Church of Baseball and Why Affirm Confirmation as Formation #gc78 A080

Elevator Speech on A080: Confirm the Call to Confirmation as Formation

Affirm Confirmation as an Adult Affirmation of faith promised in Baptism: 

• Maintain the call to continue the theological and practical work we have done regarding Baptism with similar exploration of Confirmation.
• Support the call to gather a broad spectrum of experts and practitioners to prepare materials that can strengthen our best practices of preparing for and leading out of the sacrament of Confirmation.

And for something more interesting...

Walla Walla Sweets (Summer College League)

Why affirm Confirmation as Formation?  It is a hard question to even start writing on.  It isn't quite like asking why I like baseball, something so of habit and life drenching daily-ness (most of the year) that I cannot quite conceive of the fine people who say wretched things like 'I don't get why people like baseball'.  I once had a professional scout and former MLB player say that to me.  Now replay that statement in the context of the church/confirmation.  Oh goodness.

Confirmation is to some expert minds a sacrament without a theology.  For the parents of young people it can be a balm for anxious hearts, but it isn't really intended to be a balm.  It can also function as a weak rite of passage, once again that bit of balm that this is not.  Rites of passage have a particular sociology and anthropology that this secondary sacrament is not really intended to meet.  The roots of confirmation are a bit like a due diligence check after the fact.  Reverend Rogers baptized Daniel Tiger, and now King Friday is going to affirm that he has no other knowledge of this person being of ill repute.  The first sacrament, the primary sacrament, baptism was crossing home plate.  You scored the home run, and umpires in New York are confirming the call.  

I have led hundreds of folks, younger and older, through Confirmation/Reception/Reaffirmation classes.  Some games have been a bit of going through the rule book motions, others have been like wandering into the field of dreams.  We, the Episcopal Church,  have spent most of my lifetime affirming that Baptism is full and complete membership in the body of Christ. Game over.  Champagne celebration in the locker room.

ABQ Isotopes mascot chasing down a fan.

Yet we still have a valid need to continually learn and play and act in faith.  We need to follow up the time we spent on Baptism with a season of discernment regarding Confirmation.  We need to think and pray and learn about how important it is to us, how we use this gift and how it is a sacrament that unveils God's reign in our life together.  We need resources and guidance so that the journies toward confirmation have formative shape that lead all persons into Christian discipleship, prayer and service.

I support the standing commission on Ministry Developments's call for us to examine how confirmation is a distinct and valuable piece of lifelong formation.  We need a season and a gathering of experts and practitioners to explore how we actually practice this process and sacrament, and to share with the church best practices for the Christian religious education and formation that can culminate in an 'adult affirmation of faith' confirmed by a bishop.  Let's find that field of dreams.

Affirm Confirmation as an Adult Affirmation of faith promised in Baptism: 

• Maintain the call to continue the theological and practical work we have done regarding Baptism with similar exploration of Confirmation.
• Support the call to gather a broad spectrum of experts and practitioners to prepare materials that can strengthen our best practices of preparing for and leading out of the sacrament of Confirmation.

The FORMA position paper on A080 is here. 

Baseball fan.
FORMA member.
Avid Confirmer.