From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
My 2nd cousin who was raised catholic and is now a lutheran (along with his wife) are having a child in a few months. They have asked me to be a godparent of the child. As a catholic am I allowed to be a godparent?
Leaving aside the apostacy of your cousin, ordinarily a Catholic should not serve as the official godparent or baptismal sponsor at the baptism of a Lutheran child.
The Catholic understanding is that a godparent represents the ecclesial community in which the child is baptized and undertakes responsibility for helping form the child in that community’s faith. Since Lutherans hold erroneous beliefs, etc., we can’t help raise the child in their ecclesial community. It is an “ecclesial community” and not a “church” because they do have have valid apostolic succession.
However, a Catholic may participate as a Christian witness to a Lutheran baptism, especially when there is a close family relationship or friendship, provided this is permitted by the Lutheran parish.
The Catholic must avoid making promises that would contradict the Catholic faith.
So, in short, official Lutheran godparent/sponsor: no. Witness or honorary “godparent” in a social sense: permissible, subject to the Lutheran congregation’s rules.
There is broader latitude with Eastern Orthodox baptisms because Catholic and Orthodox Churches recognize a closer sacramental and ecclesial relationship; the Ecumenical Directory expressly permits Catholics to serve as godparents in an Eastern Church under certain conditions.
L. on Day 3 & 4 Conference for Priests: St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: “Because the conference is being held in Wheeling, I wondered if the new Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston appeared…”
