The Bi-Monthly Magazine of the Prayer Book Society Volume 30, Number 5 andatSeptember / October 2007 The Right Reverend Robert W. Duncan, M BishopE of Pittsburgh and Moderator of the Anglican Communion Network In This Issue The Crisis in The Episcopal Church and the mission of The Anglican Communion Network Page 2 b Editor’s Desk: From Common Cause to new Province? Page 3 b And also with you? Page 4 b The Anglican Communion Network and The BCP 1662 Pages 5-6 b Precious Prayers from Edward VI’s Primer Pages 7-10 b The Means of Grace Page 11 Is The Episcopal Church b Mary and Martha: The heading for exclusion from the Contemplative and Active Life Page 12 Anglican Communion? b The 1940 Hymnal: Meditative Singing Pages 13-14 Will the developing Crisis within North American b Rome, Canterbury and Anglicanism lead to the formation of a new Province, Richard Hooker Pages 15-16 which uses the classic Book of Common Prayer, and which is a full member of the Anglican Communion? The Crisis in the Episcopal Church the Formation of the Anglican Communion Network Visit he Episcopal Church, with one hundred as have nine other dioceses and many individual http://parishtoolbox. and thirteen dioceses, has approximately parishes. [In contrast, Episcopalians comfortable org./media/crisisfacts&- 2.2 million members in North, Central with the direction and decisions of The Episcopal FAQ.pdf Tand South America. Of those members, less than Church have also organized as “Via Media USA,” & 800,000 attend church on any given Sunday morn- and locally in Pittsburgh as “Progressive Episcopa- www.acn-us.org ing. lians of Pittsburgh.” ] Since the election and consecration of V. Gene Around 250 parishes or portions of parishes Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, as and thousands of individuals have left The Episco- well as by the approval of same-sex blessings, the pal Church since 2001. Many have come under the Episcopal Church has been at the center of an inter- spiritual oversight of Anglican bishops from other national Anglican crisis. That crisis, in the words parts of the world, and most of these belong to the of the gathered leaders of the world’s Anglican ACN. churches, tears “the fabric of our Communion at On July 30-31, the ACN had its annual meet- its deepest level” (Primates Statement, October 16, ing for delegates in Bedford, Texas, where it re- 2003). Twenty-two of the Anglican Communion’s elected Bishop Duncan as Moderator and adopted thirty-seven other provinces (national churches) unanimously the Theological Statement prepared have declared broken or impaired communion for adoption by the ecclesial partners in Common with the Episcopal Church. Cause. These partners include The Anglican Mis- The Windsor Report (2004) described the Epis- sion in America (Rwanda), The Convocation of copal Church as having “acted in ways incompatible Anglican Churches in America (Nigeria), Forward with the Communion principle of interdepen- in Faith of North America, The Reformed Episco- dence.” It went on to add, “Our fellowship together pal Church (founded in 1873), The Anglican Prov- has suffered immensely as a result of these devel- ince of America (with roots back to 1977), and from opments.” The Report specifically called the Epis- Canada, The Anglican Network and the Anglican copal Church to “express regret” for its decisions, Essentials Federation. and place moratoriums on both same-sex blessings Common Cause is a fellowship, even an organi- and the election of bishops living in homosexual zation, made up of groups that share the view that partnerships. The 2006 General Convention of the (a) the present state of The Episcopal Church is Episcopal Church decided after much talking not that of infidelity to the Gospel and to the received to meet these requests, a decision which has since Anglican Way; (b) there is needed in North Amer- been reaffirmed by the House of Bishops and The ica a new Province of the Anglican Communion to Episcopal Church’s Executive Council. replace The Episcopal Church, and (c) they can be, In response to the decisions of 2003, some in the providence of God, the basis for the forma- American Episcopalians, who want to remain part tion of such a Province. of the global Anglican Communion of Churches Bishop Duncan has called together the bishops and preserve traditional teaching formed “The from all the partners in Common Cause for a meet- Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and ing in late September, after the crucial meeting of Parishes” (generally known as The Anglican Com- the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church, munion Network [ACN]). with the Archbishop of Canterbury as guest, has The Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan, Bishop of Pitts- occurred. burgh, is the Moderator of the Network and his (See, further, discussion of the ACN and