Not allowed a baptism if I was christened as a baby?

[Questionsaboutchrist]

I’m not from a Christian family but when I was 6 months old, my mum decided to have me Christened.


I’m now 21 and have recently found Jesus and have been talking with my church (Anglican) about baptism. We’ve been preparing for about 2 months and it would have been on Easter Sunday. I recently got an email asking for me to send my testimony draft and also emailed to double check that I wasn’t baptised as a child. I explained that I was christened but only due to tradition, not due to any faith.

The reverend then called me and explained that the Church of England wouldn’t allow me to get baptised because they believe the christening was baptism.

I thought baptism required us to believe, repent and then be baptised.

I’m obviously heartbroken as I was looking forward to this, I’d invited loads of people along and been getting all excited. I’ve written my testimony and was so excited. I’m so disappointed and confused.

I’m worried because I don’t understand about christenings and baptism. This was going to be really special for me. I just don’t understand why I’m not allowed.

Does anyone have any wisdom/ advice that might make me feel any better?

 

[Who Me]

I’m worried because I don’t understand about christenings and baptism. This was going to be really special for me. I just don’t understand why I’m not allowed.

Does anyone have any wisdom/ advice that might make me feel any better?

We're you ever confirmed as a teenager?
Confirmation is a CoE service where an adult ' confirms' the promises made on their behalf, when christened as a baby.
Talk to your vicar, because if you were not confirmed he can under CoE rules ' confirm ' your faith.
If he will do this then he can explain what is happening to the congregation.

I'm sorry but in the CoE they have to follow there rules.

 

[Hopeful 2]

I’m not from a Christian family but when I was 6 months old, my mum decided to have me Christened.


I’m now 21 and have recently found Jesus and have been talking with my church (Anglican) about baptism. We’ve been preparing for about 2 months and it would have been on Easter Sunday. I recently got an email asking for me to send my testimony draft and also emailed to double check that I wasn’t baptised as a child. I explained that I was christened but only due to tradition, not due to any faith.

The reverend then called me and explained that the Church of England wouldn’t allow me to get baptised because they believe the christening was baptism.

I thought baptism required us to believe, repent and then be baptised.

I’m obviously heartbroken as I was looking forward to this, I’d invited loads of people along and been getting all excited. I’ve written my testimony and was so excited. I’m so disappointed and confused.

I’m worried because I don’t understand about christenings and baptism. This was going to be really special for me. I just don’t understand why I’m not allowed.

Does anyone have any wisdom/ advice that might make me feel any better?

Hi Q', Welcome to the site.
You are right about baptism requiring a true repentance from sin first.
Peter outlines it perfectly, in Acts 2:38..." Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Babies can't turn from sin, (repentance from sin), nor do they have anything to repent of .
Your version of a church has put tradition above necessity.
Go elsewhere.

 

[miamited]

Hi Questionsaboutchrist

I always have problems with fellowships who think they are the authority over the rites of God. There is no proscription against a second baptism. Some might see it as a lack of faith on your part in not holding to the first, but you're the one who knows your heart. I agree with you wholeheartedly that there is no baptism in the faith of Jesus, where the person being baptized has no idea what they're doing. Even a child of young age will often be baptized because it's what mom or dad or grandpa or grandma might push them to do, without really making sure that they are understanding what Jesus has actually done for them. In either case, I also would seek after a second baptism, which would be the 'real' baptism for me.

Had a friend of mine, of the Catholic practice, whose priest wouldn't baptize her sons because they were 'born in sin'. It isn't the fellowship's job to police the baptismal against evil pretenders. If someone should profess faith in Jesus and seek to be baptized, then the fellowship should baptize them. Let God sort it out... He will.

God bless,
Ted

 

[WIP]

In the Lutheran church we believe, whether we are baptized as infants or adults, God's work is still valid therefore a second baptism is not necessary. When we baptize an infant, that infant later confirms his/her faith in confirmation by affirming their faith to the church.

 

[Knotical]

What are the specifics of your christening? Were you actually baptized during that ceremony, or just dedicated? There are mainly two types of baptism. There is the believers baptism which is administered when you grew up outside of the faith and were converted. Then there is infant baptism where a child is baptized as part of the covenant family. If you were baptized as part of the christening (paedo-baptism) that will suffice. There is no need for another baptism unless you come from a denomination that is generally not recognized as truly Christian into one that is. Then it would behoove you to be baptized again as the first one was, arguably, insufficient.

