Commentary: Annual conferences should approve baptism measure
8/22/2000 News media contact: Tim Tanton · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn. A UMNS Commentary By the Rev. Andy Langford* The General Conference took many positive actions during its meeting last May in Cleveland. The most significant actions included proposed constitutional changes to reflect United Methodism's unique understanding and practice of the sacrament of baptism. I hope and expect that the proposed constitutional changes related to baptism will be approved next year by every annual conference.
A little history may be useful. In 1976, our denomination adopted for alternate use "A Service of Baptism, Confirmation and Reaffirmation." This service was the most biblical and Wesleyan/Evangelical United Brethren baptismal liturgy since we dropped John Wesley's Sunday Service in the late 18th century. After 200 years of confusion in both the practice and theology of baptism, we United Methodists finally had a liturgy that reflected our own distinctive baptismal theology.
Almost every liturgist and theologian in our connection celebrated this achievement. The 1980 General Conference adopted this new baptismal service as official liturgy for all United Methodists. After 10 years of use, the 1988 General Conference again adopted this service as our official baptismal liturgy for our United Methodist Hymnal. In 1992, the General Conference adopted this baptismal liturgy again for our United Methodist Book of Worship. The 1996 General Conference accepted "By Water and the Spirit," a foundational document that clearly stated our own unique United Methodist theological understanding of baptism as reflected in the new liturgy.
For almost 25 years, our official liturgical documents have promoted this distinctive United Methodist practice and understanding of baptism. The 2000 General Conference, after much study, approved constitutional changes to our Book of Discipline that reflect what we have officially taught and practiced since 1976.
Some folk now oppose these constitutional changes. Some people have objected that our liturgy preceded formal theological documents and church constitutional law. The classic phrase, "lex orandi lex credendi (worship practice precedes theological formulation)," reminds us that theology and law always follow worship patterns. As has been true in the history of the church, the liturgy of the people always shapes theology and law.
Other critics complain that the theology expressed in our baptismal liturgy, the 1996 theological document, and proposed constitutional amendments are contrary to our distinctive United Methodist tradition. I strongly disagree. Read John Wesley's treatise "On Baptism," "The Articles on Religion of The Methodist Church" (in Paragraph 62 of the Discipline), "The Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church" (Paragraph 62), and the other classic formulations of our baptismal theology.
Before annual conferences vote in 2001, I encourage every member of our church to read the primary documents and rediscover what United Methodists really do believe about baptism. All of these documents support a careful and delicate balance between sacramental and evangelical theologies of baptism. We believe that God's work in baptism is transforming, and that every person must personally claim God's grace given in baptism.
Critics who oppose our new practice, doctrine and law unfortunately all fall off on one side or the other of this divide. To defeat the proposed amendments would be a major repudiation of our own distinctive theology and push us either into Roman Catholic sacramentalism or Baptist evangelicalism.
United Methodists, for the sake of our tradition and unity, should support the actions of the 2000 General Conference and adopt the proposed constitutional changes that reflect our common practice and classic theology.
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*Langford is general editor of The United Methodist Book of Worship and senior pastor of St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C.
Commentaries provided by United Methodist News Service do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of UMNS or the United Methodist Church.
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