What is the place of the Service ofThanksgiving for the Gift of aChild in the Church of England?

The Church of England offers parents who do not want the

commitment that comes with Baptism, the possibility to celebrate

the gift of a child in a different way.1 Thanksgiving is not a

Baptism, insofar as it does not have a sacramental nature and

there are no promises made about the Christian faith. Many

parents make this choice, and clergy need to be clear in the

advice and guidance provided to help this decision process.

The present essay attempts to clarify the place of the present

Common Worship service of Thanksgiving in the Church of England.

It establishes the historical background and liturgical

development of Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child, and reviews

differences and commonalties between Baptism and the

1 https://www.churchofengland.org/weddings-Baptisms-funerals/Baptism.aspx. (Accessed 24/09/14).

2

Thanksgiving, and between Thanksgiving and Dedication. Finally

considers the practice of Open Baptism and its relationship with

the Thanksgiving.2

Historically Baptism is the sacrament of entry into the Church,

and the way it is performed liturgically generates questions that

Christian communities have continued to ask.3 The Reformation

brought the debate around these issues to the forefront, not just

from a theological perspective but also in terms of how they were

translated through worship, with a widespread challenge to the

idea that Baptism was effective ex opere operato.4 This relates to

the efficacy of the Sacraments as opposed to the merits or

holiness of the priest or participant. In Anglican tradition this

is conditional upon a worthy reception.

Radical Reformers emphasised the role of personal faith response

to the Gospel promises and rejected traditional medieval

practices of infant Baptism as unscriptural. The Magisterial

Reformers, including Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and Cranmer all 2 Throughout the essay I refer to the Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child service as ‘Thanksgiving’.3 Stevenson, 1998, p.10.4 Stevenson, 1998, p.10.

3

offered some defence of the Baptism of children and often, as in

Calvin’s case, explicitly criticized parents who deferred or

delayed their children’s Baptism in any way. Sharp theological,

ecclesiological and political debate has continued between the

various sides ever since but the C20th saw a number of key

shifts: an erosion of confidence in elements of the traditional

‘defence’, such as the relevance of OT circumcision or Jesus’

injunction to “let the little children come to me”; an ecumenical

acceptance of believers’ Baptism as normative in both Scripture

and the early church, with infant Baptism as a permissible

variant rather than the usual practice; the loss of the

‘Christendom’ context of the Western society; and a widespread

focus on the importance of personal experience.

With the establishment of the Church of England, Cranmer’s Prayer

Books and the Thirty Nine Articles preferred infant Baptism,

stating, ‘The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be

retained in the church, as most agreeable with the institution of

Christ.’5

5Article 27.

4

The Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1647, under the

Commonwealth, followed an explicitly Calvinist line:

To whom is Baptism to be administered?

Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the

visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ and

obedience to Him; but the infants of such as are members of

the visible church are to be baptized.6

A service of Baptism ‘For Those of Riper Years’ was only added in

1662 but the existence of a Christian state and national Church

within England obscured the question of whether this was

‘agreeable’ based on the future faith of the child or the present

faith of the parents.

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP) also contained The Thanksgiving

of Women after Child-Birth, commonly called Churching of Women, which would

loosely remain influential in more modern services.

Although the origins of the service can be traced back to a

letter that was written from St Augustine to Gregory the Great

6 Q95-A95.

5

around 601,7 Christianity cannot claim ownership over the concept

of a special rite that re-introduces a woman into religious and

social life after giving birth, and protects both mother and

child. 8 Such rites can be found in several cultures.9

Behind the reasons for this is the cycle of birth, life and

death, which is wrapped in both wonder and fear; also there are

practical considerations of allowing the mother to recover after

birth and not be rushed straight to work. It can be said that in

the Middle Ages there was a fair amount of protection for

pregnant women, which included being exempt from fasting.10

Although the rite in the BCP softened the medieval connotations

with purification, some of it remained in the ‘Churching’

mentioned in the title, and also in the closing rubric in 1549 on

offerings ‘The woman that is purified, must offer her Chrism.’ 11

By 1552 it had become mainly about thanksgiving.12 The Churching of

Women service in the BCP has a contextual character, and it

7 Lloyd, 2001, p.5.8 Gennep, 1977, p.41.9 Knödel, 1995.10 Adolph Franz, quoted in Knödel, 1995.11 Lloyd, 2001, p.5.12 Ibid.

6

denotes that that the subject had enough prominence from early on

within the Church of England.

