# Baptism query



## Somerset (Feb 6, 2012)

The following query was posted on a site I help moderate - but no one felt confident to answer it. The poster has given me permission to post it here. I post it as he is very concerned - though I do have misgivings..

"_Hi,


Comments please.
My grandson is being christened soon but seemingly now if they are in a partnership of churches in an area that although he is being christened in a church of scotland it is recognised by all churches.....Good idea or what ?strange to me.??

txt from minister below



Hi

"Baptism" and "Christening" are different words for the same thing.
We use water as a sign, and baptism is a symbol of belonging to God and to the church.

Baptism is used by all Christian denominations.

We are Church of Scotland, but we are also part of a Churches Partnership in ------- which includes the Roman Catholic church.
When -------- is baptised, he will be baptised into the Roman Catholic church as well as into the Church of Scotland (and into the Scottish Episcopal Church and the United Reformed Church).
This means that his baptism is recognised by all of these denominations.
There are no implications for ------- being brought up: it is entirely up to yourselves what church ------- goes to (or doesn't go to), or where he goes to school.

If you are concerned about this, we should look again at the option of going down the road of a blessing.
In a blessing, we will celebrate --------'s life, but there are no church implications at all. _

Am I right in thinking that, apart from Baptist churches, Protestant denominations recognise each others baptism? Has anyone ever come across this arrangement with the RCs? My concern is that the OP is not an active church member, otherwise he would ask his elders, but is motivated by an anti RC attitude. He is from lowland Scotland where there is intense competition between the "two tribes" in the field of politics, support for paramilitaries and (I regret to say) football.

My thinking is that it really doesn't matter who else recognises this baptism - as long as it is recognised by, in this case, the CofS. Also, if there is no intent to bring the child up in a God fearing, religious family, it really doesn't matter if he is baptised at all.

As a fairly new Christian I often feel I am skating on thin ice - when it comes to baptism I can hear it cracking.


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## Contra_Mundum (Feb 6, 2012)

I suggest not getting into the discussion.

I doubt if even a well-informed person could answer this question shortly in a way that communicated effectively. Meaning: that it would probably require an extended conversation, back-and-forth questions and answers, opportunities to clarify and sharpen the questions asked and answered. 

There are probably ten different "issues" that intersect in this connection. What people need is not baptism per se, anyway; but the Word of the gospel, every week, all their lives.


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## Edward (Feb 6, 2012)

Somerset said:


> "Baptism" and "Christening" are different words for the same thing.



No, they aren't. So if you do respond, you'd have to start at a very basic level.


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