Common diocese has formally affiliated with the Network Cause at pages 3, 5-6.) The Mandate September / October 2007 • Volume 30, Number 5 Editor: The Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon • Design/Layout: Boldface Graphics The Officers for the Year 2007 are: President: The Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon • Vice-President: The Rev’d Fr. Edward Rix Treasurer: Dr. T. Herbert Guerry III of Georgia • Secretary: Mrs. Miriam K. Stauff of Wisconsin MANDATE is published six times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profit organization serving the Church of God. All gifts to the P.B.S. are tax deductible. Recipients of Mandate are encouraged to send at least $28 each year to maintain the ministry. Editorial and all other correspondence: P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Phone 1-800-PBS-1928. Postmaster: Please send address changes to the above address. a n d a t Visit the websites of the Society: www.pbsusa.org & www.anglicanmarketplace.com. M Page 2 E The Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon M.A., M.Th., D.Phil (Oxon) Reflections from the FromEditor’s Common Cause to Province—A Desk Way of Holiness or of Schism? he Episcopal Church is always in the news seas Primates of the Global South, e.g., Venables and often in the headlines. It will certainly of South America—to move carefully but slowly be so again in mid-to-late September, when and surely towards the formation in embryo of a Tthe House of Bishops meets and receives Dr Rowan new Province for North America. This move will William, Archbishop of Canterbury, as its guest. He include both the exceedingly difficult task of taking will be there not to complement the members on in dioceses, networks, jurisdictions and congrega- their faithfulness to the Anglican Way of worship, tions in a smooth and just manner to form a coher- doctrine and discipline, but to seek to persuade ent whole, and the negotiating with Provinces them personally to change their minds on innova- abroad for recognition. Since Common Cause tions in the doctrine and practice of sexuality, and already has a Theological Statement (for which see then to change the minds and decision of the lay below page 5-6), there is at least a foundation to and clerical leadership of The Episcopal Church. build on in the necessary work of creating a consti- At the last Primates’ Meeting in Tanzania in tution and canons. early 2007, it was decided to give the House of So far so good! However, such a move from Bishops until the end of September 2007 to begin Common Cause to Province will occur in a con- fully to comply with the recommendations of The text which will certainly bring much pain to sensi- Windsor Report of 2004—for the General Con- tive hearts, especially those who pray for Anglican vention in 2006 had failed to do so. In other words, unity, along with division within old friends. We the leaders of the thirty-seven provinces are saying need to bear in mind that if this Province comes to The Episcopal Church: “There are basic rules of into being, then it will exist alongside both The membership of the Anglican Communion and one Episcopal Church (a liberal, progressive, liturgi- of them is abiding by the decision of the Instru- cal Church retaining a minority of conservatives) ments of Unity [e.g. Lambeth Conference, 1998] and the traditional Anglicans who call themselves concerning the unacceptability of blessing same- Continuing Anglicans and who are found chiefly sex unions and ordaining people in such part- in such jurisdictions as The Anglican Church of nerships. If you are not prepared to accept and America, The Anglican Catholic Church and The implement this rule, then you cannot be treated as Province of Christ the King. It is possible that a full member of the Communion.” the latter will merge into The Traditional Angli- Precisely what the future implications will be can Communion, which already exists as a small, if the House of Bishops courteously declines the global fellowship of continuing Anglicans. invitation—even the plea—from the global Com- Further, it is possible that the Anglican Com- munion to repent are difficult if not impossible to munion will not be able to remain united and will predict. break into parts, because of the crisis over The Many observers of the Episcopal Church believe Episcopal Church, the lack of agreement over that the House of Bishops has already indicated sexual ethics, and disagreement over which bish- that it will say “No,” and that the meeting with the ops should be invited to the Lambeth Conference Archbishop will not change anything of substance. of 2008. Certainly the leadership of the Anglican Com- Two closing thoughts… The Prayer Book Soci- munion Network [ACN] appears to be convinced ety can at least hold on to this: that which ever way that this will be so.