Baptising the English

What does it mean to belong? How does the Church of England, as a church which baptises children, respond to a changing culture? After introducing the context and seeking to define ‘the English’, this thesis utilises an adapted Four Voices method, to allow practice, projects, liturgy and ecclesiology to speak to the question of baptismal belonging in a post-Christian context. Insights into the contemporary reality of the praxis of baptism and the Church of England’s own communication and focus in the twenty-first century, bring questions of identity and purpose to the wider church. The statistical picture of the current ministry of baptism, shows a clear trend, alongside a projection, to a profound cultural change within the next twenty years. A chiastic liturgical shape is suggested as a way of discerning the emphases of the Church of England’s baptismal rites, from 1549 to the present day. The ecclesiology chapter of the project focuses on an exploration and critique of Martin Percy’s ecclesiology. The thesis concludes by proposing a baptismally-informed plerotic liturgical ecclesiology which seeks to highlight the glory of God, shape an organisation centred on faith, be more concerned with communities of faith than public prestige, speak plainly of the radical act of baptism, be realised in real contexts, and proclaim hope and a future.