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Mormons don’t Baptize their babies, no one can be baptized until the age of 8. They do however perform a blessing where the child is given a name that is recorded in the records of The Church. The child is then called “a child of record” until they turn 8 and are baptized. If not baptized at the age of 8 then they are still a child of record until they are either baptized or request their names be removed as a child of record.

The thing is only parents that are members can have their children blessed as a rule. So while it may look like there is a policy change there isn’t. The child could not have been blessed anyway because the parents are not members of The Church, they will have been excommunicated after being married to a same sex partner.

There is no harm done to the child except that if the parents continue to come to church (doubtful) the child will be associating with other children (after the age of 8) that have been baptized and they will have to wait another 10 years, which might be something that would happen but I don’t see it as being a high probability.

While there is no change by formalizing this process it is wise for The Church to make it clear in their handbook. Mormons don’t have a trained clergy, the leadership could call anybody in the congregation to be the leader or Bishop of the congregation. The handbook is very helpful to these leaders who may have only been in The Church for a short period of time.

I am more than a little impressed that the leadership of Mormon Church would make this a public matter and put doctrine before perception and political correctness. Hats off to the Mormons, I wish all churches could be so bold.