A proposal made by a General Synod member of the Church of Ireland, urging for the baptism of infants regardless of the parents’ marital status, was disappointingly turned down. The sponsor of the initiative, Professor Patricia Barker from the Dublin and Glendalough diocese, voiced her distress about this, stating that it signals a retrogressive attitude echoing a time when the clergy possessed the authority to pass judgement on a woman.
The turned-down proposal was geared towards ensuring no child born to unwed parents would ever be denied baptism; a decision which currently rests with the church’s clergy. The initiative, backed by Lynn Wright from the Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh diocese, marked Professor Barker’s second endeavours to present it at the General Synod. “It was shelved last year but we were adequately prepared this year”, she commented, while pointing out that numerous instances of this sort have surfaced in the past year, in addition to those she had once been aware of.
However, a petition signed by seven clergy members proposed an ‘orders’ vote in lieu of a general one to consider her proposal at this year’s General Synod. This meant that the clergy and the laity would vote separately, and a majority from both would be necessary for the motion to be passed.
Reflecting on the outcome, Professor Barker remarked that it was “extremely disheartening to witness a regression to an era in which a woman could be subjected to such judgement by the clergy”. She suggested a hypothetical scenario in which the relevant clergy are asked their reaction if asked to baptise Jesus, the child of Mary, an unmarried mother with a betrothed, Joseph, who was not the father.
After the decision, Bishop Michael Burrows addressed his followers at St Mary’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Limerick, expressing his displeasure about the voting outcome. He also questioned whether the Church of Ireland remained the entity he once knew and treasured. In his address, Bishop Borrows conveyed that the refused proposal at the General Synod was essentially stating that parents’ marital status should have no bearing on the child’s eligibility for baptism.
During the General Synod vote, the count was close amongst the clergy with 69 supporting and 72 opposing. However, among the non-ordained delegates, the tilt was towards affirmation with 144 voting in favour as opposed to 83 against. Due to lack of clergy support, the proposal was disregarded.
Bishop Burrows, expressing his disappointment, said the negative resonance of such an occurrence is regrettable and unfortunate for a country like Ireland that is all too familiar with dark history revolving around the mistreatment of single mothers.
On the opposing side stood the Archdeacon of Derry, Robert Miller, who insisted that there was no need for the proposition as the Church of Ireland has always benevolently adhered to the sacrament of Baptism in the context of its principles and guidelines.
He further explained his personal stance, stating that in his almost three-decade tenure as a minister, he had never rebuffed Baptism, instead looking at it as an opportunity to foster and mentor people in their spiritual journey. He believed the proposal dictating that a minister must baptise would only serve to hinder the relationship centred on trust between the minister and their congregation.