The main focus of the service is on the woman and her deliverance

‘from the great pain and peril of childbirth’. It makes no

mention of the baby, which may have not survived, and whose

presence was not required in church. The church responded to this

by holding a rite aimed at childbearing mothers. Equally, there

is no reference to the husband, other than an allusion in the

psalm, ‘Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.’13

There was a split between the Churching of Women and the sacrament

of Baptism. The expectation from BCP in terms of sacramental

Baptism and the spiritual regeneration of the child within the

community of faith was the norm, and no alternatives were

provided. This is not to say it did not anticipate some of the

contemporary motivations of the modern Thanksgiving.

Over time the rite became less used and has been the appropriate

subject of much feminist critique; but interestingly enough it

13 Ibid.

7

survived several book reforms and found its way, albeit in a

modified form, to the 1970 version of the American Prayer Book and

the 1980 Alternative Service Book.14

The 1980 Alternative Service Book (ASB) represented the first

comprehensive updating of the Church of England liturgy since

1662 and consolidated some of the work of Series 1-3. As such it

reflects not only changes in Anglican doctrine but also a

response to the social changes that had been taking place since

the 1950s and 1960s.15 Some studies on these social shifts, such

as the one carried out by Callum Brown,16 argue that in 1963

Christianity “died” in Britain. His analysis is overstated, since

the “death” that he refers to is not about Christianity, but a

cultural context. It is entwined with Christian churches, which

although struggling were all but extinct. The cultural changes

that Brown refers to were the focus of the lengthy discussions at

General Synod in the 1960s and early 1970s17 around the relevance

of the rite of the Churching of Women and reflecting the need for

14 Knödel, 1995.15 Knödel, 1995.16 Brown, 2001. 17 Knödel, 1995.

8

a service of thanksgiving that included both parents, and not

just the mother, ‘What is required is a simple Service of

Thanksgiving for safe deliverance, and that the child is born

normal, coupled with a prayer that the parents may have the

guidance of God in the molding and shaping of the new life that

God has entrusted to them’.18 The Synods decided to abolish the

churching service and instead create an altogether new service of

Thanksgiving. The result was two new services, Thanksgiving for the

Birth of a Child, and Thanksgiving after Adoption. Theologically it expanded

from the BCP Churching of Women with an emphasis on praising God as

creator but also responded to the recommendations of the 1971 Ely

Report which sought to take the sacramental and covenantal

implications of the Baptism service more seriously as a “complete

sacramental initiatory rite”. The service was to be used mainly

in the context of the parish Eucharist, although a separate

service could be considered.

Additionally there is a set of prayers following the death of a

newborn or stillborn child. The Thanksgiving for the Birth of a

18 Church of England-General Synod, Report of Proceedings 8/3, quoted in Knödel, 1995.

9

Child service did not include godparents or contain a blessing or

naming of the child (despite the plea of the Doctrine

Commission)19, and had a clear distance from Baptism.

Between 1998-2000 the Church of England moved to the use of

Common Worship, with its Christian Initiation services revised in

2005.20 It has a chapter called ‘Rites on the Way: Approaching

Baptism’ which goes far beyond the initial 1998 provision. It

contains rites, which are divided between those aimed at

children, parents or adult catechumens before the sacrament of

initiation, and the rites that follow on. It is structured in a

chronological journey, starting with the service of Thanksgiving for

the Gift of a Child.21

The focus is not on women getting back into church, and it places

the emphasis on the child as part of a family. Common Worship

goes a step further than ASB and changes the title of the

service, which encompasses both birth and adoption, making it

possible to be used for an older child. This also means that if

19 GS56.20 Bradshaw, 2006, p.133.21 Ibid.

10

the mother did not survive childbirth, a service of thanksgiving

could still take place. The liturgical action that takes place is

one of thanksgiving and not Baptism, and particular care was

taken ‘not to give the blessing a solemn or formula character

that could be confused with Baptism.’22 Unlike the ASB service,

the Common Worship is not aimed at being used right before

Baptism. Based on the prayers used at the Thanksgiving, Common

Worship contains a Thanksgiving Prayer for a Child, which can be

used at the beginning of a Baptism service, but as observed ‘it

should not ‘preclude the use of a separate service of

Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child.’23

The structure of this separate service is as follows:

