HOW WE WELCOME OUR CHILDREN

AN ANCIENT RITE

In early religious traditions, parents brought newborn children to houses of worship to proclaim their joy at the wonder of a new life. It was also a time to dedicate themselves to a wider community vision of commitment to one another and to the source of life.

The early Puritans believed that even an innocent child bore the stain of original sin and declared, "Don't you think that a child brings enough sin into the world to dam it forever?" This belief was emphatically rejected by early Unitarians and Universalists. Their refusal to believe in a permanent defect in human character played an important role in the development of liberal religion, and thus in our beliefs about the meaning of traditional infant baptism.

Baptism is derived from a Greek word meaning "to be dipped." A brief immersion in water represented the threat of drowning, followed by deliverance from this death and the beginning of a new life in Christ. Christians recalled the baptisms by John, and the blessing of children by Jesus from the scriptures. By the fifth century CE, the baptizing of infants was widely practiced. Christian baptism had an antecedent in the Jewish act of circumcision, a sign that placed males in a covenant with God and Israel. Both baptism and circumcision were initiations into the life of the religious community.

If being saved from drowning underlies the original meaning of baptism, then watchful concern for all children in the community is an important part of this ancient rite. The act of bringing children before the congregation means that they are brought under the watch and care of God and the community.

WORDS OF WELCOME

Most Unitarian Universalists do not use the term "baptism" because of its association with traditional Christian doctrines. Because Unitarian Universalism is a non-creedal faith you will find a variety of words used in our local congregations to name these ceremonies of infant welcome. Our liberal Christian churches may use "christening," which means "to make Christian." Other congregations may call the ritual a "naming ceremony" or most frequently, a" child dedication." Despite the different names, Unitarian Universalists are united in much of our understanding of the important meanings inherent in this ceremony.

Baptism points to an important truth: a new life represents the opportunity for a new beginning. We celebrate the miracle of a new life where once there was none. A child gives us hope for a better world with new ways of understanding it.

"Christening" emphasizes the importance of a faith community to nurture and sustain individuals and families in times of joy and sorrow. The child is brought into a community of souls who will care for him/her and help the child's spiritual and ethical development.

" Naming" signifies that each child is a unique being whose name is a powerful symbol of the individual life they will offer to the creation. By declaring their names we say that we will respect their inherent worth and dignity, and give them the freedom to grow.

"Dedication" may include all these meanings as well as underscoring a covenant with God, the church, and the family, where parents dedicate themselves to the enormous task of raising their child with unselfish love in a home that will promote the fullest growth of his/her body, mind, and spirit.

CEREMONIES OF HOPE

Our child dedications often contain traditional elements. Many of our ministers use water, calling it the symbol of new life or purity. This may come from a traditional baptismal font, perhaps with ocean or salt water representing the source of all life in the world. A rose may be presented to the child or the family to represent the beauty and fragility of life and its unfolding promise. Godparents are often present to declare their willingness to help guide the development of the child. Usually the ceremony takes place in the context of the Sunday service, and the congregation declares its dedication to the nurture of all children who are part of the religious community. Our ceremonies are not restricted to infants since older children, and even adults, may wish to publicly experience a dedication to our faith. Having a dedication ceremony, however, is not a prerequisite for membership to our congregations.

When Unitarian Universalist congregations dedicate a life, we affirm the inherent worth of that person, and his/her potential for making a difference in the world. Any notion of inherent sinfulness or institutional authority over this life is alien to our way of thinking and acting. Our charge to parents is to give their child every opportunity for a fulfilling life. Our charge to church members is to open their arms wide to welcome and nurture the child and his/her family. Our hope for the child is that he/she will feel the support of the family and the church, and grow into an adult who will fulfill our dreams of a more loving existence together.

In the words of the Zuni tribe:

Our child, it is your day.
This day.
May your road be fulfilled.
In your thoughts may we live.
May we be the ones whom your thoughts embrace.
May you help us all finish our roads.

Mark W. Harris is minister of the First Parish in Milton (Unitarian Universalist) MA. He has previously served congregations in Sheffield, England and Palmer MA, and was Director of Information for the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2800
www.uua.org

For information in Canada, contact the
Canadian Unitarian Council
705-55 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 706
Toronto, ONT M4P 2X7

©1992 Unitarian Universalist Association
UUA Pamphlet Commission Publication
Pamphlet Commission Contact: Jane Rzepkat
Originally Printed in USA #3074