January/February 2000 Volume 19, Number 1

THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE BOOK SOCIETY 1550 - 2000

of Common

The 450th Anniversary of 's Music for The Book of the Common Prayer (1549)

THE LIVING PAST FOR THE PRESENT AND INTO THE FIT CONTENTS

3. The Editor's Desk: John Merbecke and Common Prayer 4. Recording Merbecke's "Noting" in NYC 5. A page from Merbecke's book of 1550 6. Details of the Merbecke CD 7. Dr. J.I. Packer on the 9. On the Formularies and their Order 10. Too little too late? & Too much too early? 11. Unity in Diversity & Models of Unity 12. Details of the DEAR PRIMATES book 13. The of DEAR PRIMATES 14. Mrs Marilyn Ruzicka on Unity in the Continuum 15. An Open Letter to the Forward in Faith movement 16. How to obtain a classic Prayer Book

What is the Prayer Book Society? First of all, what it is not: It is not a historical society — though it does take history seriously. It is not merely a preservation society — though it does seek to preserve what is good. It is not merely a traditionalist society — though it does receive holy tradition gratefully. It is not a reactionary society, existing only by opposing modem trends. It is not a synod or council, organized as a church within the Church.

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 in 1549. They wish to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in a dignified and understandable English. 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. 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 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, publications, 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.

Editor: The Rev'd Dr Peter Toon MANDATE, Vol. 19. 1. 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.

World-Wide Web address is http://www.episcopalian.org/pbsl928

2 MANDATE: January/February 2000 The Prayer Book Society Reflections from the Editor's Desk

The Rev 'd Dr. Peter Toon JOHN MERBECKE (cisos - c. isss) AND THE BOOK OF THE COMMON PRAYER (is49)