 

[Christ_empowered]

When I looked into converting to rcc my Presbyterian baby baptism was considered valid because the rcc regards many Protestants as separate brethren. I guess…take it as a compliment? I dunno

 

[WIP]

When I looked into converting to rcc my Presbyterian baby baptism was considered valid because the rcc regards many Protestants as separate brethren. I guess…take it as a compliment? I dunno

Yes, the Catholic church as does the Lutheran church will recognize infant baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as our Lord commanded. In both churches, baptism is much more than just a ritual, event, or celebration. In the Lutheran church we believe that water baptism along with God's spoken Word is the means of grace where we are given the gift of faith. As we get older we affirm that faith through a public confession at confirmation. Baptism is not something we do but is all God. We may be the vehicle by which it is done (means of grace) but God does the doing.

 

[Vinny37]

I’m not from a Christian family but when I was 6 months old, my mum decided to have me Christened.


I’m now 21 and have recently found Jesus and have been talking with my church (Anglican) about baptism. We’ve been preparing for about 2 months and it would have been on Easter Sunday. I recently got an email asking for me to send my testimony draft and also emailed to double check that I wasn’t baptised as a child. I explained that I was christened but only due to tradition, not due to any faith.

The reverend then called me and explained that the Church of England wouldn’t allow me to get baptised because they believe the christening was baptism.

I thought baptism required us to believe, repent and then be baptised.

I’m obviously heartbroken as I was looking forward to this, I’d invited loads of people along and been getting all excited. I’ve written my testimony and was so excited. I’m so disappointed and confused.

I’m worried because I don’t understand about christenings and baptism. This was going to be really special for me. I just don’t understand why I’m not allowed.

Does anyone have any wisdom/ advice that might make me feel any better?

Sadly it is church politics at play. Anglicanism, among others, deems infant ‘baptism’ to be valid Christian water-baptism. It is not, but if it were, such would preclude what would be a second water-baptism. There have been such fights before, such as against what were misnamed Anabaptists. But biblically you have a right to be water-baptised. When I was in one Pentecostal church we sometimes had Anglicans come to us to be water-baptised. It’s not a new issue.

Anglicanism has a range of churches from tremendous to terrible and sub-Christian or anti-Christian, wolves among the sheep. If you are in a good one, as I have been, and with good folk, I’d recommend staying with it, though looking around for a good local church to water-baptise you. Perhaps email/phone a few which do believer water-baptism? Evangelical, Baptist, & pentecostal, churches tend to do so. But unless you are seeking a different church, make it clear that you’re not looking to be ‘poached’! And be aware that some churches are so informal as to water-baptise in a house bath-tub—I’ve been to such, and biblically is as valid as the River Jordan. If you shortlist, it might even be good to check out such churches before inviting any mates. There are weird and wonderful churches about which can take some getting used to.

Water-baptism is personal dramatisation of spiritual birth—Rm.6 covers it well. Like spirit-baptism, it is not essential, does not predate conversion, and is helpful to Christian life. In some times & places it risks inviting persecution (suffering-baptism), even as flying a State of Israel flag would be rather risky in a Hamas demo. But it is in awareness of Christ who died a martyr’s death for us, and in public celebration of spiritual life begun in Christ’s church through his death.

 

[Josef]

Hey All,
Quesrionsaboutchrist, first do not worry about your salvation. You have repented, if you have welcomed Jesus into your heart, you are saved.
There is nothing wrong with the christening you received as a child. But I see nothing wrong with being baptized again as an adult so that it has a real meaning to you. I do not see anything Scripturally against the practice. You are not being disrespectful. People who are married renew their wedding vows. The renewal does not negate the original vows. I believe the same principle would apply to baptism. So a second baptism would not negate your christening.

Doesn't baptism need to be meaningful to the person who is being baptized? It is an act of obedience. I understand the infant baptism. But how meaningful is it to a child? The child did not make a conscious decision; as an adult, you would. You don't have to be baptized in the Anglican church for it to be effective.

Keep walking everybody.
May God bless,
Taz