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Religion/spirituality

Has anyone else heard of being "Churched" after the birth of a baby.?

(115 Posts)
Grumpyoldwoman Sun 04-Sept-11 10:53:28

Following the Baptism thread remined me of this.

When I gave birth to our first daughter in 1972 I spent a week in hospital (as you did then) and when she was about 10 days old I proudly set off with my new baby in her gorgeous coachbuilt Silver Cross pram to visit my mother who lived about half a mile away.

My grandma (who I adored) was staying with my Mum and the excitement I felt when I rang the door bell was immense.

Mum made a fuss of baby and as I manouvered the pram into Mum's front porch ..Grandma had a word with Mum.

What transpired was such a shock and certainly dampened my euphoric mood.

Mum said I couldn't ''come in'' beacause I hadn't been ''churched'' shock

Apparently any woman who had just given birth was ''unclean'' until they had seen a vicar to say some ''special prayers'' with you. Therefore they cannot be allowed into someones house !!!

I couldn't believe what I was hearing and went home in floods of tears. My hubby was furious and although very mild mannered really told my Mum and Gran off and no more was ever said.
I just wondered if any of you had come across this barbaric nonsense.

My daughters were horrified when I told them after they had babies shock!!!

Greatnan Mon 02-Apr-12 19:13:04

Does anybody else find Granbunny's style strangely familiar? I don't think we should keep her from finding a more interesting forum.

Carol Mon 02-Apr-12 19:15:04

Yes Greatnan

Elegran Mon 02-Apr-12 20:09:21

If there is no reaction, there is no fun. Ignore it.

Every so often someone turns up and tries to rile the regular posters. They must have very boring lives if they need to break into other people's conversations to get a bit of excitement.

Isn't it easy to sit at a computer and throw s* at people? Then when they tell you they don't like it, accuse them of bullying you?

Carol Mon 02-Apr-12 20:12:24

Quite right Elegran

granbunny Mon 02-Apr-12 20:15:24

you might indeed find my style strangely familiar - i have no idea what goes on in your minds. but i have not been here until recently, so you are making false connections.

Annobel Mon 02-Apr-12 20:16:01

Elegran, flowers. For the first time. I am feeling uncomfortable on Gransnet.

Grannylin Mon 02-Apr-12 20:22:22

I've been away and have to say it certainly feels a bit skewed at the mo!

Annobel Mon 02-Apr-12 20:24:48

Hi Grannylin, good to have you back. flowers

Anagram Mon 02-Apr-12 20:28:27

Don't let it get to you, ladies! Ignore it.

floriana Thu 05-Sept-13 22:06:40

To be positive, what's wrong with giving thanks for being alive after childbirth and having a hopefully, healthy child? Some rituals in life are helpful and are missed now.
As far as unclean is concerned, for this particular act, I would just put that out of my mind.
But, to be frank, after a lifetime of painful and heavy periods, I think they were unclean and shudder when I pass the sanitary pads section.........!

Ana Thu 05-Sept-13 22:10:10

Crikey, this is a blast from the past!

What on earth made you choose this topic out of all the others you could have chosen, floriana? confused

Galen Thu 05-Sept-13 22:15:59

hmm

j08 Thu 05-Sept-13 22:18:03

Have they stopped "zombie-ing" old threads?

ninathenana Thu 05-Sept-13 22:22:40

I have never heard of this. Very odd, surely giving birth is a very natural thing. How can it make you 'unclean' in the eyes of God

Greatnan Thu 05-Sept-13 22:51:54

Nina - if you read the whole thread you will get the full story!

Jendurham Fri 06-Sept-13 00:30:21

I have just finished reading The White Princess, about the wife of Henry 7th. When she had Arthur and Henry 8th, her mother in law, the Red Queen, made sure she did not come out of confinement until she had been churched. I think it was six weeks. But it was so she could pretend to rule with Henry Tudor for as long as possible.
It happened to me in 1967 when my eldest was born. My mother's cousins would not see me or my son until I had been churched. Their father had been a C of E vicar. When his brother was born two years later, we did not live in the same place, so they did not know I had not been churched. Come to think of it, I still haven't!

floriana Fri 06-Sept-13 02:15:45

Sorry to bring this up again, but was looking up "churching" as my mother did it and was a non-church goer, disliked lots of things about Christianity, but enjoyed having babies....,as one turns into one's mother in some respects,some of the things she said pop into my mind now she is no longer here,
In doing so, I came upon this site and found the unclean topic very interesting.

Lilygran Fri 06-Sept-13 08:39:28

This is the actual service from the Book of Common Prayer, 1552. When you think how hazardous childbirth was (sadly, still is in some places) not surprising! users.ox.ac.uk/~mikef/bcp1552.html

Penstemmon Fri 06-Sept-13 09:03:02

I can understand a religious act of of thanksgiving having been 'safely delivered' etc but the rest about being unclean is just 'holy men' nonsense! Repressive and awful.

Nonu Fri 06-Sept-13 09:45:15

I have heard of this , I myself was not "Churched" !

Lilygran Fri 06-Sept-13 12:29:50

Where is there anything about being unclean?

Elegran Fri 06-Sept-13 13:36:03

The anglican ceremony is to give thanks for the safe arrival of the child, though it was performed after a still-birth too or if the child had died unbaptised.

"It contains no elements of purification but is related to Jewish practice as noted in Leviticus 12:2-8" . . . " Under Mosaic law as found in the Old Testament, a mother who had given birth to a man-child was considered unclean for seven days; moreover she was to remain for thirty-three days "in the blood of her purification."

For a girl child, it was fourteen days and sixtysix days. In the seven days of a womean's normal menstrual flow, she was also considered unclean, and anything she touched had to be purified (including her man, who could not "lie with her" - euphemism)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churching_of_women
www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0312.htm

gracesmum Fri 06-Sept-13 13:58:35

And a mother who has given birth to a female child, I wonder??

I have no problem with the service of thanksgiving. Too many people take childbirth for granted in out developed world and if one is religiously incilined it seems eminently appropriate to register gratitude for a healthy baby and a healthy mother.

gracesmum Fri 06-Sept-13 13:59:29

Sorry - Elegtan - just read on to "for a girl child etc"

Anniebach Fri 06-Sept-13 14:03:27

I was 'churched' after the birth of our two daughters, 1969 and - 1970. No one suggested I should, I chose to. As a Christian I found it gave me that quiet time to give thanks for our babies. No mention or thoughts of sin , just joy for the blessings of two new little lives.