BAPTISM
Third in a Series of 3 Sermons

Lately . . . there has occurred throughout the Christian world a certain widening of the theology of baptism.  There has been a rediscovery of the meaning of baptism as entrance and integration into the Church, of its ‘ecclesiological’ significance.  But ecclesiology, unless it is given its true cosmic perspective (‘for the life of the world’), unless it is understood as the Christian form of ‘cosmology,’ is always ecclesiolatry, the Church considered  as a ‘being in itself’ and not the new relation of God, man and the world.  And it is not ‘ecclesiology’ that gives baptism its true meaning; it is rather in and through baptism that we find the first and fundamental meaning of the Church. -- Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World, Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1995, p. 68.

Last week, we looked over the Baptismal Covenant and the week before that we talked about the importance of Baptism in the early church.  For Christians in the first three or four centuries, Baptism was something that was essential and central, a rebirth they prepared for with great discipline and attention.  There was nothing casual about it, nothing to be taken for granted.  And then, over the centuries, our baptismal practices became less important, more a rite to be gotten through, like an ordinary rite of passage that everyone had to go through in order to enter the social and political institution known as the church.  When I was baptized, that is how it was.  It was expected that any baby in my family be baptized, and its greater meaning was not so important as simply getting it done.  It was vaguely associated with washing away original sin so that I would not go to hell should I die – a crude and distorted understanding of the great sacrament of Baptism.

Since 1979, the Book of Common Prayer has tried to place Baptism front and center in our shared Christian life.  We have tried to remember that Baptism is about a life of transformation into the new man, the new woman, living the new creation.  We have tried to find ways to remind ourselves of this by baptizing on Sundays again, and on the principle feasts of the Christian year, and by renewing our baptismal covenant together as church whenever we get the chance to baptize or confirm one another in the practice of the ancient faith of Christ and the Apostles.

Next week, we are going to have that chance.  We will be confirming four people: Ann Carter, Bill Pugh, Tom Rennels and Rachel Thomas.  We will be commissioning the Ministry Support Team in their ministries in our congregation: Laura Shoffner, Ray Pendergrass, Betsy Porter, Al Lacock, Larry Shoffner, Judy Godfrey, Suzanne Tourtelot, John Burton, and Cheri Lacock.  And we’ll be ordaining John Burton as a transitional deacon – John will be ordained a priest in another 6 months or so.  In the midst of all of this, we will have the chance to reaffirm our baptismal covenant, which is the source of all our shared ministry in the body of Christ. Ministry flows from Baptism and our commitment to ministry is enshrined in the Baptismal covenant.  This is why we are always affirming Mutual Ministry – the ministry of Christ is shared by all of his disciples, all the members of his body, all the church.

Baptism is not simply something to be done.  It is not a magical ritual to wash away original sin and save a baby from hell. It is not even just an initiation into membership in the church. Baptism is for the life of the world.  If our world is not being transformed for the better (and I dare say, it is not) then we all have a strong calling to look again at the promises we made in Baptism.  God’s promises to help us are true.  What is it that prevents us from receiving that help – do we even admit, moment by moment and day by day that we need God’s help, that we want to be transformed, that we are not smugly satisfied with who we already are and what we already do and how we already seem.  Is this world the way you think it should be?  Or is there need of transformation here?  Or do we even believe transformation is possible?  Let’s take Baptism seriously and take it as seriously as it was intended to be – for the life of the world, for the transformation of the world, for the sake of bringing us all from the lower state of selfishness to the higher state of the Kingdom of God, a place we are reborn for in Baptism, a place we can taste and see and experience, if we will take the baptismal life seriously.

Next week we have a chance to celebrate this, and to rejoice in our shared life in Christ. And we will have the chance to do all this with our bishop, Larry Maze, on the occasion of his last visit with us. Come out and party with us next Sunday.

Amen.

The Rev. Edie Bird

Advent I
December 3, 2006

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