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Rarely does the revising of liturgical texts create newspaper headlines but recent moves by the Church of England regarding its rite of Baptism have done just that.听 It鈥檚 an attempt to create more accessible theology for a modern era which some have welcomed as more culturally appropriate, but those unhappy with the proposed changes fear a 鈥渄umbing down鈥� of theological certainties and warn of the dangers of weakened understandings of sin and Satan.听

听

These arguments come hard on the heels of the Baptism of Prince George, which perhaps raised the profile of this Christian ceremony but how important is baptism to the life of the church; who can be baptised and when; and does it matter if those offering themselves or their children for this ancient sacrament treat it as such or simply as 鈥渢he thing to do鈥�, a rite of passage and an opportunity for a good party?.

听

Joining Mary Stallard to discuss these issues are Steve Ball, senior pastor at the City Temple in Cardiff; 听Fr Gareth Leyshon, Catholic Parish Priest in the Archdiocese of Cardiff; Rev鈥檇 Simeon Baker, Director of Mission at the Baptist Union of Wales; and Rev鈥檇 Dr Richard Hainsworth, Church in Wales parish priest.