Introduction

Reading and Sermon

Thanksgiving and Blessing

Giving of the Gospel

Prayers

Lord’s Prayer

22 Lloyd, 2001, p.8.23 Thanksgiving Prayer for a Child, Common Worship: Baptism and Confirmation, p.166.

11

Baptism, in the Church of England, is the central act of

sacramental Christian initiation (although its relation to

confirmation and the Eucharist is complex) and the fulfillment of

Jesus’ great commission, ‘Go into all the world and make

disciples of all nations, by baptizing them… and by teaching

them.’24 It is not an isolated act of individual commitment, but

an incorporation into the communal life of the church’25 Thus it

contains strong emphases on both belonging and joy and

thanksgiving for the individual within the life of the community,

which are brought out in the liturgical welcome. Contemporary

British sentiment typically identifies this sense of belonging

and thanksgiving, affirmation and celebration as the primary way

Baptisms have been received by families, who have often little

interest in concepts of sin and forgiveness, discipleship or

salvation in relation to a new born child and so using a

Thanksgiving in a denomination where there is infant Baptism on

offer could in the first instance, as Dunphy observes, ‘strike

24 Matthew 28:19.25 Buchanan and Vasey, 1998, p.4.

12

many as being a little odd’26. The words from the Pastoral Introduction

to the service of Thanksgiving provide a good definition of the

reasoning behind it. They acknowledge the importance of

celebrating the birth or adoption of a child, and mention ‘many

people are overcome by a sense of awe at the creation of new life

and want to express thanks to God.’27 The Thanksgiving enables

parents to express their gratitude and pray for God’s blessing

over the family. Thanksgiving aims to respond to God’s goodness

in creation, while Baptism is rooted in covenant and

commitment.28

The Thanksgiving is rooted in creation and incarnation, and the

key theme is thanksgiving.29 The name of the child is mentioned

during the Thanksgiving. In the context of Baptism this has

traditionally been known as Christening, as over time, within a

Christendom model, the giving of public identity and Christian

identity have been conflated. The Pastoral Introduction to the

Thanksgiving Service seeks to break this: ‘This service is not

26 Dunphy, 1991, p.2.27 Pastoral Introduction, Common Worship: Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child, p.17.28 Myers, 2000, p.104.29 Lloyd, 2001, p.7.

13

the same as Baptism (sometimes called Christening), which is the

sacrament of initiation into the membership of the Church, the

Body of Christ.’ Nonetheless, it acknowledges that naming the

child in public may be an important part of what parents are

seeking and so relocates this within a ‘creation’ context, with

the child’s name as a mark of uniqueness of the child and of

God’s love. This gesture of naming the child before Baptism

ensures the child is already known by God, and separates the act

of naming from the essence of Baptism, as per the wording of the

service:

The minister may say for each child: What name have you given this

child?

A parent or supporting friend replies

His/her name is N.

The minister may take the child.

The minister says

As Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them,

so now we ask God’s blessing on N.

The parents are asked what name they have given the child (which took

place at the register office), and not what name they give the child.

14

The Thanksgiving encourages the role of supporting friends and

relatives. Unlike godparents in Baptism, they do not have to be

baptized or practising Christians, but can be agnostics or belong

to other faiths, since no faith commitments or covenantal

promises are being made. Godparents belong to Baptism, not a

Thanksgiving service. Nevertheless, the Church has sought to

respond to families’ desire to involve friends and relatives

within the celebration and make relational promises of help and

support towards the child and the family.

The above analysis suggests that, although the Church of England

has been keen to establish clear theological distinctions between

Baptism and the Thanksgiving, the functional similarities (such

as celebration and welcome of the child; prayers said for the

child, parents and home; addressing the child by name; and the

prominent role for family friends) may mean that participants

struggle to see the difference.

Unlike Baptism, Thanksgiving is not a sacrament but it has a

place in the Church of England as it meets the parents’ personal

15

circumstances and journey in faith. Baptism is a different type

of service. The Thanksgiving does not contain the serious

promises made in Baptism.

The themes and readings that are found in the liturgy of the

Baptism services focus on Crucifixion and Resurrection, and are a

symbol of salvation. The BEM30 mentions several Baptismal themes:

Participation in Christ’s death and Resurrection

Conversion, Pardoning and Cleansing

The Gift of the Spirit

Incorporation into the Body of Christ

The Sign of the Kingdom

The use and practice of the Thanksgiving service is not uniform

across the Church of England, and in many places unauthorised

forms, often drawn from other traditions or created locally, are

still to be found.

Thus some churches are closer to Church of Scotland practice and

30 Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (faith and Order Paper no. 111, the ‘Lima Text’. 15/01/1982file:///Users/user/Downloads/FO1982_111_en%20(1).pdf (Accessed 24/09/2014).

