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Arising from: "Don't Baptize Brooklyn Beckham", The Link April 2002
From the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, 2nd April 2002, page 5
and two letters to the editor during the following week.
Index of articles.
In this series:
Original article.
CEN
Yorkshire Post
The Sun
Radio Leeds
Radio Leeds 2
Jimmy Young
Bradford T&A
Follow-up article.
Further reading: www.baptism.org.uk
Vicar tells Beckham: Don't baptise Brooklyn
A Bradford vicar has written to David Beckham urging him not to have his son Brooklyn baptised.
The Rev John Hartley, of St Luke's Church, Eccleshill, believes the England captain and his wife Victoria, who is expecting their second child, may not be able to live up to the pledges parents make at baptisms. He has advised the famous family to consider a thanksgiving christening instead.
The letter has been sent to Beckham, care of Old Trafford in Manchester, and Mr Hartley is now waiting for a reply, which he has promised to keep private if the football star wishes. Mr Hartley put pen to paper after reading a quote by Beckham saying he definitely want Brooklyn christened but he wasn't sure into which religion.
Mr Hartley thought it would be a good subject for the parish newsletter, The Link, and wrote his views in the form of a letter, which he also posted to the player. "I think that he wants to do the best for Brooklyn but I think they could be making promises in a baptism they would find difficult to keep," said Mr Hartley. "The letter is just good advice from a vicar."
The letter reads: "Dear David, You might find your local church tells you about baptism if you mention christening. My advice is to go for the other christening option." Mr Hartley goes on to explain the difference between the two services. At a baptism the parents have to say: "We are committed followers of Jesus ourselves, we will bring up our child as a Christian to come to church with us regularly." This is a promise he believes the Beckhams would find difficult to make.
The item also carries a picture of David Beckham with the caption "PLEA: Beckham."
Letters to the editor
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SIR - I was surprised that there has been no reference in the Press to the Bradford vicar (shades of the abdication here I think!) who has offered unsolicited advice to Posh and Becks regarding the possible christening of their sprog. It is a while since I opened my Bible but somewhere in there, if the good vicar would like to refer to his "text book", there is a situation where the disciples are trying to prevent children from getting close to Jesus and Jesus says "Suffer the children to come unto me". I don't remember Him adding: "But only if they are C of E, and their parents truly believe". Phil Boase, Elizabeth Street, Wyke |
SIR - Thank you for your very balanced report of my advice to the Beckhams about christening Brooklyn (T&A, April 2). I'm sorry your correspondent Mr Boase missed it (T&A, April 15). As he says, it is a while since he opened his bible. The verse he quoted, "Suffer the children to come to me", leads straight into the exact christening service I was recommending to the Beckhams: the "Thanksgiving and Blessing" where Jesus "took the children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them." It's a lovely service, it's biblical, and I invite Mr Boase to come and see it for himself tomorrow, 11.15am, at St Luke's, Eccleshill. Rev John Hartley, Eccleshill Vicarage, Fagley Lane, Eccleshill. |