Believer’s Baptism

Well, my youngest has passed the lower age limit for ‘believer’s baptism’ in our diocese. He’s always been a bright and mature lad, but recently he has taken to asking very deep questions about the trinity etc, which really challenge us. (eg Recently my wife was discussing with one of the Mums at the school gate the case of their mutual friends - a Christian couple from a nearby church – whose marriage had broken down and the disgruntled and cynical man had allegedly said ‘God is divorced’, and my lad’s ears pricked up and he wanted to everything about this weird concept of God being divorced. Also he has recently been worried that he might actually be ‘on the devil’s side’ and misleading himself about his faith – we have reassured him that inasmuch as he ever did belong to the devil, he has been fully redeemed. If he really was on the devil's side, it wouldn't cross his mind to worry about it)

So we had already resolved that when he passed the relevant birthday we would enquire about a ‘believer’s baptism’ for him. His Birthday fell on a Sunday, and behold, that very morning they announced that next week will be a baptism service, and could any potential candidates be made known etc. Needing no further divine guidance we approached the vicar afterwards, and now the boy will have a token interview with our assistant minister (they trust my judgment and the interview is a mere formality, but I don’t want him to be done by pure nepotism) before the big day.

You would think my parents would be pleased, but they were concerned that it was something we were putting him forward for rather than coming from his own initiative. I see their point. But in the Bible baptism took people as soon as people declared faith, without waiting for them to become accomplished theologians. The commission is to make disciples, baptising them etc. “Believe and be baptised” it says (it always says it in that order). In an older person I would definitely wait for consent. But I know my son believes, and as a parent I have to provide some leadership with regards to the actions that stem from belief.