16

that of other Presbyterian and Reformed congregations in offering

‘Dedication’, as an alternative to Baptism. As Dunphy notes, the

motivation for the dedication within the Church of Scotland

overlaps with that of Thanksgiving in the Church of England; it

‘is akin to what Jesus did when welcoming children, where somehow

Baptism was not used but instead prayers were offered’;31 but

draws more clearly on early church practice by committed

Christian parents,32 rather than the Church’s desire to reach out

to those on the margins of faith, not yet willing to make a

commitment.

One might point to the example of a Church of England parish in

Oxford, where parents can choose between Baptism and Dedication.

Both usually take place during the morning service on a Sunday

morning. There is not a dedication service per se, but instead

some dedication words are used as follow:

DEDICATION

QUESTIONS TO PARENTS

31 Dunphy, 1991, p.3.32 Wright, 2007, p.116.

17

Do you dedicate yourselves to God to bring up N in the fear, love

and nurture of the Lord, so that he/she may come to know and

trust Christ for himself?

We do.

Do you dedicate N to God so that if God were to call him/her to a

life of great sacrifice, you would neither complain nor hold him

back but seek only God’s will for his life?

We do.

QUESTIONS TO GODPARENTS

Do you dedicate yourselves to God, not only to pray and care for

N but to live before him/her as models of faith so that in the

example of St Paul, N may follow you as you follow Christ?

We do.

QUESTION TO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION

Do you commit yourselves so to practise Christ’s truth as the

family of God that N and his/her generation may see Christ in

your love for each other just as they hear of Him in your words?

We do.

PRAYER

18

Lord God, Author and Giver of Life, You have given to N and N

this precious gift of a child. We offer N to you as Hannah did

with Samuel. May he/she grow up to know you, love you and serve

you. Watch over him/her, protect and guide him/her, and may

he/she fulfil the glorious purpose for which you have sent

him/her into the world.

The wording used for the dedication does not have much connection

with the Common Worship Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child, but

instead echoes the Presentation of the Candidates section in the Liturgy

of Baptism. Using words such as ‘Godparents’ reinforces the use

of Baptismal terminology and the overall impression is given of a

Christian culture in which believer’s Baptism is to be the norm

and that a different form of faith commitment is demanded in both

infancy and parenthood.

It is important to the participants to be clear in their choice,

and it is the duty of the celebrant to help with that process.

The Notes to the Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child provide a

background for some of the occasions the Thanksgiving can be

used. It can be held as part of a private celebration after birth

19

or adoption, either at home or in church; or it could part of a

public celebration after birth or adoption of several children,

in the presence of friends and family, which could take place in

the main Sunday service or at another time, such as a Sunday

afternoon.

The Thanksgiving ‘releases Baptism from being both a birth-rite

and the sacrament of welcome in to the family of the church.’33

It can be offered as a preliminary to Baptism, for parents who

are not ready to commit to the level of Christian commitment

required by Baptism or prefer their child to make the decision at

a later stage in its life. It could also function as an

alternative to Baptism altogether. From a pastoral perspective,

it is important that it should not be treated as a ‘second-class’

choice. Some parents who are deeply committed might not want to

wait until Baptism to introduce their child to the church

community, either after birth or adoption, and this can be done

in a Sunday service without taking up too much time. The main

question that arises is whose choice this is – whether clergy and

33 Earey, Lloyd and Tarrant, 2007, p.58.

20

church community push inquirers towards Thanksgiving due to their

own theological convictions (which sometimes may to all intents

and purposes reject paedo-Baptism, despite Canon Law and Anglican

public doctrine) or whether the family choose what seems best to

their circumstances.

There is another purpose for the Thanksgiving as part of a ‘rite

of passage’, which can take place after birth, for older

children, or to welcome an adopted child. These rites of passage

mark the belonging and integration of an individual into a group,

a family, affirming their rightful place.34 It can take place

either in private or publicly in the context of a Sunday service.

It acknowledges and expresses thanksgiving for the gift of a

birth or adoption, asking for God’s blessing and guidance over

the life of the child.35

Thanksgiving has a degree of flexibility, unlike Baptism, to suit

particular needs. On this note, the service does not have to be

taken exclusively by clergy, encouraging participation of lay

34 Gennep, 1977, p.26.35 Myers, 2000, p.105.

21

ministry, ‘The two final Blessing Prayers have been italicized to

make it clear that they can be used by Readers and other

Ministries.’36 The service can take place at home, in hospital or

at a church, and it can be accommodated at short notice,

including a Sunday afternoon.

