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Baptism is intended to mark the reception of the candidate into the Church.
It is a one-off event, which evidences the association of the candidate through baptism with the death and resurrection of Christ.
The Canonical provisions relating to Baptism may be found at Canons B21 to B25, covering both the baptism of infants and of adults, or those of ‘riper years’ as Canon B24 puts it.
In addition, Canon B39 and Canon F11 require each parish church to maintain a register of those baptised in accordance with the statutory provisions relating to such registers. These are found principally in the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978, which requires baptisms to be registered, and makes provision for the maintenance of registers and for any necessary corrections which may be required.
There are some helpful papers on questions relating to baptism published by the Legal Advisory Commission in Part 14 of Legal Opinions concerning the Church of England. These papers include:
- Baptism
- Baptism: change of baptismal name
- Baptism: Consent of parent
- Baptism: the presence of godparents at baptism
- Baptism: godparents: removal and replacement
- Baptism of children: Parental responsibility and same sex couples
The minister, on receiving a request from a parent for the baptism of an infant, has a duty to conduct the baptism. If the minister delays or refuses, the parents may apply to the Bishop for directions.
The minister should be satisfied that both parents are content for the baptism to proceed. If there is uncertainty about this, the minister may wish to consult the Bishop for directions. Otherwise a difficulty may later emerge, if one parent has disagreed with the baptism and wishes to have it set aside. In practice this cannot happen, either at law or in theological terms.
Since the fact of baptism in the Church of England is recorded in a formal register, it is a matter of public record. The register may be amended if an entry is incorrect, but only by the minister after satisfying him or herself that the original entry was mistaken. An entry may not however be deleted if the candidate or a parent later wishes to disavow the baptism.
For a party wishing to disavow their baptism, the legal and theological effects of baptism cannot be undone. However they may wish to execute a deed expressing the intent to disavow their baptism for their own peace of mind if they are troubled by the fact of their baptism.
Confirmation
Confirmation is dealt with in Canons B27 and B28, and marks the confirmation of the candidate as a member of the Church of England. Confirmation is effected by the Bishop of the diocese, or another bishop acting on their behalf, laying hands on the candidate accompanied by words prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer or by other authorised forms of service.
It rarely gives rise to any legal questions, apart from the need for ordinands to satisfy the Bishop that they have been confirmed, which is a requirement of Canon C4, paragraph 2.
Candidates for ordination are asked to produce a certificate or other evidence of their confirmation, but it is sometimes the case that no certificate can be produced. In such cases a sworn statement by the ordinand or someone else who was present at the confirmation may be accepted. Other evidence may be acceptable, such as a copy of a book plate presented at confirmation. The Church of England recognises both presbyteral confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church and chrismation within the Orthodox Churches as forms of episcopal confirmation within the meaning of Canon B 28, paragraph 3 (see Ordinands: Requirement of Confirmation in Legal Opinions Concerning the Church of England).
There is a Canonical obligation to maintain a register of confirmations, at Canon B39 and Canon F11, paragraph 3, the latter stating “In every parish church and chapel there shall also be provided a register book of confirmations.” If for any reason this has not been maintained, the general register of services may be a useful source of information as to the names of those confirmed.