The Centurion
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The Centurion The Parish Magazine of St. Alban’s Church 1011 Old Joppa Road, Joppa, Maryland, 21085 JULY 2011 THE PARISH MAGAZINE OF ST. ALBAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH JULY 2011 From the Rector Whither Anglicanism? My dear People: of those who switch to a different church and This month our diocese and province is meeting tradition experience “buyer’s remorse” down the in synod at Atlanta, Georgia. In the United States road. They find that they miss the beautiful and the Anglican Province of America consists of three profound liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer, dioceses: an eastern diocese (DEUS), a mid-western the solemn language of the King James Bible, the diocese (DMA), and a western diocese (DOW). Our great hymns of the faith, and many other hallmarks diocesan bishop, the Most Rev’d. Walter H. of traditional Anglicanism. Grundorf, also serves as presiding bishop of the All of this raises an important point: namely province. This may seem like an incredible burden that, despite her current problems, the classical for one man to bear - and perhaps it is. But we Anglican tradition still speaks to many millions of should consider that our entire province in the people, and that she has an important role to play in United States is probably no more than 150 the Christian world and the mission of the Church churches! So we are a very small church. today. There are many people who are looking for a Many people new to our church are surprised to Church that is truly Catholic yet reformed; that is find out just how small we are. They would probably spirit-filled yet traditional; that is formal (liturgical) be even more surprised to learn that we have yet friendly (pastoral). That is the classical Anglican numerous “sister churches (jurisdictions)” with tradition. There are many people who, instead of whom we share a common heritage, as well as wanting the strange doctrinal innovations and communion and fellowship, but are not formally postmodern ways of other churches, simply want to united with. These are equally small and spread out. return to the days of the beautiful, simple, Christian Common sense indeed would ask, “Why don’t you orthodoxy of the old Episcopal tradition, and as all unite?!” Needless to say, division does not help embodied in the classic Book of Common Prayer. any of us fulfill our evangelical mission! But thanks Again, that is us! In short, despite the problems of be to God there has been a slow and steady unity that the “continuing” Anglican Church has movement to resolve differences and corporately faced in recent years (and thanks be to God this unite with our virtually identical sister jurisdictions problem is being resolved) we still have a lot to offer in recent years. Yet while much good progress has the larger Christian world. Indeed I have no idea been made on that front, we are still “not there” yet. where I would worship if there was not a church like For it takes a lot of time and patience to get it done the APA with parishes like St. Alban’s. I’m sure that right and to the glory of God. Sadly, it is far easier to is the case with many people as well. And as other divide than it is to unite - even between bodies that churches continue to succumb to the zeitgeist in have almost every little thing in common! various degrees (cultural, moral, etc.), our role and work will continue to be more and more important. In the face of this slow march toward unity, some have alas grown impatient with traditional St. Alban’s Church and the Anglican Province of Anglicanism. Happy neither with the situation in America are committed to maintaining the catholic the Episcopal Church nor with the divisions of the and apostolic faith of the Church in the classical Continuing Church, many clergy and laity have Anglican tradition. While we long to be united with opted to enter the Roman Church or one of the our brethren, and are pleased to be heading in that Orthodox churches. Still others have gone to the direction, we understand that it takes time, and that ACNA Church. While some have moved on to these we cannot accept a “peace at any price” approach to other churches for genuine doctrinal reasons, a church unity and mission. We may be disheartened significant minority have done so simply for a quick at times, and think that we are small and fix solution to the problems of liberalism and insignificant, but let us remember that St. Paul (1 division as represented by the Episcopal and Cor. 12:22-24) said the smallest parts of the body Continuing Anglican churches. But inevitably many often have (cont’d on p. 5) PAGE 2 THE PARISH MAGAZINE OF ST. ALBAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH JULY 2011 BOOK REVIEW "Glory, Laud, and Honor: The Arts would have done away with the churches could be beautified was of the Anglican Counter- Prayer Book and torn down the done as well, from adding Reformation" By Graham Perry cathedrals if they had the chance, gorgeous wood carvings, Available from Amazon.com for but luckily they were stopped decorative baptismal fonts and $34.95 plus S/H every time they considered it. covers, vestments, statues, church By the time Laud and his plate, candles, and more. ne of the more interesting O fellow churchmen (such as John They also increased the quality books recently published, Glory, Cosin and Matthew Wren) rose to of music in the services by Laud, and Honor deals with the arts prominence the power and forming choirs for the various and liturgy of the English Church influence of the Puritans had collegiate chapels and in during the so-called Laudian era waned significantly. The Laudians, cathedrals that would chant and (1593-1644), named for Archbishop as they came to be called, set sing the services of the Book of William Laud (pictured to the right). about trying to restore some Common Prayer. In many of the Laud began his ecclesiastical collegiate chapels at Oxford and career as president of St. John’s Cambridge Prayer Book services College, Oxford, and ended it as were held in the Latin tongue so Archbishop of Canterbury. This as to increase their dignity, excellent book tells the story of mystery, and beauty. The book is Laud and his co-religionists in full of gorgeous, high-quality the Church of England, who photographs of many of the were trying to restore some places discussed. measure of dignity and beauty to Unfortunately Laud and his the worship of the Church. patron and defender, the At the time of the somewhat despotic King Reformation there was a Charles I, were too heavy- wholesale destruction of handed in bringing these churches, monasteries, and beautiful adornments back to much of the sacred art that the Church, and punishing adorned them. Vestments were dissenters. So the Puritans hated burned; statues defaced; fonts these men all the more, and and altars were taken from vigorously campaigned against churches and used as troughs; the changes, telling people that stained glass was smashed; Laud and Charles were secretly paintings were defaced; and beauty and dignity to the worship trying to reintroduce “popery” churches were used as meeting of the church. into the Church of England. halls, places of business, and even Eventually a civil war began which They did this by insisting that stables! the Puritans won. The Book of altars be permanently installed in Common Prayer and the All of this was done by the churches on the east end of the episcopacy (church government by Puritans, a radical, legalistic, and chancel, and that they were to be bishops) were abolished, King gnostic party that had risen to raised up several levels and Charles I was beheaded, and prominence in parts of the surrounded by a gate to show that Archbishop Laud was killed as national Church. These men it was sacred space. They also well. A “Puritan Commonwealth” - believed that such art and beauty commissioned stained glass actually a dictatorship under had lead the Church astray prior designers to created windows for Oliver Cromwell - (Cont’d on p. 7) to the Reformation, so they churches where the old glass had wanted it all destroyed. They been destroyed. Any other way PAGE 3 THE PARISH MAGAZINE OF ST. ALBAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH JULY 2011 FOR ALL THE SAINTS: St. Bonaventure (c. 1218 - 1274) - Adapted %om the “Oxford Dictionary of Saints” factions within the order, each claiming to be the nown as the K true heirs to the spirit and intentions of the “seraphic doctor”, founder. The order had also been declining in zeal, the Franciscan making them a target of ridicule and criticism. friar, bishop, and cardinal, St. While staunchly defending Franciscan ideals, Bonaventure, was Bonaventure insisted - against the ideals of St. one of the most Francis - that the friars must be well-educated and important of the spend lots of time in study. To that end he said that Medieval friars should possess books, and the order should theologians and possess buildings. (NB: St. Francis was opposed to philosophers. An the friars or order possessing just about anything.) Italian by birth, he He encouraged the existing practice of friars was sent to Paris at preaching and ministering at universities, and the age of twenty- thought that the role of the friars should be to five because of his support the diocesan clergy, who were often over- strong intellectual worked and usually under-educated.