The Church of England use of Thanksgiving is varied and evolving,

as shown by Gilly Myers. 37 One of the assets of the Common

Worship Thanksgiving is the flexibility to be used regardless of

the theology of the church. This requires self-awareness of the

context of the local church and how the service expressed this

reality.38 Churches need to reflect how to best utilize the

Thanksgiving:39

How does a church see itself in the context of the community

where it belongs? Is it inward or outward looking? Who is

trying to reach out? Which worldview does it subscribe to?

These are some of the questions that can help to clarify the

approach adopted towards the Thanksgiving.

36 GS1298Y May 1999, quoted in Lloyd, 2001, p.5.37 Myers, 2000, pp.106-108.38 Lloyd, 2001, p.17.39 Ibid.

22

It has now become standard practice for churches to

establish a Mission Action Plan, with clear aims and

objectives and a mission statement. This can be expressed

through the Thanksgiving.

One important aspect to consider is who oversees the

Thanksgiving, which does not necessarily have to be the

incumbent.

There needs to be a reflection when and where the service

should take place, and subsequently adapting it to the

context.

There is flexibility to use a shorter or longer version of

the service, but The Giving of the Gospel is an integral part of

the service. Additionally, there are a choice of readings

and different features, such as pronouncing the child’s name

and the presence of ‘supporting friends and relatives’. The

additional prayers cover different circumstances in the

service, such as recognizing a difficult birth, or a child

with special needs.

Different churches have different practices, and there is

something to be learned from their example and experience,

23

including at a practical level.

The congregation might require further training and

teaching.

The Thanksgiving contains a missional and theological dimension,

‘If you are interested in exploring the Christian faith, or

finding out more about preparation for Baptism, ask the minister

taking this service.’40 This can be useful to establish a ‘best

practice’ process of reflection and implementation of the

Thanksgiving in a church.

The most dismissive critics of the Thanksgiving service and its

developing use within many Church of England churches are

proponents of ‘open Baptism’, who believe that offering anything

other than Baptism potentially denies the child access to grace.

As the Church of England is a state church every child born

within a parish has a legal right to be baptized, which is only

limited by the priest’s right to prepare them and their parents

and godparents for Baptism. Whilst this might be anachronistic

40 Pastoral Introduction, p.16.

24

it is still canon law. Also, there are different expectations in

terms of a national church versus an elective one.

When churches were at the heart of communities and church

attendance was an integral part of the rhythms of life, infant

Baptism played a more important role in the faith journey of a

family. Many families of course made the decision to have their

children baptized as a result of meeting public expectations, and

it was not linked with any faith journey. As congregations

dwindled there was a religious and spiritual shift and Baptism

lost ground. Several theologians responded to this by proposing a

more universalist ‘Open Baptism’ available to all who ask for it

without any reservations.41 Dalby states that Open Baptism is

deeply rooted in the Bible and tradition and is a more

sustainable model than the traditional and rigorous approach,

which places too much pressure on parents.42 He proposes the

following main points to support his argument:

Open Baptism claims that infant Baptism has traditionally

been the norm.

41 Dunphy, 1991, p.11.42 Dalby, 1989, p.2.

25

It should not be associated with guilt and original sin, but

with the grace of God. Christ died to redeem sin in

humankind; therefore God’s grace does not depend on the

response of the individual.

Infant Baptism needs to be a reflection of the welcome Jesus

gave to children, a theme that was more obvious in the BCP.

The faith of the church is instrumental in administering

Baptism and not just that of the parents. This link can be

found in the New Testament.

Infant Baptism encourages the child’s growth as a Christian.

Whilst there are no guarantees this will take place, there

is hope that parents and godparents will be able to nurture

the child’s growth in faith and nurture a Christian

upbringing.

One aspect that is open to interpretation is the use of biblical

grounds to underpin Open Baptism, theologically or practically.

To this effect ‘Baptism is consistent with scripture but not

required by it.’43 This view is also shared by Dunphy, who claims

43Wright, 2007, p.373.

