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The Reform of Baptism and Confirmation in American Lutheranism

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The Reform of Baptism and Confirmation in American Lutheranism LOGIA 1 Review Essay: The Reform of Baptism and Confirmation in American Lutheranism Armand J. Boehme The Reform of Baptism and Confirmation in American Lutheranism. By Jeffrey A. Truscott. Drew University Studies in Liturgy 11. Lanham, Maryland & Oxford: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2003. his book1 is a study of the production of the baptismal the church.” Thus the crafters of LBW greatly expanded T and confirmation rites contained in Lutheran Book of the “assembly’s participation in the baptismal act” (pp. Worship (LBW).2 The theology that underlies LBW 33, 205). These changes flow from a theology of action and its understanding of worship has significantly (liturgy as the work of the people), which emphasizes altered the Lutheran understanding of baptism and the fact that the church or the congregation is the confirmation. The theological foundation of LBW has mediating agent of God’s saving activity (p. 33).6 For influenced other Lutheran church bodies, contributing LBW the sacraments are understood significantly to profound changes in the Lutheran ecclesiologically—as actions of the congregation (pp. landscape. As Truscott wrote, those crafting the 205-206)—rather than soteriologically—as God acting baptismal liturgy in LBW would have to “overturn” old to give his people grace and forgiveness. This leads to an theologies of baptism, deal with “a theology that” emphasis on baby drama, water drama, and other believed in “the necessity of baptism for salvation,” and congregational acts (pp. 24–26, 220). This theology of “would have to convince Lutherans of the need for a new action is tied to an analytic view of justification, that is, liturgical and theological approach to baptism” (p. 15). God calls human beings righteous since he sees that Many of these theological and practical changes they have or will gradually become righteous because of were previously encouraged in a book entitled their righteous deeds. This analytic view of justification Confirmation and First Communion: A Study Book. is that of Karl Holl, the New Perspectives on Paul (NPP), This book was a joint Lutheran study of the theology the Finnish view of Luther, Roman Catholicism, and the and practice of confirmation in America.3 Klos’s study Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification was a continuation of the Lutheran World Federation’s (JDDJ).7 (LWF) call for a thorough study of confirmation, which The “sacraments are essentially acts of prayer” (p. began with a seminar in Germany in 1955. The papers 219).8 This statement summarizes a view of the and study documents from these LWF seminars were sacraments that sees them as ecclesiological acts, as reported to the LWF at its 1963 Helsinki gathering. celebrations of the faith community, and as the American Lutherans began serious study of sacramental living of one’s Christian faith. The church confirmation at an intersynodical conference held in itself is seen as sacramental (pp. 33, 217-221). Greater Racine, Wisconsin in 1954. Klos’s 1968 study is a emphasis is placed upon human liturgical gestures, continuation of these previous examinations of the place actions, words, prayers, and symbols as the of confirmation in Lutheranism.4 This examination of self-actualization of the sacramental nature of the confirmation was part of a broader ecumenical study of church. This changed view of the sacraments that baptism, Christian initiation, confirmation, and the underlies LBW’s understanding of baptism has helped reception of Holy Communion within global bring about the acceptance of Eucharistic Prayers, Christendom.5 Anyone interested in a better prayers of thanksgiving for the water, and other understanding of the changed perspectives on baptism, practices in Lutheranism. This view of the sacraments catechetical instruction, and confirmation within entered Lutheranism from the ecumenical/Roman Lutheranism and Christianity should read this book. Catholic Liturgical movement (pp. 217–221). Defining Those producing LBW worked with an overt the sacraments as human acts of prayer agenda to downplay confirmation and to uplift baptism. [sanctification/law] conflicts with Scripture and the Truscott concludes by stating that the reforms instituted Lutheran Confessions, which view the sacraments as by the ILCW and put into LBW's "Affirmation of God at work giving sinners faith, forgiveness, and many Baptism" service did not go far enough to "downplay other spiritual blessings [justification/gospel] (Matthew confirmation" as some had desired (p. 225). 