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Update 47 pages 10-11.

On the Way's murky waters

Some thoughts on chapter 5 of the report "On the Way" (CHP 1995 - GS Misc 444) as it relates to infant baptism, by John Hartley.

Michael Vasey, Paul Bradshaw and Mark Earey have all told me (at different times) that On the Way (OTW) is the report I have to read in order to see where the initiation liturgies in Common Worship are coming from. After Mark's article in Update 43 in I resolved to put aside some time for it, but it is harder than I feared and I haven't figured out some bits yet.

Initially I felt quite hostile to this report, and a remark by Mark Earey has helped me to identify why. If you think that the CW baptism service was rather a step backwards from the ASB (as I do), then you'll be looking for the mistakes in OTW. On the other hand, if you think that CW finally got a few things right (or more right than the ASB), you'll approach OTW more positively. (I need other people to help me see the latter.)

OTW claims to be "a detailed study of Christian initiation and in particular of the plan of the catechumenate" (p1). What a long word! But don't worry, because OTW says good Anglicans should use the word "enquirer" instead (p40 & p99). "Most people experience coming to faith as a gradual process" (p21), and the church needs to help this process. The report looks in detail at what the catechumenate might mean if it were adopted over the whole church. It sees a lot of strength in trying to wrestle seriously not just with "enquirers' groups" but with an ethos of active nurture of enquirers as the basic task of Christian congregations. And surely this is right. Let's give OTW credit for this: that it is the first C of E report which really brings together liturgy and the process of adults coming to faith.

OTW begins with some stories of "spiritual journeys" and some thoughts on Paul's conversion in Acts 9. Some descriptions and evaluations of catechumenate experiments worldwide follow. Then it looks at four strands of the Christian life which have often come unravelled from each other and which need bringing together again: these are evangelism, education, liturgy and ethics. The hope is that eventually these will come together as enquirers are introduced to the faith - but OTW is humble enough to admit that this hope is beyond its present horizons (p50).

Issues about baptism surface early on. "Requests for 'rebaptism' are increasing" (p26) and cause "tension in contacts with Baptist churches, particularly in LEPs." OTW admits that the Baptist Union does not accept the BEM (Lima 1982) rejection of "anything which might be interpreted as re-baptism", but states that "the once-for-all character of baptism is not negotiable for the Church of England" (p27). Little hope for ecumenism here.

"Catechumens" were the unbaptized enquirers in at least some patristic liturgies, so there is good precedent for delaying the baptism of adults. OTW sets out pros and cons of delaying infant baptism, but on p41-44 I felt it was overall against delay. So by the time I got to chapter 5, on infant baptism, I was prepared for disappointments.

"The difficulties created by unchurched families who seek baptism for their children without any apparent interest in other aspects of the faith are a well-known cause of controversy" (p83). How true! "The sense that some Anglican parishes or clergy are refusing baptism is a scandal to many" - maybe so, but there is little mention that others are scandalized by baptism where no faith is evident.

OTW then claims that the church practices its authority to retain or remit sins (John 20:19-23) partly by baptizing or declining to baptize. In my opinion this is neither the issue in baptism policies, nor proper Johannine theology. OTW therefore challenges those of us who try to exercise discrimination: "Baptism cannot simply be administered by rules or policy ... This does not mean that the Church cannot refuse baptism, but it does mean that a person refused baptism can legitimately ask how the mind and love of Christ is expressed in the refusal" (p84).

There follows an examination of the ASB baptism service: its tone, its alleged "absence of welcome", and its "failure to accept the goodwill of the parents". Synod debates spring to mind! The CW phrase "the Church receives these children with joy" (p352) arises partly from this.

OTW also challenges traditional assumptions about "covenant theology" as a basis for infant baptism. For instance, "some object to parents making a personal commitment when the child is the focus of the rite" (p88). "The requirement of parental faith is pastoral", and not theological, because of "the strong NT insistence that membership of the people of God is not a matter of blood or racial descent." There's an obvious conflict with the sorts of thinking of the UFCOS report earlier in this Update. OTW also rejects the idea that enrolling as an enquirer might be a suitable alternative to infant baptism where parents are not churchgoers, because enquirers need "seriously to intend to explore the Christian Way" (p90). But if proxies can undertake baptismal promises for children, why can't they make the lesser promises of entering the catechumenate?

There is a lot of sense in this report, although I feel it is not very even-handed in its treatment of the pros and cons of baptismal discipline. We need to look at the positives in it, and take on board its challenges. We need to challenge parts of it too, and keep an eye on liturgies which result.

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