Ed Gerber on Godparents

(This is an edited transcript from Episode Fifty Five of The Messy Reformation podcast. You can find the full version of the podcast here.)

What If We Did Both?

In the Christian Reformed Church, we have this covenantal identity. Everybody is supposed to be in charge of raising children in the Lord. But there is something beautiful about the Catholic tradition. And I wonder if part of the creative thinking that can happen in the Christian Reformed Church is to say, “Yes, the whole body is indeed responsible and they make a promise to raise this child to know the Lord. Nonetheless, what if we had some form of Godparenting?”

Taking the Role Seriously

So, when I was at Webster, a couple asked if I would be their son’s godparent. It was the first time I had been asked to take such a role. I didn’t know what it was. I said, “What is that?” They told me, “That means you’re going to take special concern for him.” I said, “That’s what we do as a whole body.” And they said, “Yeah, but we think there’s some value in having one person focused on the development of their spiritual life.” And I said, “Okay, fine, I’ll do this. But you need to know I’m going to take this role seriously and we’re going to have a conversation every single year.”

Intentional Conversations

It’s been wonderful because I can’t have this level of conversation with the whole body. It’s impossible. I have this really cool pen-pal relationship. We just did a Zoom Call together, and I asked him, “How’s it going? How is your faith life? How’s your prayer life?” He knows I’m his Godfather and, therefore, I have the special privilege of asking these special questions: “How is it going in your relationship with God? What are you struggling with lately? How’s your Bible reading coming? What do you find confusing? What do you find life-giving?”

A Hybrid Model

I wonder if the Christian Reformed Church could think of some hybrid model where we do both. The whole body makes a promise. Then you designate particular people who are going to take a special interest in this child, as an emblem of the body, to watch over this child and be their godparents.