26

it ignores several passages in the New Testament, which link

Baptism with repentance, belief or faith but not with grace.44

The ecumenical consensus established in the ‘Lima Document’45

challenges those who practise “indiscriminate Baptism” to

reconsider their policies and much late C20th thinking both

within the Church of England and outside among advocates of

infant Baptism has reverted to the “ecological” arguments first

developed by Calvin and others, that Baptism can only be properly

offered within a Christian household. Thus Dunphy contends that

without commitment from the parents Baptism cannot be offered. He

recognises that this level of assertiveness from the church can

be hurtful for the parents, and this why many ministers relent

and offer Open Baptism. The argument behind this is that

compassion takes precedence over theology, which Dunphy considers

undermines the sacrament of Baptism. Many people agree with this

and emphasize that the church should be firm in questioning the

parents, and in this process for many of them a decision will

become clearer and many will find the Thanksgiving more

44 Dunphy, 1991, p.11.45

27

appropriate. Some will recognise they are not ready for the level

of commitment required for Baptism, and the Service of

Thanksgiving can provide an alternative.

Ultimately, the role of the church is to assist on a journey of

faith and provide a nurturing and welcoming environment where

people can thrive individually and corporately. It is the wider

teaching, welcome and behaviour of the church that will have an

impact, more so than the choice of the liturgical rite.

The Common Worship Thanksgiving offers a way of welcome a child

into a church without compromising the integrity of the sacrament

of Baptism, but it does not preclude it at a later date. It

offers a family rite of passage, which is affirmed by the Church

and set within a theological context of creation and incarnation

and can, but need not always, be a key step in their journey of

faith. For the child it means being welcomed and received into a

church community and for the parents it means to publicly affirm

their parenthood. Contextually it meets expectations from the

parents. The service allows recognition and value to be expressed

in one occasion, acknowledging the new arrival and giving

28

thanksgiving for the named child, but also the family where it

belongs. The flexibility of holding the service at home or in

church allows for each family to make a decision based on their

journey of faith. In this context the church acts as a

facilitator to the fabric of society, recognizing and supporting

the complexity of human relations.

At a spiritual level the service of Thanksgiving conveys God’s

accepting love for the child and the family, and gives it a

transcendental dimension, ‘In the mystery of thanksgiving,

praying, hearing the Word, and taking part in the symbolic action

of blessing, God is at work opening people’s minds to himself.’46

Although the Thanksgiving may vary from church to church, and in

some be constructed in the somewhat different blessing and

commitment terms of a Dedication, it could be an occasion to get

family and friends together to celebrate the arrival of the

child,or it might carry the symbolical depth of the Presentation

of Christ in the Temple and the OT narratives. It should not just

rely on the words used, but also mood and feel of the whole

46 Lloyd, 2001, p.11.

29

service, facilitating the congregation to go home experiencing

and sensing God’s love for them and the child.47

The service can be used for different occasions and purposes, and

in some churches it precedes Baptism, or is offered as an

alternative to it. It is important to stress to parents that

Thanksgiving is not a sacrament. It is essential not to downplay

the importance of sacramental character and the “seed” that is

planted in Baptism. At the same time parents must not feel that

with the Thanksgiving they are getting a consolation prize, that

their child is inferior to those that have been baptized, or they

are missing out on anything. They must be reassured the service

meets where they are in their story and faith journey. The

church’s role is to help parents in their decision process and

accompany this spiritual journey, nurturing further knowledge on

the Christian faith and life, which might be a step on the

journey towards Baptism. It requires a prayerful invitation to

the presence of God not just by the person taking the service but

also by members of the church.

47 Earey, Lloyd and Tarrant, 2007, p.126.

30

Parents want to make the right choices for their child, and the

Thanksgiving lays down the foundations upon which the building of

faith can grow. It does not guarantee that a child will grow up

as a Christian, but offers the seed of hope. For parents that

want do not want to impose a set of beliefs on their child, the

Thanksgiving might provide an appropriate choice. It can also

contribute to draw people into a community of faith, and at the

same time address the specific needs of a family who desires to

express gratitude to God for their child. The pastoral and

theological benefits for the family, the congregation and the

wider church are invaluable.

The Thanksgiving plays an important role in the Baptism policy of

the Church of England, without downplaying its importance. At its

best, the Thanksgiving Service can be part of the recovery of a

Baptismal spirituality, which reminds us of a renewed sense that

Christian life is the continual living out on a daily basis of

the covenant with God, in a cycle of continual conversion and re-

conversion. This will depend on follow up, and ultimately avoid

the clash between the beliefs of the priest and the requirements

31

of Canon Law. However, it should surely be seen as an opportunity

to welcome and spread the message of the Church to those who

otherwise would not step through the door. The missional

potential cannot be ignored or dismissed.

32

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