The Heart Matters

Last week I attended a Catholic baptism for my nephew Dennison. I was really looking forward to meeting this newest addition to the Gerber clan, but I must admit I was also a bit apprehensive. My apprehension had nothing to do with potentially explosive interactions, quite familiar to the Gerbers and the Harnacks in attendance, rather what had unsettled me was knowing that soon I would be witnessing the rite of infant baptism, a practice that has confounded me since I first began actively reading the Bible for myself.

Being raised in the Lutheran church, infant baptism was a big deal for everyone in attendance. There was always the pre-ceremony build up. This small child was soon to be a member of God’s family. It was a big deal. God parents were selected and solemn vows were taken. The whole congregation would raise up their voices as one, reciting the words set before them in the service manual. I somehow believed that child would not have to burn in hell if death preceded adulthood. Adulthood somehow coincided with eighth grade confirmation. Hmm… It was not until I began to read scripture for myself that I questioned this practice.

But this day, I was attending my nephew’s baptism, not of the Lutheran Church, but of the Catholic Church. My brother’s wife is Catholic and he, I believe, still considers himself a Lutheran. I recall that he agreed to raise their children as Catholic so that he could be married in the Catholic Church. Honestly, this has always confounded me. How could someone agree to raise their kids in a faith that they themselves are not in agreement with? I never understood this.

But I have digressed from my point which is that infant baptism unsettles me as a Bible reading Christian, or at least this particular ceremony confounded me. Here are the things that really bothered me:

First, the lack of scripture used during this ritual. This bothered me the most. I mean, what or who is the authority or power behind this sacrament. The priest read from some liturgical material and talked a lot about the family of God and that this particular child was now somehow set free from being born into original sin. The priest mentioned that in some mysterious way that now this child contained “the Spirit in part” and that “upon confirmation the whole of the Spirit would either indwell or rest” upon my nephew.

This really confused me for several reasons:

One, how can one person have a part of the Spirit? Is not the Spirit, God Himself, a complete person? Can the Spirit just splinter part of Himself off to people and plant a “Spirit seed” that matures upon the rite of confirmation? Where was the scripture to support this view? Huh?

Two, is not baptism a witness of individual choice? Baptism, from what scripture shows, is a proclamation of what has already happened, meaning that the Spirit has already indwelled a believer. Baptism does not make one pure, as once was practiced in Israel through purification rites, rather a believer has already been made pure through the sacrifice that Christ made upon the cross. Baptism is a public testimony of what Christ has already done for someone who has made a choice to accept Him as Lord and Savior.

Three, how does the act of confirmation bestow the fullness of the Spirit? Again, is it not an act of faith to believe in Christ that makes one part of His family? All the reading and classes or rites can do nothing apart from faith. At least this is what I believe the scriptures to indicate.

A second thing that disturbed me about this baptism was that this particular priest did not even know my nephew. I suppose he knew my sister-in-law’s family, but she and my brother live in Colorado. Her local community or “church” did not participate in this “welcoming into the family of God.” It seemed strange to not have a ceremony in the community where you live. I guess it is like going back to your hometown to get married. I suppose the priest was welcoming my nephew into the universal body of Christ. It just seemed odd. To be fair though, they probably held the ceremony in Ohio because family could attend.

The final thing that bothered me had nothing to do with the baptism in itself. It had to do with knowing the difference between Lutherans and Catholics. Raised as a Lutheran, I know that Lutherans neither revere Saints nor do they consider Mary some sort of perpetual virgin with super intercessory powers. Yet, much to my dismay, my entire Lutheran family requested through liturgical response that Mary, St. Ambrose and a litany of other Saints “pray for them.”  (Say what!)

I thought that my eyes and ears were deceiving me. I mean – they were praying to dead people. Not to God – but to people. This was just wigging my world. I had always found some comfort that as a Lutheran, I had not prayed to people, except to Christ. I knew that Lutherans had some unfounded rituals – but LUTHERANS DO NOT PRAY TO SAINTS OR THE HOLY BLESSED MOTHER.

Why did this upset me the most? I suppose it hurt my pride. It also broke my heart. People will follow the crowd and do what everyone else is doing, even if they don’t agree. Or, maybe worse, they don’t even know why they do what they do. There is no substance to belief. It is all out of religious traditions, so respect some else’s traditions. Just do it – go along with it.

I suppose the ceremony was held in the right church after all. Not knowing anything about Saint Ambrose, I did a little reading up on his life. Here is a little quote from this venerable patron saint:

“When I am at Rome, I fast on a Saturday; when I am at Milan, I do not. Follow the custom of the church where you are.”

His advice has remained in the English language as the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Following this advice, in Catholic “churches” pray to the Saints and when in a Lutheran “church,” do not pray to saints. Personally, I’d rather follow what Jesus did and pray directly to God.

^{Final thoughts on this church and its doctrine:}

• Scripture is not important – just listen to what the priest says and repeat after me.
• Listen to a watery and disconnected teaching about the family of God, making sure that Mary gets her floor time.
• Be sure to include the Lord’s Prayer – it counts as scripture and everyone knows it so no need to use the Bible.
• Ritual supercedes truth – so just follow along.
• Personal decision really don’t matter – ritual does.
• Saints have some sort of super intercessory powers, after death. You not only need the priest to intercede but also some long dead religious dudes.
• Visitors are encouraged to read along in rituals – even if they don’t believe what they are saying. Peer pressure make a nice ceremony.

To be fair to my brother and his family, I do not know what they personally believe. I am merely responding as an outside observer to what I witnessed and presenting the reasons that my family did not participate in the recitations.

Honestly, the church building was not overstated and had a subdued appearance. It did not have that high church feel. The picnic that was held afterwards was delightful and most pleasant. My only regret was that I wasn’t able to spend more time with my brother and his lovely family. I would just love to understand what they believe.

---

Additional Information

Post a comment

Name: (required)

Email Address: (will not be published) (required)

URL:

Comments:

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail