Thoughts About Confirmation

Sunday at the Cathedral was especially glorious; a bunch of people were confirmed. Before the actual confirmations, several people were baptized. In one family both the mother and her infant were baptized.  As the young mother was having the sign of the cross traced on her forehead by the bishop, and as he intoned the words, “You are sealed in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever,” tears slipped down her cheeks.  I saw the same thing happen last year when an another adult was baptized.  Still, having witnessed many, many over the years, and having performed a few myself, it is a rare sight to see tears.

After the service, I saw the young mother and said, “It’s not often I see someone cry at a baptism.” I had more to say, but before I could get it out, she began to apologize.  I cut her off and finished with, “It was wonderful!”  She smiled, relieved I wasn’t scolding her and said, “It meant so much to me.”  That was not unlike what I’d heard a year earlier when I spoke to the man who teared up--along with his wife who sponsored him.

I share this with you because I have for a long time thought we make it too easy to become baptized and confirmed as adults.  In the early centuries of the Church, especially before Constantine made Christianity a legal religion--by the way, he did NOT make it the state religion; that happened later--a person presenting for baptism was expected to undergo at least a year’s rigorous instruction. The belief was that people should know what they were getting themselves into, partly because they might have to die simply for being a Christian. Those preparing for baptism were not even allowed to witness the Eucharist, much less partake. They were excused from the congregation at the peace.

Today many parishes make preparing for baptism and confirmation as easy and as non-taxing as they can.  At the Cathedral, adult confirmation classes usually span six to eight weeks of one hour sessions. Some other parishes do more, most do about the same; some do less.  I suppose we think if we Episcopalians make it too hard, people might not get confirmed and, therefore, won’t become members of the church. I understand this. These days it’s hard to keep people focused on anything very long. I can imagine folks giving up and moving on and I don’t want that.

At the same time, I’m not sure that requiring a year’s study would have changed anything for that young woman or the man last year. For them, the experience of joining the communion of saints, of being grafted into the Body of Christ, was probably as moving as it could be. Would I like them to know more of our rich heritage as Episcopalians? Do I wish they had a better understanding of what’s going on in worship, and more important for me, why it’s going on? Sure. But I can’t honest say they would be any more engaged or dedicated to a life in our Lord because of it. 

Like many things as I get older, the clear lines of my cherished beliefs blur sometimes. I suppose if I tried I could come down firmly on one side of the other of this matter. But, I’m stilled moved by the tears.

Peace,

Jerry