Church of Scotland invites more parents to consider baptism

Prince George has just been welcomed into the church and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland is inviting other parents to consider baptism for their own children.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Reverend Lorna Hood, spoke about the "delights" of baptism for both the young and the old.

She said: "For me as a Church of Scotland minister and a school chaplain one of the greatest delights is to baptise children of those I have baptised. It is such a joyful occasion and it isn't just for new babies either.

"I've lost count of how many babies and infants I have baptised but one of my loveliest memories is of baptising a mother and her five children, aged twelve to twelve weeks' all the same time."

The Church of Scotland examined baptism in a report its General Assembly in 2003 and 2004. The report discussed how baptism requirements and services have changed since the 16th century and the Church no longer expects at least one parent or other close family member to be a member of the Church.

Today someone who is not a parent but still significant for the child could bring the child for baptism, though with the written consent of the parents.

Mrs Hood added: "As the young royal couple take these vows, we hope that more young people would consider bringing their little ones, to learn of our faith and the values that Christianity stands for, values so needed in our world today."

News
SNP 'conversion therapy' ban would be 'fundamentally illiberal'
SNP 'conversion therapy' ban would be 'fundamentally illiberal'

SNP support has dropped, but they are still the frontrunners for next month's elections.

Franklin Graham pushes back against Pope's war comments amid war of words with Trump
Franklin Graham pushes back against Pope's war comments amid war of words with Trump

Graham told Piers Morgan that while he did not want or support war, there was justification for it "when you're fighting evil".

Archbishop of Canterbury joins Pope in call for peace
Archbishop of Canterbury joins Pope in call for peace

The Pope has been outspoken against the latest war in the Middle East.

Church warden murder conviction quashed as Court of Appeal orders retrial
Church warden murder conviction quashed as Court of Appeal orders retrial

The Court of Appeal has overturned the murder conviction of Benjamin Field, the former church warden jailed in 2019 for the death of university lecturer Peter Farquhar, in a significant ruling that reopens one of the UK’s most complex criminal cases.