Thoughts on Baptismal Fonts…

Over the past twenty-one years, I have had the privilege of walking through many beautiful cathedrals and churches in England, Scotland, Ireland and Europe. And during those visits, I have seen a wide variety of baptismal fonts. The font pictured is from the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul which is in the city of Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. This font was in use from 1843 until 1922. Now it stands as a reminder of baptism for all who stop, kneel, light a candle, and pray in this side area of the cathedral. This particular font is not the most ornate or oldest that I have seen. One font that I remember seeing was dated around 1100 CE. Yes, that was soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy following the death of King Edward the Confessor. What has always made me pause in wonder and awe at these fonts is the thought of how many hundreds or perhaps thousands of infants (and adults) had begun their spiritual journey at that particular font. If the font could talk (or the walls of the Cathedral for that matter), can you imagine the stories they could tell?

While I don’t remember my own baptism (I know that I was baptized in the Chapel of the Roses, Pasadena Presbyterian Church in California in late 1960), I have been reminded of it innumerable times throughout the years. My son Alec, wore the baptismal gown that I wore when he was baptized in 1989. This gown was the same gown that my mother wore for her baptism in 1933 and which my Grandfather wore at his baptism in 1899! Now besides the fact that his mother was a nervous wreck as she ironed the gown and prepared it for Alec’s baptism, it was amazing to think of the years and the family who had worn this gown. Alec’s great-grandfather was also named Alec and so it was significant that ninety years later, Papa Agnew’s great-grandson would wear the gown he wore.

Each year, on the First Sunday after Epiphany, the church commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan by John. In earlier church history, this was often the day when new converts or young children would be baptized. And each year, as we commemorate the baptism of our Lord, I try to take some time to recall not only my own baptismal vows, but the countless baptisms I have officiated at over the years in places like Uzbekistan, England, Texas, Nevada, North Dakota, and Florida.

Even though I was an infant when I was baptized, my parents promised to raise me in the Christian faith and to bring me to the point where I could make my own profession of faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. As a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin, MN I promised with the rest of the congregation to remind the child of their baptismal vows and to pray for the child as she/he grew in the faith. This is a promise each member of the congregation in a Presbyterian church makes every time an infant, child, or adult is baptized.

When Jesus came  to the Jordan to see John and be baptized, he was a relative unknown. He was the son of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth, the son of a carpenter and likely a carpenter as his dad had been. Sure people may have remembered and still talked about the “unique” nature of his birth and the “stories” surrounding it, but he was for the most part, still just Joseph and Mary’s son. Coming from out of nowhere, and yet already blessed and called by God, Jesus knelt before John and asked to be baptized. As Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended upon him like a dove, and God spoke these words — “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.” (Mark 1:11 – The Message)

Yes, lots of thoughts flow through my heart each time I officiate at a baptism or pause before a baptismal font. Each time I witness a baptism, I remember my own baptismal vows which were first made for me by my parents. The same vows have been renewed not only as I witness another baptism; they have been renewed each time I answered the questions of Ordination and Installation as a pastor.

In the Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Common Worship, the congregation is reminded of the significance of this sacred moment. “By water and the Holy Spirit, we are made members of the church, the body of Christ, and joined to Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice. Let us remember with joy our own baptism, as we celebrate this sacrament.”

So, while the font may be ancient or modern, made of stone or wood, a simple bowl or a makeshift container in a war-zone; the meaning is not found in the font.  By water and the Holy Spirit, we are joined to Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice. The next time you see a font or witness a baptism, remember that it is something far greater than simply water and words. The Holy Spirit is at work… look for it with the eyes of your heart!