Getting the wean done

Abstract

In an age when institutional religion is in numerical decline, George Whyte ask why do parents seek baptism for their children? His paper arises from research based on interviews with parents bringing their children to be baptized. In considering their responses, he seeks to match them against what the Church of Scotland believes parents are asking for when they bring their children to the font. A number of his findings indicate that there is much work to be done by the church to communicate better what it sees as authentic reasons for baptism. It also demonstrates that there remain real opportunities for the church to connect with families – if it is willing to risk engaging with those outside the immediate church community.