Monday, December 10, 2007

I agree with the Bishop




Bishop’s anger over secular naming ceremony


THE [Anglican] BISHOP of Dover has criticized Kent County Council (KCC) for privileging secular ‘baby welcoming’ ceremonies over Christian baptism for newborn infants.
“Whilst I have no objection to KCC offering a secular service for those who would like it, I do have problems with them promoting these alternatives through the registration service,” Bishop Stephen Venner told the diocesan newspaper, Outlook.
When parents register the birth of their child in Kent, the county Registrar’s Office gives them a pamphlet advertising a ‘Simply Perfect Kentish Welcoming Service.”
The KCC’s website states: “A welcoming ceremony can be a very special way of celebrating the birth of your child and welcoming the new arrival into the family and the wider community. It’s also an opportunity to declare, before family and friends, your promise to be as good a parent as you can and for adult friends or relatives to confirm their special relationship with your child.” The naming service costs from £109 to £234 and comes with a customised naming scroll.
“If people are to be made aware of services, then KCC should include the provision of the various faith communities in any glossy brochures they are handing out and on their websites,” Bishop Venner said.“The role of government is to enable all sections of the community to have the services they need, not to promote just one option,” he noted.

12 comments:

Father John Boyle said...

As a priest in Kent I find this most objectionable. Well said Bishop Venner.

Cathy said...

Ay yi yi.

Naming ceremony?????

Brendan Allen said...

Yes; in May 2005 I spent an enjoyable few days in the north-east of England, including a visit to Holy Island and Lindisfarne. Inside Lindisfarne Castle, just after going in the front door, on the left, there was a notice board on the wall with a note about how Northumbria County Council could offer you, at the Castle, not only a civic wedding, but also a secular baby naming ceremony. I can't remember if they used the word "secular" on the official County Council leaflet, but it definitely referred to a "baby-naming" ceremony, and obviously "secular" is what they had in mind.

Anonymous said...

someone named or launched the titanic look what happend to that.posted by ffn

gemoftheocean said...

Maybe it's a jaded American cynicism on my part, but I don't think you folks have much to worry about. This strikes me as nothing more than a tax on the stupid. If the lottery can be said to be a tax on those who can't do statistics, this one is even more evident. What fool would pay a government to organize a party for his youngster? Maybe the Kent politicos know Christians would never fall for it. Even most atheists. It's a tax on stupid atheists and nothing more!

You can rightly complain about your tax dollars being spent on brochures for this lunacy. My 10th grade teacher told us "Government exists to do for people what they can't do for themselves." This isn't building roads with elaborate right of way needs or even raising an army for self defense, or helping the destitute. This is just a bunch of ninnie nannies seeing how stupid people are.


Karen

Anonymous said...

Isn't it better to name a child at a secular ceremony than confining him to hell by baptizing him into a faith he is unlikely to practise?

nickbris said...

It would appear that Local Authorities are predominantly run by WORTHLESS INDIVIDUALS.They can only earn their keep by skulduggery and like to cause mischief anywhere they can.Secularism is offensive to people of Faith and by rights they should be severely chastised as they would be in large parts of the World.They are the true Infidels.

Anonymous said...

'customised naming scroll'!

I'd rather have my name inscribed in the book of life thank you very much!

Paulinus said...

Humanists can organise their own naming ceremonies (friends of mine did) without the State providing this. Truly secularism is the State religion and the gloves are off.

WhiteStoneNameSeeker said...

Interesting how people want some kind of meaning even when they have to invent it in a meaningless way.
It's barmy

Cathy said...

Anon,
It's not just the baptised who can wind up in hell, though I see your point and can appreciate it.

Many, many people who are baptised shouldn't have been.

Cathy said...

PS That probably sounds odd, but I happen to know that baptism is a serious sacrament and I wish more parents would consider the action prayerfully before proceeding.
To lie - lie! during a sacrament!

"We will."
"We do."

No you won't and no you don't!
I don't know the answer, but I am opposed to baptising a person without their parents taking it seriously.
If we didn't think this way, we could just go around baptising every kid on the block in secret, ya know, "for their own good."

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

At Matins/the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday the Church gives us this 'ancient homily', I find it incredibly moving, it is abou...