Infant Baptism & Dedications

1. Church Policy

Our church offers both infant baptism and dedications. In other words, we affirm both pedobaptism (infant baptism) and credobaptism (believer’s baptism).
This is in contrast with traditionally pedobaptist churches which will only offer baptism for infants (not dedications), and traditionally credobaptist churches which will not offer baptism for infants but only dedications.
SWEC will only baptise and dedicate infants who have at least one Christian parent, usually someone who is a regular at the church.

Dual baptism is a view and practice not only held by interdenominational churches and organisations such as our mother church, the Chinese Christian Church Sydney, but also denominations such as the Nazarene Church, the American Evangelical Covenant Church, the French Reformed Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA).
A Biblical and historical case can be made for accepting the practices of both, and is well argued and defended by New Testament scholar Michael Bird.

In infant baptism, the covenant sign of baptism, which powerfully symbolises a believer’s union with Christ by his Spirit which brings forgiveness of sins and new life, is given to the child on their behalf.
The baptism itself does not bring about the supernatural work of God, but marks the child out as being part of God’s covenant community. The child is therefore given the ‘title’ / ‘rights’ to all the benefits of the covenant when they come of age.
When the child is of age and able to affirm the promises spoken on their behalf by their parent or sponsor, they are not baptised again but ‘confirmed’ in the presence of the church.
Because the practice of the baptism of infants rests on God’s covenant of grace with believers and their children, it requires personal faith in Jesus Christ on the part of the parents. Therefore it is necessary for those presenting their children for baptism to answer certain questions (cf. SWEC Baptism, Infants, Confirmation document).

In dedicating infants, parents and god-parents are publicly affirming their desire and commitment to raise a child in the ways of the Lord.
The dedication does not apply the sign of baptism on a child. The vows and words spoken are spoken by the parents and god-parents on their own behalf, as an expression of their own commitment and prayer for this child (cf. SWEC Baptism, Infants, Confirmation document).
It is hoped that infants who are dedicated will one day take on the sign of baptism themselves, when they are of age and wish to publicly affirm the work of God in their own lives.

At SWEC, families have the freedom to choose one or the other based on their personal preferences and former denominational affiliations.
However it is understood that our church affirms and practices both, and therefore does not consider this a gospel issue that is to be fought over or create disunity over. Whatever families choose for their own children must not be used as a measure or judgement of others.
If a child has been baptised as an infant, they are not normally baptised again but confirmed. If parents wish for their child to make their own decision regarding baptism at a later date, they should seek infant dedication rather than baptism.
The role of god-parents is slightly different for dedications and baptisms. For dedications, god-parents are committing themselves to assist parents in praying for and Christian upbringing of the child. For baptisms, god-parents act as co-sponsors and together with the parents affirm baptism vows on the behalf of the child.
It is not a requirement in either dedications or baptism to have god-parents. It is up to the discretion of the families.