Are you considering who to ask to be godparent to your newborn, or are you a godparent already? Woman Alive deputy editor, Jemimah Wright, looks at the role, what is important, and what is not.
Singer, Billy Ray Cyrus gave his daughter a corker of a godparent in country-singer-songwriter, Dolly Parton. Dolly said on SiriusXM’s Just Jenny in 2019. “When Miley came along, I said, ‘She’s got to be my fairy goddaughter.’”
I’m forever grateful to the woman who saved my marriage - I think we all need a mentor
Dolly has credentials to fulfil the spiritual role of a godparent - her grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher, and she was raised in the church. In the Netflix series Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings she recalls how an older woman at church told her God had “anointed” her – a prophecy she says “triggered a faith in me” and drove her to serve God in her music.
I have four siblings, and we were assigned four godparents each. Although none of us have celebrities or movies stars in that position we have had adults that were invested in our lives.
To give some background to the role, there is no mention of godparents in the Bible, but there are examples of non-parent roles that provide spiritual guidance to children
To give some background to the role, there is no mention of godparents in the Bible, but there are examples of non-parent roles that provide spiritual guidance to children. Eli and Samuel in 1 Samuel for example, and Paul and Timothy. Another example is Mordecai in the book of Esther.
‘Everybody needs a role model and everybody needs to be a role model’
Godparents where around as early as the 2nd century AD, when infant baptism was gaining acceptance among Christians. Godparents were initially the birth parents of the child. In 408 AD St Augustine suggested that the sponsors could be other individuals in exceptional circumstances. In 813 AD the Synod of Mainz prohibited natural parents from acting as godparents to their own children.
By the 5th century, male godparents were referred to as ‘spiritual fathers’, and by the end of the 6th century, they were being referred to as ‘compaters’ and ‘commaters’, suggesting that these were being seen as spiritual co-parents.
Today, in 2025, a godparent is usually a close friend of the parent, or an aunt or uncle of the child. They will ‘bear witness’ to a child’s christening, and help with their lifelong spiritual formation.
That is a huge honour and responsibility – to help with lifelong spiritual formation! It feels like there should be some training before the role is taken on.
Of course many non-practising Christians have appointed godparents for their children, with the hope that they will take an interest in the child’s upbringing and personal development – becoming a type of mentor.
Of course many non-practising Christians have appointed godparents for their children, with the hope that they will take an interest in the child’s upbringing and personal development – becoming a type of mentor.
In this regard, the rich and famous have chosen well for their children. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds asked Taylor Swift to be godmother to their children, and Michael Jackson asked Elizabeth Taylor to be godmother to his daughter, Paris. We don’t know if their faith was part of the decision to appoint, but I doubt it.
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may have been more spiritually minded when they asked film-maker, Tyler Perry to be Princess Lilibet Diana’s godfather.
In December 2024 he was interviewed by Sherri Shepherd. Sherri said:
“Tyler, you’ve got so many accomplishments, you are a writer, a producer, an actor, a playwright, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a registered pilot, and a billionaire who changed Hollywood, one hallelujah at a time…when I went through the Tyler Perry movie studio I was so proud…do you get goose bumps when you go through your studio?”
Who says you have to pick friends your own age?
“Every day,” he replied. “I am humbled by it. A lot of times people go ‘I did it, I did it…’ and I am going: ‘Thank you God, thank you God.’ I don’t know how to come to work and drive through those gates, and look at all I went through in my life…it’s nothing but the grace of God.”
So how to pick someone who will help in your child’s lifelong spiritual formation? Find someone who’s faith journey inspires you. Children learn by what they see, so give them a godparent whose life choices reflect their faith in Jesus Christ.
Remind your children and yourselves it’s not about the presents! However nice it is to receive them, what is more important is that the godparent prays for your child. Ask a pray-er to be godparent and you will be giving your child an eternal gift, and then it’s just a bonus of she is an internationally famous country singer too.
No comments yet