Comments on: For My Friends http://pinakidion.org/archives/for-my-friends A writing tablet for my thoughts Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:21:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: pinakidion http://pinakidion.org/archives/for-my-friends#comment-34936 pinakidion Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:32:29 +0000 http://pinakidion.org/archives/for-my-friends#comment-34936 No problem, Bobber. I figured that you would appreciate the call and response at the end. Never thought a RM church would do that, did ya? :) The children are not members of the church. I view this as charge to the congregation to help us teach them about God. It is also a charge for us to be dedicated to this community. More than that, it was a way for our congregation to celebrate children of members. More dedication services to follow. This ceremony ties into their bar/bat mitzvahs when they turn 12. There will be a connection between the two as the community charges them to choose the paths of God. As an aside, one traditional bit of mishnah holds that the parents are responsible for the sins of their children until aged 12 years and 1 day. Although the bar mitzvah is more of a modern expression, it is intended to also signify this event. No problem, Bobber. I figured that you would appreciate the call and response at the end.

Never thought a RM church would do that, did ya? :)

The children are not members of the church. I view this as charge to the congregation to help us teach them about God. It is also a charge for us to be dedicated to this community. More than that, it was a way for our congregation to celebrate children of members. More dedication services to follow.

This ceremony ties into their bar/bat mitzvahs when they turn 12. There will be a connection between the two as the community charges them to choose the paths of God.

As an aside, one traditional bit of mishnah holds that the parents are responsible for the sins of their children until aged 12 years and 1 day. Although the bar mitzvah is more of a modern expression, it is intended to also signify this event.

]]> By: Bobber http://pinakidion.org/archives/for-my-friends#comment-34935 Bobber Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:52:41 +0000 http://pinakidion.org/archives/for-my-friends#comment-34935 Congrats on this momentous occasion. A few theological questions to consider: How is this dedication not like infant baptism? Is your son now a member of the church? If so, why does he need to be baptized when he is older? If not, then what did the dedication accomplish other than to charge the congregation and yourselves with loving and teaching the child the ways of Christ? Don't mean to make light of this event at all. I know it is very special to you and I appreciate and respect this. But this was an area that caused me to question some of my assumptions and also lead (among other things) to me embracing infant baptism. Congrats on this momentous occasion. A few theological questions to consider: How is this dedication not like infant baptism? Is your son now a member of the church? If so, why does he need to be baptized when he is older?
If not, then what did the dedication accomplish other than to charge the congregation and yourselves with loving and teaching the child the ways of Christ?

Don’t mean to make light of this event at all. I know it is very special to you and I appreciate and respect this. But this was an area that caused me to question some of my assumptions and also lead (among other things) to me embracing infant baptism.

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