One point struck me


I watched LIFE WITH FATHER again last night and one point struck me - if Clarence Day had not been baptised how could he be married in church? He would have had to produce his baptismal certificate for this - and it is unthinkable that he did not marry in church. Any comments?

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Baptismal certificate? Is that limited to Episcopalians, or was that something that was given to people of various denominations during that time?


"Why do you find it so hard to believe?"
"Why do you find it so easy?"
"It's never BEEN easy!"

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I have just read your note I Aint No Prophet. As far as I am aware all Christian denominations issue a baptismal certificate - certainly the Catholics do - since without baptism no other sacraments can be received (marriage, eucharist, etc.)

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When my family attended a Catholic church during the mid-'90s, they didn't issue certificates when the children were baptized, and I was able to make my first Confession even though I never received a certificate when I was baptized. Also, when my brother was baptized at a Protestant church a few years ago, they didn't give him one either...


"Why do you find it so hard to believe?"
"Why do you find it so easy?"
"It's never BEEN easy!"

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Thanks for the reply - I must say that I am surprised, to say the least. Baptism is held to be the key to the other sacraments and I do not see how if, for example, a man was going to be ordained, he could prove his baptism. Certainly here in England a certificate is always given to my certain knowledge.

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I grew up Catholic in the 1950s. My parish kept records when any child in the parish was baptized. I had to produce my baptismal certificate in order to have a church wedding. When I joined a Lutheran congregation years later, I got a very nice Bible, but no certificate.






"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

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I Aint No Phrophet, I need to make a correction: I should have said that when a person is baptised a record is kept and a certificate is issued against that record when required. This is the certificate that Clarence Day would have had to produce in order to be married in an Episcopalian church. By the way I have been to the USA a good many times; my favourite city is San Diego. Thanks again.

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Thanks, I Aint No Prophet,

I think you will find that a record of every baptism is kept at the church in question. A certificate of baptism will be supplied against this record only when it is asked for.(eg when the applicant is going to be married).

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Not all Christian denominations do. I am a Baptist and I don't have one. My ex-wife was also a Baptist, and she did have one--it was more for framing than an official document. Also remember that Christians cannot agree on what baptism is or when it should be done. For some, infants should be baptised; others say no to infant baptism. Some say full immersion is the only way to be baptised; others are satisfied with sprinkling. I cannot speak to all denominations, but I suspect that the more organized a church is, i.e. has a central headquarters, the more likely that they keep track of baptisms.

Nobody gets to be a cowboy forever.

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I got married in a Baptist(I think) church in 1960 and they didn't seem to mind I wasn't a christian.As far as I recall,we were "in" if we paid whatever the fee was!

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Exactly what occurred to me. A guy who just ponied up $5000 for a family pew won't be answered with "hey, where's your birth certificate?"!

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No, what we are talking abnout is not a birth certificate but a certificate of baptism- which is very different.

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Difference without a distinction. The point remains: a minister with that check in his hand is unlikely to probe too deeply.

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My father was not baptized. He and my mother were married in the Presbyterian Church in May 1953. I have their wedding certificate as well as the signed guest registry.

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It's possible that they were married at Lavinia's home instead of in a church. My great-great-grandparents were married in 1899 in the home of the bride.

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