21 May 2026

Signs and symbols, pictures and banners, icons and tapestries, words and music all have the potential to communicate God’s love to his people. Just as the kiss or the box of chocolates or the act of kindness confirms the truth and deepens our understanding of the spoken word, ‘I love you!’ so God’s love is validated, celebrated and illuminated by art and music, sign, symbol and song.

In particular, God’s love for us is made visible in what we call the Sacraments. For the first thousand years of the church’s history, no-one could say how many Sacraments there were. Before the Reformation, the church declared there were seven. After the Reformation, the reformers argued that there were only two.

‘There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.’ wrote the Westminster Divines in the Confession of Faith. According to them, they were specifically instituted by Christ and each one is prefaced by the reading of what we call ‘The Words of Institution’.

According to the Westminster Confession, the Sacrament of Baptism is ordained ‘not only for the solemn admission of the party baptised into the visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life.’

Only two things are necessary. The first is water – cleansing, drowning, life-giving water. The second is the formula baptising in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Of course, the water requires a container – and the history of the font is in itself a fascinating story of signs.

The first fonts were large tanks like coffins suitable or the baptism of adults and the celebration of our dying and rising with Christ. Hexagonal and octagonal fonts followed reminding the baptismal candidate of the events of Good Friday (the sixth day) and Easter (the eighth day). Circular fonts came after that celebrating the encircling of God’s love. It is, afterall, a means of grace.