“… So that what we now Celebrate in Signs, we May One Day Possess in Truth.” Observations on the Theology of Sacraments and Sacramentality in an Ecumenical Context (Presidential Address)

A Cross-fit box is a type of Fitness studio and definitely not the usual place for having a conversation about questions of faith. you can imagine how surprised I was, when my trainer and physiotherapist at the start of Holy Week this year, in the midst of my early morning routine, out-of-the-blue asked me how it was “with baptism.” you see, his brother and his girlfriend had just had their first child. They wanted to have the child baptised and the Roman Catholic priest had asked them to come in to discuss the matter. The conversation had been rather disgusting and felt somewhat worse than dealing with a slimy used-car salesman. The priest had told my trainer’s brother (a lapsed Catholic who in the German system had officially “left” the church) and his girlfriend (a non-practising Protestant) that just dropping by for a baptism was not how it worked. both would be welcome to register for an instruction course on belief and faith –and here comes the used-car salesman comparison: with the payment of a fee! If they passed the faith test, then they could talk some more. As well, there would need to be at least one Roman Catholic sponsor (godparent). In any case, the priest advised against a baptism