At every baptism and confirmation, the congregation renews their own baptismal covenant (BCP pp. 304–05). At the next revision of the Book of Common Prayer, the drafting committee should consider including a baptismal covenant renewal as part of every Eucharist and every Morning and Evening Prayer service.
Repetition
Every Boy Scout meeting starts out with a group recitation of the Scout Oath or Promise (“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country . . .”) and Scout Law (“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, . . . and reverent”). Both Scouts and adult leaders participate. This rote verbatim repetition, week after week, year after year, helps embed the Oath and Law in the minds and hearts of the participants. Ask any man who was a Boy Scout; chances are he can still say the Oath and Law from memory.
Similarly, the military uses verbatim repetition to burn information and values into the minds of its recruits. I would wager that most veterans can still recite, from memory, large chunks of the chain of command, the General Orders of a Sentry, the Code of Conduct, the phonetic alphabet, etc.
The Covenant
It would certainly be valuable for Christians, especially younger ones, to repeat the baptismal covenant at every service. After a rehearsal of the basics of Christian belief in the Apostles’ Creed, the covenant reminds us of how we promised to live our lives:
Celebrant Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
People I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
People I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
People I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People I will, with God’s help.
It’d be wonderful for Episcopalians to say this, together, every week. We could do worse.
The Post-Baptismal Prayer
I have a great fondness for the post-baptism prayer. It’s now said by the celebrant alone. But there’s no reason it couldn’t be recited responsively by the congregation after the baptismal covenant, with “us” substituted for “them”:
Celebrant: Heavenly Father, we thank you that by water and the Holy Spirit you have bestowed upon us your servants the forgiveness of sin, and have raised us to the new life of grace.
People: Sustain us, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give us an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen.
Again, we could do worse.
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