ost cradle Episcopalians have either sung, or heard sung, which is what Archbishop , who apparently had parts of the Holy Communion to the notes composed by little love of polyphony or choral music, wished him to do. The aim MJohn Merbecke, organist in the Royal Chapel at Windsor was to provide music which could be sung by the lay Clerks (and Castle, England. At the back of the Hymnal of 1940 are settings by possibly also by the congregation following the Clerks) and which Merbecke for parts of the Order for Holy Communion. in its simphcity and accessibility promoted the beauty of holiness in the praise of the Holy Trinity. For centuries before the Reformation the Daily Offices and had been sung/chanted in God's Church and this tradition Thus Merbecke's music contrasts with that of other sixteenth continued into the sixteenth century and through the Enghsh Ref­ century composers (Christopher Tye, & Thomas ormation. After the pubhcation of the first Enghsh Book ofthe Com­ Morley) who were primarily interested in composing music (po­ mon Prayer \a 1549, there appeared with official approval a further lyphony) for choirs and who prepared the way for the later Angli­ book containing the notes for chanting some ofthe services. It was can Chant of the late seventeenth century. entitled. The Booke of Common Praier Noted (1550), that is Musi­ The content of his The Booke of Common Praier Noted (1550) cal Notes for the Common Prayer, and the composer was John provided Noting for Mattins, , the Quincunque Vult, Holy Merbecke. In this provision of Notes for Common Prayer he Communion and the Burial of the Dead. The music consists of ad­ achieved a remarkable compromise in the new problem of singing aptations of from the Latin Rites and tunes composed in an accentual language instead of the quantitative Latin. It is fair to a similar style by Merbecke himself. say that much of the music was an adaptation from earlier plain­ song but his setting of the Creed, the Gloria in excelsis, the Offer­ Judith Blezzard has written: "The underlay is syllabic through­ tory Sentences and the Post-comunion sentences are originals. out and phrase climaxes are typically reserved for important words. He adopted a special form of rhythmic notation, probably with the Regrettably, Merbecke's music for the original English Prayer aim of achieving speech rhythm in music. Further, he used only Book did not have much time to be used and heard in English ca­ four note shapes, 'strene note" (breve), 'square note" (semibreve), thedrals, colleges and parish churches because of the pubhcation of 'pycke' (minim) and 'close" (breve with pause for cadences). He the revised Prayer Book of 1552. Had he provided a Noted Version also used the 'prycke", a dot lengthening the preceding note by of The Book of Common Prayer of 1552 then the course of English half. Merbecke explained the system in his preface and it is clear church music might have been different. But for three centuries his that he intended the note values to be interpreted exactly, rather Noting was forgotten. It was not until the nineteenth century that than in the freer manner associated with plainsong" (The New Grove his music was revived for use in Anglican worship by Anglo-Catho­ Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Vol.12). lics. However, it was adapted for use by choirs and congregations using the 1662 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. In origin it Merbecke had been a traditional catholic and in this part of his had been written for the lay Clerks and the to sing (as the life wrote music for the Latin Mass and also two motets. But he rubrics of the first Prayer Book clearly reveal). was converted to Protestantism and became an ardent student of the Bible. In 1543 he was arrested for heresy (that is for his ad­ The two scholars whose names are associated with the revival vanced Protestant views on the Mass). Though two others arrested of Merbecke's music for the Common Prayer in the mid-nineteenth with him were put to death, he was set free and his writings de­ century are William Dyce of King's College, London (The Order of stroyed. Nevertheless, on returning to Windsor, Merbecke perse­ Daily Service with Plaine Tune, London, 1844) and Dr John Jebb vered with his project for a Concordance to the English Bible and (in his published lectures under the title. Three Lectures on the was able later in a friendly religious environment to publish the Cathedral Service, Leeds, 1845). A later writer on plainsong, Tho­ fust Concordance (1550), dedicated to Edward VI. mas Hehnore, in his primer entitled Plainsong called Merbecke "the memorable first arranger of Plainsong to our Enghsh Liturgy." In the year 2000 we celebrate the 450th anniversary of the pubhca­ tion of the firstNote s for the firstEnghs h Book ofthe Common Prayer. In his Noting for the Enghsh Common Prayer, Merbecke fol­ The Prayer Book Society is honored to have been able to provide a lowed the principle of "for every syllable a note" in monophonic compact disc of his Noting to commemorate this anniversary. #• settings. Thus he adapted chant and created a functional plainsong.

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 3 RECORDING MERBECKE'S "NOTING"

t would seem on first thought a rela­ tively easy job to make a record of IMerbecke's music for the services in the Book of Common Prayer. That is, if one thinks of Merbecke as the composer ofthe music which bears his name and which has been sung in many Anghcan and Episco­ palian churches by church choirs and con­ gregations over the last century, then pos­ sibly it would be relatively easy. But if one is seeking to sing the services as Merbecke himself intended them to be sung accord­ ing to the rubrics of the first English Book ofthe Common Prayer of 1549, then one traly has a difficult task. First of all, one needs money to pro­ duce such a historical record. And this, thanks be to God, was provided by the gen­ Pedro D Aquino leads erosity of several ofthe long-time members he Clerks at practice of the Prayer Book Society. Then, with fi­ nance assured, one needs a musical director, a group of male sing­ prelude and finale on the disc. This was because the recording ers who are experienced with church music and who can read mu­ was tainted with external noises. sic weU, a priest who is familiar with sixteenth-century English The compact disc contains Mattins (but with only the NT and committed to the Cranmerian prayer book, a first-class pro­ Lesson) and the full Order for Holy Communion. There was ducer and recording engineer and a place to make the recording. not space on the Disc to do Evensong & the . Further, one has to find a day when all are free to be in one place to This we regret as so many people love to hear the do the work! and the . In David Pizarro, former organist of the Cathedral of St. John We regard this product as an attempt to provide an example the Divine in New York City we found our musical director. In of what divine service would have sounded like in churches in Pedro D'Aquino, a Lutheran and lover of Anglican Uturgy, we found London or or Cambridge in 1550. That is, how the Sun­ our lead singer and he recruited several of his friends who sing in day Services sounded in city churches where there were male NYC churches. And in Michael O. Drexler, a trained musician and singing Clerks who, together with the Priest, the Clerk in Holy producer from Germany, now working in NYC, we found a sympa­ Orders, regularly sang the service, or led the congregation in thetic and capable technical expert. Peter Toon of the Prayer Book the singing of the service. Society served as the clerk in holy orders. Be sure to order a copy of this recording on CD! We made the recording in St. Luke's Church, Convent Street, The Disc will be available by January 1st 2000 from the Prayer NYC on October 11, and we were in the church for about 10 hours! Book Society at a cost of $10.00 for one copy and with a discount Although it was a public holiday, for purchase of several copies. Columbus Day, and although it is a We hope that the members and well built church, we did experi­ friends ofthe Prayer Book Society ence a lot of problems with exter­ will buy several copies of this Disc nal noises and so had to do many so that they can, for example, takes, in order to succeed in record­ give one to their local rector and ing that which was of an appropri­ choir director. This careful ate technical standard. And, regret­ dissemination of this record will tably during the examination of help the cause of true religion by what had been recorded the pro­ giving people the sense of the ducer had to make the decision to beauty of holiness expressed in the abandon the organ music of David reverent singing of the services of Pizarro, which we had planned as the Common Prayer. # Michael O Dexler David Pizzaro

