Baptism

Last Sunday our granddaughter, Norah, was baptized
at All Saints Episcopal Church in Birmingham.
She was very calm throughout the Sacrament
until the priest took her in his arms to introduce her
to the congregation.
She wailed at the top of her lungs.
But even crying she was cute.

My mother (a Southern Baptist) argued on the way
down to Birmingham that it wouldn't really be a 'baptism,'
just a 'baby dedication.'
Baptists insist that infants can't be baptized because
a person must be mature enough to confess their faith
personally before being baptized.
You can't argue with a Baptist about baptism
any more than you can argue with a Republican about taxes.

The fact is that there is plenty of Biblical and historical evidence
that Christians have practiced both adult and infant baptism
by sprinkling, pouring, and dunking from early on.

Adult baptism emphasizes the human response.
Infant baptism emphasizes the divine initiative.
It's all about grace--God's amazing grace.

Now Norah has been officially sealed by the Holy Spirit
and marked as belonging to Christ forever.

Welcome to God's family, Norah.