Each Note is essential and only differences, then this calls in question the The Oratory is no different from any collectively do they express the Oratory’s Oratory’s right to carry on as an Anglican other Christian community, but has ‘The Love that Makes for Peace’: ethos. However, it may well be that this religious society at all. But, in this simply chosen to explicitly incorporate Fifth Note best articulates the respect, the Oratory is really no different this basic requirement into its self- significance of the Oratory’s history since than the Anglican Communion itself, or understanding. By so doing, it hopes 1913. indeed any other Christian community. that its collective life will witness to the That is, from its very beginning the All Christian communities are called patient, searching, tireless love of Jesus Oratory has attracted into its fellowship to the love that makes for peace. ‘I give the Good Shepherd. both clergy and laity with widely you a new commandment: love one different opinions, outlooks, another; as I have loved you, so you are personalities, abilities, and to love one another. If there is this love Aside from the three founders, some temperaments. All would, of course, among you, then everyone will know significant names associated with the share a basic commitment to Catholic or that you are my disciples’ (John 13.34-35). Oratory of the Good Shepherd have been: ‘High Church’ Anglicanism, but after that ‘We love because he loved us first. But if Wilfred Knox (d. 1950): Chaplain of almost anything goes. someone says, “I love God,” while at the Pembroke College, Cambridge; author of For example, Oratorians have same time hating his fellow-Christian, he several works of New Testament occupied both liberal and conservative is a liar. If he does not love a fellow- scholarship—including St Paul and the positions in theology and politics. They Christian whom he has seen, he is Church of the Gentiles—and Meditation have disagreed strongly on many crucial incapable of loving God whom he has and Mental Prayer. One of the four issues facing the Church of England and not seen. We have this command from remarkable Knox brothers, the youngest of the Anglican Communion. Ordained Christ: whoever loves God must love his whom was Ronald Knox. members have been parish priests, deans, fellow-Christian too’ (1 John 4.19-21). Alec Vidler (d. 1991): Dean of King’s bishops, chaplains (military, hospital, College, Cambridge; Warden of St Deiniol’s prison, school, and university), teachers, Library in Wales; Editor of Theology; professors, and missionaries. Lay For the past nine years, the Superior of the author of numerous studies in church members have occupied numerous other Oratory (an elected position) has been the history and theology, including The Church walks of ‘secular’ life. From its Rt Revd John Salt, Bishop of St Helena in in an Age of Revolution and Soundings. A Look at the Oratory of the Good Shepherd exclusively English origin the Oratory the Province of Southern Africa. The Eric Mascall (d. 1993): Professor of has grown to encompass African, current Superior is the Revd Canon Historical Theology at King’s College, Robert MacSwain OGS, Ramsey Fellow and Chaplain, St Chad’s College, University of Durham American, Australian, Canadian, and Carlson Gerdau, Canon to the Primate and University of London; author of numerous European members. And yet despite all Presiding Bishop of ECUSA. studies in philosophical, systematic, and these differences the Oratory remains ecumenical theology, including He Who Is, committed to an unfailing mutual love, For further information on the Oratory, see Christ, the Christian, and the Church, The to the avoidance of harsh judgements, to the resources at www.ogs.net Openness of Being, and The Recovery of the challenging task of understanding Provincial contacts: Unity. differences, to the restoration of Christian Australia: Fr Trevor Bulled OGS Robert Selby Taylor (d. 1995): Archbishop King’s College, Cambridge unity, to charity and to peace. ([email protected]) of Capetown and Metropolitan of the In making this commitment central to Europe: Fr Peter Ford OGS Province of South Africa. ([email protected]) ost Anglicans know that in the elements of the religious life into their anything else was a common vision of its very existence, the Oratory risks total Victor Preller (d. 2001): Professor of North America: Canon Philip Hobson 1530s King Henry VIII dissolved all ministry out ‘in the world’. One of those Christian discipleship. This vision was failure. For to fail in ‘the love that makes Religion at Princeton University and M OGS ([email protected]) the monastic orders in England. For societies was the Oratory of the Good expressed in ‘The Seven Notes of the for peace’ is to fail its raison d’etre. If Master of the Graduate College; author of South Africa: Fr Mark Vandayar OGS three centuries the Church of England Shepherd. It is now one of the largest Oratory,’ which are Fellowship, Liberty, members of the Oratory cannot continue Divine Science and the Science of God: A ([email protected]) was thus without any witnesses to the such societies in the Anglican Stewardship, Labour of the Mind, the to love each other across their Reformulation of Thomas Aquinas traditional ‘religious life’ of vowed Communion. Love that Makes for Peace, Discipline, poverty, chastity, and obedience. But The Oratory was founded in the and Joy. Each Note consists of a fewer Anglicans may be aware that, in University of Cambridge in 1913 by three paragraph which spells out the the wake of the Oxford Movement’s chaplain-dons: Eric Milner-White of significance of the specific term or phrase Catholic revival of the 19th century, King’s College, John How of Trinity for the Oratory’s existence. numerous orders were established to College, and Edward Wynn of Jesus For example, Note 5, ‘the Love that restore this traditional religious life to the College. Their idea was to share a rule of Makes for Peace’, reads: Church of England. For the first time life, to meet daily for Eucharistic The foundation of Oratory life will be since Henry’s dissolution of the fellowship, and to commit themselves to that mutual love which has always been monasteries, Anglican monks and nuns prayer, study, and celibacy—but to the essence of community life in the and friars and sisters began to enrich the remain resident in their own colleges. Catholic Church. The unfailing love of Church with their distinctive gifts. Some They did not surrender all their worldly its members one towards another will be of these orders were founded along possessions and live under the same roof, increased by extending this love to all existing Roman Catholic lines—such as or adopt a monastic habit, but they men, whether within the Church or the Benedictines and Franciscans— sought to live as simply as possible without it. Members will have a concern whereas others were distinctively within the urbane and relatively for living interests and problems in Anglican in origin—such as the comfortable world of the university. And Church and State, and in discussing Community of the Resurrection or the while monastic orders gradually move opinions which differ from their own will Sisters of the Love of God. their members toward making avoid harsh judgments. Brethren must As the religious life re-entered the permanent life vows, the Oratory has try to understand these differing Church of England, it took various forms rather emphasised an annual opinions, in the hope that they may help and modes. Some priests, inspired by commitment which is then renewed (or to restore the unity of all Christian the ideals of the Oxford Movement and not) after individual and communal people in the spirit of charity and peace. feeling called to a disciplined life of discernment. They will recognise in all men those for prayer, study, and celibacy, began to Aside from devotion to Christ the whom Christ died, and will treat them found societies which—while not strict Good Shepherd as their pastoral ideal, with the courtesy and reverence due to monastic orders—attempted to bring what united these three men more than his great love. Current professed members 2005

20 Anglican • EPISCOPAL WORLD Anglican • EPISCOPAL WORLD 21 CHRIST THE KING 2005 CHRIST THE KING 2005