Books about Christening and Dedication

[Minions]

Hi everyone,

New to this part of mumsnet but really glad to have found it! So uplifting to read the gratitudes thread and encouraging the read the prayer one. I'm wondering if anyone knows a good book (or website) which discusses Christening versus Dedication. My husband and I are trying to decide what to do for our daughter and I don't really know the theology behind it.

My husband and I both became Christians in our teens and were baptised as adults. We weren't brought up in church (although DH went to Sunday School for a while) and so we don't have a history of being Christened as children ourselves.

Our church happily does both Christenings and Dedications so the choice is ours.

I'm keen to read anything which explains baptism more. The part that is holding me back from dedication (which is my gut preference) is where the Bible talks about you and your household will be baptised when the jailer is saved (Acts 16 vs 29-34). Any explanations on these texts would be most welcome :)

Thanks all

You might find Rowan Williams's book Being Christian helpful. The first chapter is about baptism.

Another good book is Timothy Radcliffe's Taking the Plunge.

Or talk to the vicar/minister/priest and see what he or she thinks.

Thanks Nim, I'll have a look for those books now.

I think you may find this book helpful.

The Water that Divides, Two views on Baptism Explored, Donald Bridge, David Phypers

Just so you know my husband and I are both Christians and both went to Church of England churches. We had a daughter 10 years ago and decided when she was born what to do. My preference was to have her dedicated as I had attended baptist churches and my husband preferred infant baptism as he had not thought of any alternative (I think). Anyway, we both read the book and swapped options, I wanted baptism and my hubby wanted dedication. We ended up going for dedication, It worked well because our church (Anglican) did a nice dedication service, our dd got 5 God parents and we ended up in free church. We are now in a C of E church and have a new child so we are opting for dedication again.

Good luck with your choice.

I grew up in a church that practised household baptism,based on the verse that you quoted. As babies we were all dunked in the family bathtub by one of the church elders with friends and family gathered found. My husband was from a non church background and was baptised in the North Sea whilst at university. I wanted to baptise the kids and he didn't so we had a dedication service instead. I see it as a symbolic act,either by Christian parents(in faith) or as an adult when you have decided to follow Christ. I have a Catholic friend who refused to fly with her baby until he had been baptised in case the plane crashed. I do not see biblical support for you not being saved until baptism. The thief on the cross would have died unbaptised and was told he would be in heaven. One of my brothers was more or less forced to be rebaptised as he was attending a baptist church and they wanted him on the leadership team but could not accept his baptism as a child.That is what I find sad. Hope you are able to make a decision you are both happy with. To summarize my view,I don't think it matters either way to God.