Lutheran Church of Australia: Commission on Worship
STATEMENT 8
THE LOCATION OF THE BAPTISMAL FONT
Adopted by the Commission on Worship, January 1988, after preparation by the Department of Visual Arts.
Reformatted and revised: 1 May 1998
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Baptism is the means of grace by which we are united with Christ and so enter God’s family. The baptismal font is a reminder that God has accepted us into the church, the body of Christ.
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The font has traditionally been placed in one of four locations, to emphasise that we entered God’s family through baptism:
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in the baptistry near the entrance to the building
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at the entrance to the nave
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in the centre of the main aisle
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near the entrance to the chancel.
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It has also been placed in front of the pulpit to symbolise the connection between preaching and the sacraments.
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The font needs to be placed in a position that allows the whole congregation to participate in the baptismal ceremony. There needs to be enough space to allow the baptismal party to stand around the font with the celebrant. It may need to be raised above the general level of the floor to meet this requirement.
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The font also serves as a constant reminder to us all of our own baptism. It can do this more effectively if it has a fixed location, even if the worship space is used for other purposes during the week.
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The design of the font and materials of its construction can emphasise the importance and permanence of the font.
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If the font is clearly separated from the altar, this emphasises that baptism is the prerequisite for receiving the Lord’s supper.
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Depending on the design of the worship space, the font could normally be located in one of the following places:
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at the entrance to the church, if the narthex area is large enough to accommodate the congregation
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at the entrance to the chancel
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in the chancel area, to give its location the same prominence as that of the pulpit.
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