September/October 1999 Volume 18, Number 5 MA MHA TF
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September/October 1999 Volume 18, Number 5 MA MHA TF THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY CELEBRATION IN YOR 1549 _ i999 The Archbishop of York (Dr David Hope) York Minster in July 1999 about to celebrate the 1549 Eucharist In York Minster.e ' The Archbishop of York and Primate of England, Dr. David Hope, was the celebrant and preacher at the Service of Holy Communion from the first Book of the Common Prayer (1549). The Service on July 24 was arranged by the English Prayer Book Society with the full cooperation ofthe Dean of York, the Very Rev. Raymond Furnell, and the full participation ofthe Minster Choir. Over 700 people were present and around 600 received Holy Communion. See page 15. THK LIVING PAST FOR THE PRESENT AND INTO THE FUTURE 3. Introducing the Lord's Prayer. 4. Our Father which art in heaven. 5. lallowed be thy name. 6. Thy kingdom come. 7. Thy will be done. 8. Jive us this day our daily bread. 9. Forgive us our debts. 10. Lead us not into temptation. 11. Thine is the kingdom. 12. The Prayer Book Societies in Australia 13. A Discussion Paper on Titles. 14. The Formularies of the Anglican Way. 15. Sermon by the Archbishop in York. 16. Prayer Books in print. What is the Prayer Book Society? First of all, what it is not: 1. It is not a historical society — though it does take history seriously. 2. It is not merely a preservation society — though it does seek to preserve what is good. 3. It is not merely a traditionahst society — though it does receive holy tradition gratefully. 4. It is not a reactionary society, existing only by opposing modem trends. 5. It is not a synod or council, organized as a church within the Church. In the second place, what it is: 1. It is composed of faithful Episcopalians who seek to keep ahve in the Church the classic Common Prayer Tradition of the Anglican Way, which began within the Church of England in 1549. They wish to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in a dignified and understandable English. 2. It claims that the Constitution of the Episcopal Church gives to rectors and parishes, as well as individual Episcopalians, the right to use the last genuine Book of Common Prayer in America, the 1928 BCP. 3. It is committed to educating and informing people of the nature and content of the Common Prayer Tradition, and its use for Holy Communion, the Daily Offices, Baptism, Funerals, family prayers and personal devotions. 4. It is involved (in cooperation with sister societies in Canada, Britain and Australia) in maintaining and teaching that Biblical Faith, Order and Morahty to which the Common Prayer Tradition, along with the other Anglican Formularies, witness. 5. It seeks to do the above through lectures, seminars, pubhcations, phone conversations, an intemet web site and work in local churches. Its educational outreach is called the Cranmer-Seabury House of Studies. TO MAINTAIN THE ANGLICAN WAY SUPPORT THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY Especially consider giving specific support to the Cranmer-Seabury House of Studies Send your gift to the Philadelphia P.O.Box. 35220 Philadelphia, PA 19128 Call 1-800-727-1928 for details. l/J..ril I '..sf^ I r, Editor: The Rev'd Dr Peter Toon MANDATE, Vol. 18. 5. is published six times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profit organization serving the Church. All gifts to the P.B.S. are tax-deductable. Recipients of Mandate are encouraged to send a minimum gift of $28.00. Editorial and all other correspondence: P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia Pa. 19128. Phone 1-800-PBS-1928. Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Prayer Book Society, P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia. PA 19128. Vorld-Wide Web address is http://www.episcopalian.org/pbsI MANDATE: September/October 1999 The Prayer Book Society Reflections from the Editor's Desk The Rev 'd Dr. Peter Toon THE LORD'S PRAYER he moral law which we know as the Ten Commandments public liturgy. And it is done so usually in exact translation into the was written "by the finger of God" (Deuteronomy 9:10). In vernacular ofthe form given in the Gospels in Greek. In the period Tcontrast, the "Prayer of prayers" dropped from the lips of immediately after the apostles, we know from the ancient docu the Son of God, our Lord, Jesus Christ and thus has been known in ment called the Didache that baptized Christians, and only the bap the Church as "the Lord's Prayer." Though short it is comprehen tized, were urged to pray this Prayer three