What is a Naming Ceremony?
In this modern and hopefully more enlightened and understanding world, many parents are choosing to celebrate the birth of a child in alternative ways instead of opting for the traditional ‘christening’ or ‘baptism’ there are a number of reasons for this, firstly many want to acknowledge and mark the momentous occasion of new life but feel hypocritical to conduct such a ceremony in a church because they don’t share the belief systems or sometimes just because a christening is a religious promise for the parents to extol the virtues of their faith upon their child and is not about the baby’s faith and would prefer to leave decisions of faith until their child is old enough to understand and make an informed choice in later years. Quite rightly this should not deter loving and devoted parents from being able to introduce their newborn to their circle of friends and family and rejoice in their life and now there are more options that do not cling so rigidly to a scripted service or denomination.
The British Humanist association offers just one of these alternatives (http://www.humanism.org.uk/ceremonies/humanist-namings). Humanists focus on the goodness and culpability of man to approve or damage their society during their time on earth without recognising an all powerful plan of a creator god. They belief in the potentiality and kindness of the human condition and strive to bestow morality and appreciation for the human race.
The traditional role of ‘god-parents’ is replaced by ‘supporting adults’ in welcoming and voicing their hopes for this young life. You can, of course, organise an event specific to your thought and personality when considering how you would like to mark the occasion of a new arrival. Naming ceremonies usually last about half an hour and involve readings, poems etc that communicate the hopes and dreams for your children and sometimes, a private declaration of promises that you as the parents of this vulnerable and beautiful being, hope to undertake.
A Naming ceremony is not a legal sacrament but the symbolism of naming your child is the first step in encouraging a separate an independent identity that you will help mould and encourage. They can take place almost anywhere from a more paganism worship nature and creation is a forest clearing to your living room surrounded by those who will be important and influential in your baby’s life.
It is a beautiful and courageous thing to stand up and say, ‘this is my daughter/son and it is my responsibility to teach them, love them and guide them into becoming fine and wonderful adults of this world’.
Here in this lens I will be exploring some of the choices associated with organising such a ceremony to hopefully give you ideas and make the whole process least stressful and allow you to concentrate on the life-affirming wonder of birth.
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