Ate the Bi-Monthly Magazine of the Society for the Preservation of the Book of Common Prayer
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January/February 1998 Volume 17, Number 1 >ATE THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER The investiture of Frank Griswold in Washington Cathedral on January 10 as the new Presiding Bishop ^ confirmed that the new episcopal religion, * ^^ celebrating pantheism and relativism, ^j is firmly in place. For the new The new episcopal religion, episcopal religion conversion occurs in delights in claiming and by conversation. Since "God[dess]" is held for itself "a capacity to be through and in all, for ambiguity and para and since "truth" is pos dox" which is both its sessed by all in differ "glory and frustration." ing ways, then it follows that in dialogue and con This capacity for subjec versation within "the tivism and variety is community of faith" particulary apparent progress is made. when we ask "Who is Griswold has said that Christ for you?" and he is eager "to deepen the conversation, helping "What does the church people encounter others mean for you?" rather of different perspectives, than declaring what the to grow in truth that Church historically can only change has believed, because of the Scripture behind. Griswold says that, conversation "Broadly speaking, the Episcopal Church taught and itself." is in conflict with Scripture (concerning sexual confessed. morality). The only way to justify this is to say that Jesus talks about the Spirit guiding the church and guiding believers and bringing to their awareness things they cannot deal with yet. So one would have to say that the mind of Christ operative over time has led the church to, in effect, contradict the words of the Gospel [on sexual matters]." THE LIVING PAST FOR THE PRESENT AND INTO THE FUTURE CONT Jl/i^l X k5 3. Reflections from the Editor's Desk: New Canon Law ought to be rejected. 4. Apostasy and the Contemporary Religious Scene: Fr. Dick Kim makes important points. 5. Contemporary Worship: Dr. Louis Tarsitano considers what "contemporary" means. 6. Contemporary Music in Church: Fr. Rick Buechner makes some observations. 7-8. In Search of the Relevant and Contemporary: Mr. David Mills guides our thinking. 9. What is the "Common" in "Common Prayer"?: the Editor answers the question. 10. Leonardo da Vinci and Common Prayer: Dr. Carreker explains the connection. 11-12. PECUSA, INC. & DFMS: an unfolding drama concerning the Episcopal Church. 13-14. Why, Why, O Why?: Debate about "Common Prayer" in Cyberspace. 15. The Morning Prayer Project from Canada. 16. The Investiture of Frank Griswold. What is the Prayer Book Society? ' p'-;? 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 alive 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 Morality 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 internet 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. MANDATE Editor: The Rev'd Dr Peter 'loon MANDATE, Vol. 17. I. 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. I9J28. Phone 1-800-PBS-1928. Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Prayer Book Society, P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA 19128. World-Wide Web address is http://www.cpiscopalian.org/pbsl928 2 MANDATE: January/February 1998 The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church Reflections from the Editor's Desk The Rev 'd Dr. Peter Toon NEW CANON LAW OUGHT TO BE REJECTED n January 1, 1998, there was a major change in Episcopal Who opposes ordaining women today? canon law, a change which included a change in doctrine. Professor Chaves identifies opposition to the ordaining of O From this day the Episcopal Church mandated belief in the women under two categories — sacramentalism and inerrancy. ordination of women as bishops and priests. No-one can hold pub Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy (and sections of Anglicanism lic office in this denomination who does not accept this new doc and Lutheranism) are identified with sacramentalism and fundamen trine. Any bishop or priest who defies the new canons can be brought talist biblical churches with inerrancy. « to trial and deposed. By sacramentalism, Chaves points to the doctrine that the min The legislation which made possible the ordination of women ister at Holy Communion is the icon of Christ and since Christ was/ was passed in 1976 (after eleven women had been illegally ordained is male His living icon must also be male. By inerrancy Chaves by retired bishops in 1973). Since then the proportion of women as points to the literal acceptance of the doctrine of the Headship of clergy has grown and so has their deployment in the Church. How Christ, as taught by St.Paul, from which is deduced the teaching ever, there are still dioceses and parishes where ordained women that a man is the head of his family and a male pastor is to be the are not invited. The new legislation, passed in 1997 to be effective head of the church family. A woman though equal to a man is equal from January 1,1998, is intended to bring conformity into the Epis not in terms of role but of complementarity. copal Church so that all parts of it receive the ministry of ordained However, these doctrines are held, writes Chaves, in the con women. text of opposition to (at least part) of the modem agenda of indi vidual rights and are thus best seen as ways of opposing the en Understanding these changes trance of that agenda into the Church. Why it is that the General Convention in 1997 passed this leg islation by a clear, majority vote? Evaluation To answer this question we need to understand the cultural and It seems to me that Chaves is right to see the public policy of social movements of our time. To this end, I commend the recent the main-line denominations of America being formed by pressure book by Professor Mark Chaves, Ordaining Women. Culture and from the culture which is dominated by individualism. The mandat Conflict in Religious Organizations (Harvard University Press, 1997). ing of the acceptance of women's ordination by all office-holders in The move to ordain women did not come about because godly the Episcopal Church in 1998 certainly well illustrates the point. people, engaged in Bible study and communal prayer, came to see By its new canon law the Episcopal Church outlaws all those that this was the will of God our Father and of His Son, our Lord Jesus who believe, teach and confess precisely what the same Church be Christ. True enough, some sincere people did come to believe that lieved, taught, confessed and practiced up to very recent times. A the Scriptures allowed or even commended the ordination of women. major change has occurred and that is the full adoption of the secu The force which pushed not a few denominations to proceed lar doctrine of individual rights. There is to be no toleration in the with the ordination of women in the 1970's was from the secular long term of those whose faith and practice is that of the Episcopal culture (even if it was advocated by church members). Professor Church since 1789, or that of the Anglican Church since the days of Chaves argues with clarity and from much evidence that the moves Celtic Christianity! to ordain women were energized and clarified by the general, west- Perhaps it needs to be added that the "rights" doctrine stressed em cultural movement advocating the rights of individuals. A woman by the new elite of ECUSA is not the same doctrine that appears in is an individual; a woman has individual rights; a woman is equal in the Declaration of Independence and other early American docu rights to a man; a woman, therefore, has the right along with a man ments.