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John Merbecke's NOTING of the English Common Prayer

In 1550 John Merbecke, organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, published music to accompany the public services [Mattins, Evensong, Holy Communion & the Burial of the dead) of The Book ofthe Common Prayer (1549). His book bore the title The Booke of Common Praier Noted.

Merbecke was a Tudor composer of high rank as is witnessed by his Mass Per armajusticiae and his motets. Further, he was a biblical scholar who produced the first Concordance to the English Bible in 1550, dedicated to Edward VI.

His "noting" of Matins, Evensong and Holy Communion was designed at the time for singing by the Clerk in Holy Orders and the lay Clerks, and not for congregational use. The rabrics ofthe Prayer Book enjoin several times that "then shall the Clerkes syng." Only in the nineteenth century did the custom develop of adapting Merbecke's noting to the use of choirs and congregations.

In this recording of Mattins and the Holy Communion the singing Clerks are Pedro d'Aquino (leader), Mark Bleeke, Robert Isaacs, Chad Karl and Paul Sohem; the Clerk in Holy Orders is Peter Toon; the musical director is David Pizarro, and the producer is Michael Drexler.

The , and (together with only one Scripture reading in Mattins) for Whit-Sunday/ are used, because this was the day in 1549 when the public use of the Enghsh Common Prayer, replacing the Latin services, began throughout England as required by law.

Between Mattins and the Holy Communion the Clerks sing an anthem by Thomas Tallis, who died in the same year as Merbecke (1585). "If ye love me" takes up the words from the Gospel for Whit-Sunday.

This recording was made in St. Luke's Church, Convent Street, New York City, and was commissioned by The Prayer Book Society to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Common Prayer in English.

To obtain this recording on compact disc send $ 10.00 (for one); $ 18.00 (for two); $25.00 (for three) to: The Prayer Book Society, P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA. 19128-0220.

CONTENTS OF THE CD Mattins 11. eleison 1. Pater Noster & Versicles 12. Gloria in Excelsis 2. Venite 13. of Day and for King 3. Psalm 48 14. Epistle - Acts 2 4. 15. Gospel - John 14 5. Lesson: Acts 10 16. 6. Benedictus 17. Exhortation 7. Apostles' Creed, Lord's Prayer, 18. , Proper Preface & Suffrages and Collects 19. Prayer 8. "If ye love me" — Thomas Tallis 20. Pater Noster & Pax Vobiscum 21 Preparation for Communion Holy Communion 22. Agnus Dei 9. 23. Thanksgiving Prayer 10. Psalm 33 24. The Blessing

