Christian liturgy should reflect the unconditional nature of grace

I’ve never sat on a liturgical commission or hymnal committee. I’m not sure I’d be the best candidate for such an assignment, as much as I enjoy liturgy. The process of mapping tradition on the one hand and exploring new expressions of praise on the other demands more patience than I have. Plus, I might bristle in unhelpful ways when agreed-upon liturgical language felt stiff to me. But I respect people who give their talents in these ways. In fact, I have a couple of liturgical revision suggestions to send their way. Both aim to make the priority of grace more central.

A quick survey of Catholic and Protestant baptismal liturgies reveals an ordering that seems peculiar to me, even if those liturgies have all kinds of historical precedent. Parents and godparents are typically asked to make promises about raising their child in the faith—before their kid ever gets splashed with water. Other advance questions surface before the splash: Do you renounce the devil? Will you strive to live a life in opposition to sin? Do you have the courage to challenge the powers of this world that ignore God?

Such questions are certainly pertinent to a life of faith. But by placing them before the baptism actually takes place, the church gives the impression, certainly to those outside the faith, that the grace in baptism is conditional. You meet approval and pass muster if you utter the proper words. Answer correctly and you’re eligible. Respond unsatisfactorily and you’re out.