What Did the Bishop of Woolwich Think He Was Doing?
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Price to non-affiliates of Praxis: £2.50 What is What did the Bishop of Woolwich Praxis? Praxis was formed in think he was doing? 1990, sponsored by the Liturgical Colin Buchanan, the Bishop generously offers for public celebrate his retirement not Commission, the of Woolwich, will be 70 years disputation as he calls only with the usual farewell Group for the old on 9 August this year. He 'Supplementary!' when I'm service but with a lecture on will be retiring from a working answering questions in church history, a town centre Renewal of Worship life led at never less than top Synod. Synod will be a duller walkabout, a picnic and a trip (GROW) and the speed. Two liturgists who place without him, even if his down the river in a paddle Alcuin Club. It exists have known Colin well pay Don Quixote-like tilting at his steamer full of his friends. to provide and tribute to his life, work and favourite windmills does not Some people think of Colin support liturgical friendship. always win assent. No-one education in the only in political terms, David Stancliffe writes... could be more generous with because of his ability to sway Church of England. his knowledge, more constant the General Synod with an I first met Colin Buchanan in his convictions, and readier unwritten speech full of rapid- when I was a young DDO on to be moved by a good Affiliation fire facts and arguments my first visit round the argument. These skills were spiced with humour, or The sponsoring colleges. Colin - always a at their best in the Revision organisations do not class performer - invited me in because the media interview Committee on the Initiation him on his passionate fund Praxis financially. to his lecture room in St rites, where Michael Vasey advocacy of disestablishment, The work that Praxis John's to hear his well-known and I were battling to hold does is supported cogently argued in his 1994 lecture on why you can only mainly by affiliation. If onto the hard-won theological be baptised once, and why book Cut the Connection. you are not an affiliate, consensus we had why not consider that was it even if you didn't established. Those who know him as becoming one? Just get remember it. I was engaged bishop and friend in by the energy, directness and We shall miss Colin in the Birmingham, South London in touch with the public forum, but know that he common sense of the and across the Anglican office—details on the will continue to be ever back page. approach of the style, and Communion have found him a that started a friendship which present in print. wise and gentle pastor has lasted for 26 years. David Stancliffe is the Bishop committed to leading churches Website in mission, and with a Colin has been a wonderful of Salisbury and Chairman of Have you visited the the Liturgical Commission. theologically-based attitude to sparring partner, from whom I ministry from long before he was Praxis website? View us have learnt an immense online at principal of St John's Nottingham amount. His knowledge is Trevor Lloyd writes… that will see him at a breakfast www.praxisworship.org encyclopaedic, his oratorical seminar for his clergy at 8.00 am .uk skills second to none, and I Colin Buchanan, on reaching love the chance he seventy this August, will (Continued on page 3) Inside this issue of Praxis News of Worship ... New Chairman of the Liturgical Commission is announced Common Worship 2 & 3 Ordination The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt interest in worship, and considers Liturgical Commission should Revd Stephen Platten, is to be that liturgy ‘should be at the have completed its task of the next Chairman of the vanguard of the Church’s producing Common Worship Musical News 4 & 5 Liturgical Commission, taking mission, ensuring those who texts, and will be concentrating over in November 2005 from the come to our churches encounter on ensuring that the quality of Book Reviews 6 & 7 Bishop of Salisbury who, by then, services that are both inspiring worship offered in the Church of will have chaired the Liturgical and uplifting and so are drawn England is consistently high. A New ICEL texts 7 Commission for twelve years. further into the worship of God challenge, indeed—but the and into a new or renewed faith’. chairman-in-waiting has plenty of Stephen Platten moved to Colin’s Column 8 time to reflect upon how to go Wakefield in 2003 from being By the time that Stephen Platten about it. Bits and Pieces 8 Dean of Norwich. He has a keen moves into the Chair, the Praxis - exploring worship today Common Worship Ordination - What might it look like? Avid followers of the progress of Common Worship will know that there is not yet a Common Worship version of the Ordinal. The ASB Ordinal is authorised for use until the end of 2005. There is not long to go, then, before the Common Worship Ordinal has to be up and running. The draft ordination services had their first outing at General Synod earlier this year, and are now going through their first stage of revision. The best way to know what’s in the draft texts is to have a look at them (details below on how to do this). In this article we take a look at the structure of the proposed services, giving special comment on specific points of interest. The Gathering and Presentation Sermon q A note allows for the possibility of Liturgy of Ordination The Litany candidates beginning the service within the congregation. The Declarations The Ordination Litany has been revised. q Another note allows for the candidates Addressing the ordinands The Ordination Prayer to be vested in robes appropriate to The addresses at the beginning of each q Particular effort has been made to help their order from the beginning of the Declaration have been entirely rewritten. congregations to grasp the unity of this service. Some of the ASB material has been adapted prayer. for use elsewhere in the service. q Suggestions in a note encourage this by The Greeting Questions proposing that a response invoking the q After greeting the congregation, the Holy Spirit, be said or sung at the end of president introduces the service, placing The BCP varied several of the questions to each paragraph, as indicated by R in the ordination within the wider context of candidates, depending on the order into text; or that a continuous chant be sung the ministry of all the baptized. which they were to be ordained. The ASB by the congregation as the president used almost identical questions for candidates q This is followed by a description of the says or sings the text of the prayer. of each order. The Common Worship draft order into which the candidates are to draws on both. Questions are varied q The notes are also clear that any laying be ordained is also described; each according to each order, and some are on of hands should not involve such description is distinct from the others, adapted from the 1662 services, yet many of movement as to detract from the unity avoiding duplication. the ASB words are retained. (Some of the of the prayer. The Presentation ‘core’ questions occur for all three orders, q The ordination prayers are modelled on although it is the intention that many of the q Each candidate is presented to the those in the ASB – a distinct prayer for questions are understood as cumulative. A president by an archdeacon or a deputy each order, all following a similar deacon being ordained into the priesthood, pattern. (Canon C3.2). for example, has no need to reiterate the q A note gives permission for the specifically diaconal questions, since he or she The Giving of the Bible Presentation to take place immediately is still bound by them.) This comes immediately after the Ordination before the Declarations, later in the Prayer in the text, as in the BCP and ASB, yet Prayer service, although this is the with a new congregational response for each recommended position. Continuing to address the candidates after service. A note allows this symbolic action to the questions, the president reminds the q The notes to each service suggest be moved to the beginning of the Sending candidates of the ‘greatness of the trust’ that appropriate categories of people to Out. is about to be committed to their charge, and answer the president’s questions urges them to pray for the gift of the Holy Further notes allow for the following at this regarding the candidates, in each case. Spirit. point: The Collect What follows is intended to be one, single q The anointing of priests and bishops (or q This may be the Collect of the Day or continuous flow of prayer. The president before the blessing). This is the first time the fourth of the Common Worship commends the candidates to the prayers of that anointing has appeared in a Church Collects for Ministry. the people. Silent prayer moves into Veni of England ordination service. Creator (except at the ordination of q Footwashing (ordination of deacons The Liturgy of the Word deacons) which is followed by The Litany only). This is also a new feature. q Readings of the day are to be used on (as provided or an alternative form, allowed q Presentation of symbols of office Principal Feasts and Festivals. by a note) and this leads into the Ordination Prayer, which contains the (ordination of priests only – chalice and q Alternative options are given for each laying on of hands within it, as an integral part paten), similar to the ASB note.