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Church of England Kicks the Devil Out of Baptism Rite

By Trevor Grundy, Religion News Service
The devil is portrayed in “The Temptation of Christ,” an 1854 painting by Ary Scheffer. Public domain image.
Jul 15, 2014
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While Christians waited to learn whether the Church of England would approve the consecration of women bishops, the church’s governing body — the General Synod — quietly voted to drop all future references to the devil in a new baptism service.

The simplified wording was written after priests said the traditional service was unnecessarily complex and might confuse people who are not regular churchgoers.

In the traditional service, godparents are asked whether they are ready to renounce the devil and all his works for the sake of the child being baptized.

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The devil is portrayed in “The Temptation of Christ,” an 1854 painting by Ary Scheffer. Public domain image.
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