I'm always happy to renew my new baptismal vows, and got to do it again during baptisms on Easter Eve.

But I'm also aware I was baptised using the liturgy of the previous Prayer Book, and I sometimes feel disconnected when speakers make a big deal about the words of the current one, as if "we all promised to do exactly this!" Karekin doesn't, but others do.

Let's face it, '79 was a significant rewrite. It's great, but I didn't promise to "seek and serve Christ in all persons," to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."

The new one's great, precisely in that outward and gentle charge. But of course sin was soft-pedaled, the phrase "born again" was cut and so was the Great Commission.

I promised "manfully to fight under Christ's banner… and to continue his faithful soldier and servant unto my life's end." By '79 that kind of talk was deplored.

It's a big deal when you change the promises, that's all. These frequent appeals to our Baptismal Covenant can grate on my nerves. You can't impose a covenant after the fact.

I assent to the General Convention's will, but my baptism was my baptism. Thank you.

Terrific points Josh. But don't we offer our free assent to the Baptismal Covenant every time we reaffirm the vows at Easter and Baptisms? I agree that it is a big deal to change them, but the Church (not just ours) has changed and updated and elaborated on them from every denomination across time. Do all previous versions become invalid or merely reinterpreted in light of our understanding of Christ's saving love?

I was baptized in the Presbyterian church as an infant. I did not offer my assent to the promises made on my behalf then. But I do make assent to the covenant every time I reaffirm the promises of the 1979 BCP's version in the liturgy and in public.

My point is that the covenant is not just our ticket into the Kingdom of God, or our membership in the club we call the Episcopal Church. It outlines my responsibilities to God and others in light of God's love and forgiveness. These duties are not imposed. We are free not to allow them in our lives. But they are assented to freely.