26:26–28; Acts 2:38; 22:16).9 Truscott’s book begins with a brief overview of Truscott readily admits the influence of Aidan Lutheran baptismal rites before the production of LBW. Kavanagh on LBW’s push to see baptism as a rite LBW views baptism primarily as “a liturgical action of primarily for adults rather than for infants (pp. 19, 32, LOGIA 2 205). For Kavanagh infant baptism is “a benign “who have received little or no Christian abnormality” (p. 32, also pp. 19, 206–207).10 This nurture/instruction following their baptism” (p. 230). abnormality of infant baptism is viewed from the Truscott’s comments correctly reflect LBW’s perspective that sees Baptism as entrance into the practice and theology. LBW contains a rite called community of faith rather than as "insurance against “Affirmation of baptism.”15 In the LBW: Minister’s Desk damnation" (pp. 51-52), or as "an antidote for original Edition, this rite is referred to as “First Communion.”16 sin" (p. 117). Faith can be planted and grow whether one Its purpose is to admit to the Lord’s Table baptized is baptized shortly after birth or not - "whether one is individuals who have received little if any instruction in baptized at two months or forty years" (p. 51). Hence the Christian doctrine. The LBW rubrics say that coming to encouragement to store up baptisms for special communion for the first time should “not be blurred by occasions in the church year (pp. 24, 31-32, 50-53, loading it down with such embellishments as public 76-77, 110-111, 117). Truscott states that "a baptismal catechesis, vows, white robes, or group songs.” theology based on the dogmatic defense of infant Thorough instruction in the chief articles of Christian baptism is problematic, since the infant focus doctrine appears to be described as an embellishment, potentially hinders the church's mission to unbaptized an unnecessary addition to “coming to communion for adults" (p. 117). What is needed is a Lutheran theology the first time,” something that blurs communion and of Baptism "centered on conversion" (p. 117). The loads it down with unnecessary humanly added abnormality of infant baptism was also the view of “embellishments.”17 The reader is encouraged to Gregory Dix.11 In spite of its being a “benign compare this LBW service with the similar service abnormality,” infant baptism is to be retained because (designed like the LBW service, to admit individuals to infant communion cannot be defended without the communion before confirmation) in the Agenda for the regular practice of infant baptism. “If there was no LCMS’s Lutheran Service Book (LSB).18 practice of infant baptism in the first century, there The admission to communion of individuals with could have been no infant Communion—unless one little or no instruction was observed by this reviewer wants to conjecture a practice of communing the while serving in Wisconsin. In visiting a Lutheran unbaptized.”12 As will be seen later, there is tremendous couple new to the community it was discovered that the irony in this last quotation. pastor of their former Lutheran congregation had Infant communion flows from believing that spoken with the unchurched husband for about five communion is the immediate birthright of the baptized. minutes and said that he could be baptized and This idea lies behind the “early communion” movement admitted to communion the next Sunday. No catechesis in Lutheranism that encourages having much younger was ever given. When this reviewer noted that and insufficiently instructed children admitted to Holy instruction would be necessary before admission to Communion (pp. 149-151, 229–232). Infant communion communion, the couple did not return to his advocates have openly admitted that the push for early congregation. communion was merely the starting point for making The movement in Lutheranism is clear: the historic infant communion a regular church practice. practice stated that a baptized person would be fully catechized, confirmed, and then admitted to In 1970, however, the Joint Commission on the Theology and Practice of confirmation declared, in communion. That practice changed to early communion its infinite wisdom, that it was indeed proper and before confirmation around the fifth-grade level with Evangelical for persons to participate in the minimal instruction in the Lord’s Supper. The practice Eucharist prior to their confirmation. “Lex of early communion before confirmation was then orandi!” To keep pace with this ‘new theology’, our invoked to push for infant communion because worship book changed too. Confession was no communion was the birthright of the baptized. Infant longer a precondition for reception of the communion is not only encouraged and practiced in the Sacrament; the rite of confirmation was restored to ELCA, but it is also being encouraged and practiced in the baptismal liturgy; confirmation became the LCMS.19 “Affirmation of baptism”. The old traditional gap which had existed between baptism and the But the question must be raised, is communion the Eucharist (and which had been filled by birthright of all the baptized without distinction? If Confession, confirmation and the age of discretion) reception of communion solely on the basis of baptism had been eradicated. Our new theology and is true, then there could be no distinctions between practice seemed to indicate that the Eucharist religious groups; if all the Methodists, Baptists, should be the natural and immediate consequence Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Dutch of baptism…hence, infant Communion.
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