Lutheran Christening

Paper Summary:

The author of the paper attended the christening of a baby born to Lutheran parents and describes the ceremony and her observations from an anthropological point of view. The author discusses the role of the extended family in the ceremony and their acceptance of visitors in their midst.

From the Paper:

"While Lutherans sometimes choose Biblical names, there is no requirement to do so. Neither Ron nor Jean are Biblical names. However, Jean told me before the festivities began that her sister-in-law, Nancy, converted to Catholicism when she married her husband. She said that their children must be given the name of a Catholic saint. While other sectarian differences also occur, the purpose of the ceremony is to dedicate the child to God until he or she is old enough to make that choice of their own free will. Ron said that there are a few branches of Christianity who do not believe in Baptism until the child is old enough to decide for him or herself to be Baptized."

More papers on Lutheran Christening:

• Descriptive Essay # 117896 : "Disciples of the Evangelical Lutheran Church"
• Essay # 4858 : "The Impact of Lutheran Theology"
• Comparison Essay # 17358 : "The Lutheran Church"

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