how to contact your church. Meanwhile, use this site to explore what a Christening means. And even though churches are closed, there are some things you can do over the coming weeks.’
I thought a handy thing to do would be to read through the Baptism Service in Common Worship which, in most parishes, has replaced The Book of Common Prayer. Though as a parish priest I never used CW, I keep a copy (for reference only) on the high shelf reserved for the creations of Salman Rushdie and Carol Ann Duffy.
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