All mention of the devil has been taken out of Christening services by the Church of England in a bid to appeal to more people.
In the current wording, parents vow to “reject the devil and all rebellion against God”, “renounce the deceit and corruption of evil” and “repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour”.
But the alternative text agreed by the General Synod only asks them to “turn away from sin” and “reject evil”.
In the meeting at the University of York on Sunday, the members were told the change was popular with parents and families during pilots in churches across the country.
The simplified service aims to appeal to people with no religious background as membership of the Church of England continues to decline. » | Lizzie Dearden | Monday, July 14, 2014
