Baptism

Contributed by Stephen Wickman, St. Thomas Episcopal, McLean

There is an ongoing debate in the Christian community about the “sacraments,” or what is essentially necessary to be a Christian. All of our communities agree on two: Communion (Eucharist, the Great Thanksgiving, the Mass) and Holy Baptism. Some traditions (primarily the Roman Catholic) claim you must be baptized in order to partake of the former. My church practices an “open table” theology, which is discouraged by some Episcopal Bishops. In short, the “open table” approach allows anyone to join in the Communion. 

This is a sensitive matter for me, since I was “conditionally” baptized on August 19.  You see, near the end of her life, my mother admitted to me that I may not have been properly baptized in the Pilgrim Holiness (now Wesleyan) tradition since they frowned on infant baptism. This was startling news because I was confirmed as a Methodist and then an Episcopalian on the basis on what I thought had been my infant baptism. But my mother said I may have just been “dedicated, not baptized. 

If you believe all this mumbo jumbo, it’s a big deal. Hence my last-minute conditional baptism, which neither of my parish priests had ever administered. The only difference, is when the priest lays on hands he/she says “if you have not been baptized, then” etc. 

It was an emotional moment for me. Adults are very different from infants. They can consider the surroundings, the few parishioners who joined a Tuesday noon mass at my church, the candles, the liturgy, the water on one’s head, the scent of the chrism applied to the forehead. 

My rector, the Rev. Fran Gardner-Smith crooked her arm in mine as she presented me to our Assistant Rector. I was very moved. After all, I had served on the vestries of two Episcopal churches and I’m a certified lay Eucharistic minister.  

But now I am “properly” baptized. This coming Sunday, we will baptize several Iranian converts. As I recite the baptismal vows, I will rededicate myself to some of the most extraordinary promises that any human can utter. If you are interested, please read What We Believe As Episcopalians, Starting With The Baptismal Covenant 

This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.