02-03-26

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 3, 2026
I have been working with some folks as they prepare for baptism, and one of the clear messages I have tried to communicate is that baptism is a gift. In some traditions, and at multiple times in Christian history, baptism has been a requirement for salvation, and not only a requirement, but one that only the church (often a specific church) could offer. Baptism was and continues to be used in some settings as a tool of manipulation and a way of wielding power over people. That approach is damaging to the idea of baptism as a gift. In fact, it undermines it. And equally concerning, what happens to people’s understanding of God when baptism is used as a tool by which people’s insecurities and fears are exploited? In the end, people do not feel secure or at peace in God’s love, which is exactly the opposite purpose of Jesus’ ministry. Fear and guilt are extraordinary instruments for growing a church numerically, but in the end, fear and guilt damage the soul of the church.

When I say baptism is a gift, I am suggesting that God understands how human beings are experiential and tactile. We could be told something, but participating in a ritual that reinforces the message of God’s love that envelops and renews us is beyond powerful. Years ago, I baptized a guy in his 40s who had really been struggling with decisions he had made earlier in life. And he was burdened by the pain, embarrassment, and guilt. After the baptism, he talked about walking to the changing room and seeing this trail of water behind him. That trail of water became for him an image of all that unhealthy stuff that he had held for far too long, yet on that day, it was all being left behind him because of the waters of baptism. It was a beautiful image. There are as many stories about baptism and its meaning as there are people who have entered the waters. And I believe any experience in the waters of baptism that brings life, joy, and liberation are experiences that make God smile.

Thank you for all the gifts you give us, Gracious God. As we grapple with what it means to be loved unconditionally by you, especially in a world that believes love should be conditional, continue to present those gifts that help to reinforce within us the true nature of your love that has no prerequisites. Thank you, again. Amen.