This morning at St. Paul's 7:45 Divine Service, our newest godchildren, Sammy and Joey, were baptized into Christ. Pr. Ball's use of the Alternate Order for Baptism, which is really a very clean adaptation of Luther's 1526 order, reminded me once again that this order is VASTLY to be preferred over the version that is printed in
Lutheran Service Book. It's so remarkably concise and straight-forward. None of that needless "explaining" that only ends up cluttering the liturgy. Rather, these boys were exorcised, signed with the cross, prayed over, renounced Satan and confessed the faith (through their sponsors), consented to Baptism, were brought into the family of God through the miracle of the water and Word joining them to Jesus in His death and resurrection, sealed with the Spirit, and illumined with the light of Christ. Pastors, if you've not considered the superiority of the alternate rite, check it out. It really is magnificent in its restraint.
Here are the proud sponsors with the lads following the liturgy:
4 comments:
Congratulations! They are well blessed in their Godparents.
Many Years to the Newly Illumined.
Is there an online version of the alternate text adapted from the Luther 1526 version? I'd be curious to see what it is?--chris
Mimi,
It is WE are blessed in our godchildren! So many wonderful little ones!!!
Chris,
Sadly, no.
I'm very happy to read this - I have often thought that the baptismal service is so long and overly-explantory - but thought I would be pounced upon if I ever expressed that. Plus, I would tell myself that sometimes, attending a family member's baptism is the only time some might even be in church to hear the Word - so I just told myself it was good to really pound it in.
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