times a day - moming, sive, complete and clear. Christians pray according to God's will noon and night. when they pray in faith, hope and charity the words of this Prayer. In the ancient Church the Lord's Prayer was a constituent part The Prayer is found in two places in the Gospels. First of all, it of the Lord's Supper and everywhere the Lord's Prayer, together occurs in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is actually talking with the creed, was also part of the necessary items in which candi about genuine, sincere prayer (Matthew 6:5-13). Secondly, it oc dates for baptism were instructed either immediately before or af curs in Luke 11:1-4 in answer to a question from the disciples who ter baptism (usually at Easter Eve). The baptized leamed the Prayer impressed by Jesus' praying asked him, "Lord teach us to pray." of prayers by heart and they were allowed to join in praying it for the first time at the Holy Communion immediately following their It may be said that what Jesus Christ, the Son, teaches about baptism. The sense of privilege in using the Prayer is preserved in his Father in heaven's relation to people on earth is summarized in the ancient. Orthodox Liturgy of St John Chrysostom where the the Lord's Prayer. This "Prayer of prayers" is a complete statement priest prays: "Make us worthy, O Lord, that we joyously and with of what God's children, Christ's disciples, should desire and ask out presumption may make bold to invoke Thee, the heavenly God, the Father of the Son who by grace is their Father also. And since as Father, and to say. Our Father" what they ought to ask of God is a sure indication of what kind of God it is to whom they pray, then we may leam from the Prayer In the classic Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Com what Jesus knew the heavenly Father to be like and thus what he munion we pray the Lord's Prayer in the Daily Offices of Moming wanted his disciples to know of his Father. and Evening Prayer, in the service of Holy Communion, in the ser The prayer though a unity tends to fall into two parts. The first is vice of Holy Baptism and at the Burial of the dead. We leam it both concemed with cosmic issues while the second focuses on personal at our mother's knees and in the Catechism used to prepare us for issues. Both are presented as being in God's care and control so that Confirmation. It therefore not only gives us words to pray, but a the God who govems as the Father almighty the course of world model for prayer and a doctrine of God the Father and our relation history is the very God, the caring Father, who has time for and min to him. isters to the daily needs, physical and spiritual of individual persons. Both in liturgical and non-liturgical churches the Prayer of 1. The heavenly Father who rales the cosmos. prayers serves as a model and pattem of prayer so that pastors and (a) The hallowing of his Name. people create their own private and public prayers based on its struc (b) The coming of his Kingdom. ture, content, doctrine and ethos. We may say that both the precise (c) The doing of his Will. recitation of the original words and their use as a model for prayer are adequately justified by the words in which Jesus provided this 2. The heavenly Father who cares for his children. Prayer. He said, "After this manner pray ye" (Matthew 6:9). "After (a) Provides daily bread. this manner" can surely mean either "Use these specific words" or (b) Forgives sins. '' Let all your petitions be in harmony with the content of this Prayer.'' (c) Protects and delivers. Our Father is here revealed as being concemed with things Of course, if it is not prayed in an appropriate attitude and just infinitely great and infinitely small. The will ofthe Father relates to recited parrot-fashion then it will be mere words and be without the total life of man on earth and in heaven and the whole person, power and comfort. However, what the saints who love God and the total man, may enter into communion and friendship with the man have found over the years is that they never tire of praying the Father. Jesus teaches men about his Father by teaching them to pray Lord's Prayer. They discover that in praying this Prayer new layers to his Father and thereby to submit their whole life to his loving and depths of insight and meaning not previously seen and grasped care and purposes. constantly emerge. The Lord's Prayer has been prayed daily in the Church through Let us pray the Prayer of prayers with understanding and with the centuries and is still prayed today in the daily offices and in reverence and as the adopted children of the heavenly Father.