Baptism
Does the Church of England have a separate baptism service for adult candidates?
In the Book of Common Prayer, separate provision is made for the baptism of infants and for those ‘of riper years.’
The Baptism services in Common Worship, though, make no basic distinction between the baptism of infants and the baptism of those who come to it later in life. The Commentary in Common Worship: Christian Initiation is clear that there is one service of baptism (page 333). The difference lies in the way the service is conducted.
At an infant baptism, the questions are put by the priest to the parents and godparents on the child’s behalf; at a baptism of a young person or adult, the questions are addressed to the candidate directly (Common Worship [main volume] page 353, Common Worship: Christian Initiation, page 66). Whilst an older child or an adult has no need of godparents (in that he/she makes his/her own decisions and promises), there is the possibility of appointing sponsors who stand alongside him/her at the time of decision.
The other issue for consideration is that, when a person comes to Baptism later in life, it is normal for Confirmation to be administered by the Bishop either at the same service or very soon afterwards. In other words, the two parts of the Christian rite of initiation are celebrated together, or as near together as possible.
For the full text of the Baptism service click here.
Affirmation of Baptismal Faith
The Liturgical Commission is often in receipt of questions surrounding the public affirmation of faith by adults who, though baptized as infants, have come to profess their Christian faith later in life.
In some churches it is the normal custom for new Christians to be baptized by full immersion.
A question often asked is whether it is ever appropriate for a Christian who was previously baptized as an infant to make a public affirmation of his/her faith using water.
The Church of England is clear that baptism can be administered only once. It does, though, recognize the pastoral need for a service at which someone baptized as an infant can affirm their baptismal faith in later life. This service - the ‘Affirmation of Baptismal Faith’ is in Common Worship: Christian Initiation (pages 200-210) or may be downloaded here: Affirmation of Baptismal Faith.doc
It is very clear that water may play an important part in such a service. The rubric (page 203) provides that ‘The candidates may come forward to the font and sign themselves with water, or the president may sprinkle them.’ This may be interpreted according to the tradition of the local church, but it takes place without words being spoken.