Can a Muslim be a Christian witness at a child's baptism?

[ClaudiaElizabet]

I have been asked to be godparent to my niece’s infant son. The other person asked to be the “Christian witness” is the father’s stepbrother, who I will call “G.” A few years ago, G converted to Islam in order to marry a Muslim woman. I told my niece that G cannot be the Christian witness because he is a Muslim. Her response was that “G did it to marry but he’s not at all.” When I pushed further advising that is contrary to the meaning of baptism, she replied that “G doesn’t practice it [Islam].” It is the parents’ intention to not disclose to the Church that the witness has converted to Islam. I feel they must. Risking upsetting my family and getting people mad at me, should I contact the pastor directly? Before I do that, what can I say to these young parents to help them understand why they should be honest with the Church?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

First, I think we should clarify that Christian witnesses really do not have any responsibilities, in the eyes of the Church, either at the baptism or in the child’s Christian formation. The practice of allowing a “Christian witness” to stand with the parents at the baptism was an ecumenical gesture, intended to allow parents to offer a social honor to non-Catholic Christian family or friends who did not qualify to be godparents. The responsibilities of witnessing the baptism and promising to assist the parents in the child’s Christian formation belong to the godparents.

That said, it is problematic for someone who seems to have apostatized from the Christianity to be presented as a “Christian witness” at a child’s baptism. He should simply be presented as an honored family member who is standing with the parents at the baptism as a “witness” to the child’s baptism. If the priest is under the impression that this man is a Christian, you might privately correct that misunderstanding, but there is no need to ask or expect that G not be allowed to stand at the baptismal font with the family to watch the baptism from a closer vantage point.