Church of Ireland: ‘I’m saddened church rejected baptism changes’

One of the clergy who voted against the motion was Archdeacon of Derry the Venerable Robert Miller.

He said in 30 years as a Church of Ireland minister he had never denied baptism but instead took it as an opportunity to “welcome, engage and disciple”.

Archdeacon Miller said he opposed the motion as he did not believe a minister should be told they “must” baptise.

This, he said, would have “impaired this engagement between minister and parishioner – an engagement built on trust”.

“The shared commitment to love, to pray, to teach and to be an example – made in the baptismal liturgy – is made within the fellowship of the church,” he said.

“I still believe the motion was unnecessary since the Church of Ireland’s generous orthodoxy around the sacrament of baptism is already enshrined in the canons.”