6 MANDATE: January/February 2000 The Prayer Book Society Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures For Truth, Unity, and Hope: we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity and encouragement among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and REVALUING mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:4-6). THE BOOK OF e have seen [from Holy Scripture] that teaching, uniting, COMMON PRAYER and encouraging Christian people are three specific pur­ Wposes of God, whereby his plan of salvation is carried (The final part of a preached under the auspices forward in our lives. I want us now to see, however sketchily, that of the Prayer Book Society of Canada) our 1962 Canadian Book of Common Prayer is a brilliantly effec­ tive tool for furthering these purposes. Do we sufficiently appreci­ by The Rev'd Professor J. I. Packer ate the Prayer Book that our Society exists to uphold? I wonder! I am sure it will do us good to remind ourselves how fruitfully the gnant applicatory terms. "Ye that do traly and eamestly repent you Prayer Book fulfills this threefold divine agenda. of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and The first of God's goals that Paul mentioned was teaching, intend to lead the new life, following the commandments of God the building up of the mind. The Prayer Book teaches: and what its and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with main services mainly teach is, precisely, the gospel of Christ. The faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort." Yes, but the stracture of those services expresses the gospel, just as their words first step towards the Table must be of "our manifold and phrases do, and the power of Anglican liturgy to instill the gos­ sins and wickedness which we, from time to time, most grievously pel into human hearts has been central to Anglican experience for have cominitted". Then the second step is the Absolution, backed nearly 450 years. This is the legacy to us of that still unappreciated by the scriptural assurances of mercy for sinners through Christ genius, Thomas Cranmer, the mid-sixteenth century reforming Arch­ which we call the comfortable words. And the third step is thanks­ of Canterbury. Let me show you what Cranmer did. giving for salvation, faith responding to grace, which is what the Cranmer saw that the way to make liturgy express the gospel is Sursum Corda ("Lift up your hearts") is all about. by use of a sequence of three themes. Theme one is the personal Then, after all this, we come to the sacrament that confirms the acknowledgment of sin; theme two is the applicatory announce­ word of grace by setting before us in visible symbol Christ's "full, ment of God's mercy to sinners; theme three is the response of faith perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, , and satisfaction, for the to the grace that is being offered. The sequence is evangelical and sins of the whole world". When we receive the elements, the words edifying - edifying, indeed, just because it is evangelical. Gospel of administration express application: we are told to consume them trath is what builds us up! in remembrance of Calvary, be thankful, and feed on Christ in our See this sin-grace-faith sequence in Cranmer's Bible services, hearts. It is clear that our receiving and consuming is meant to ex­ Moming and Evening Prayer. First we are summoned to confess press responsive faith: Lord Jesus (our hearts should be saying), as our sins, and we do so. Next we hear the good news that God par­ I take this bread and wine so I receive you afresh to be the bread of dons and absolves all who traly repent and unfeignedly believe his my life, the life of my soul, my Saviour and my God. This is mag­ holy gospel. Then the rest of the service is the third step in the nificent, surely. sequence, the expressing of responsive faith. We say the Lord's The Book of Alternative Services (1985) is less forthright in Prayer, with special emphasis on "forgive us our trespasses". We words, and less clear in structure, about these things; if we value sing of praise for salvation, starting in the moming with the gospel-oriented liturgy that Cranmer bequeathed to us (1962 "0 come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the based on 1662 is almost all Cranmer, though a few changes were strength of our salvation", and in the evening with "My soul doth made), we shall see the BAS as retrograde on what is central, a step magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour". backwards rather than forwards, a cheap modem runabout offered We hear the word of God with the purpose of leaming more about in exchange for a classic liturgical Rolls-Royce, and we shall cer­ his mercy and the way in which we saved sinners are to serve him tainly think it a pity. in this world. We pray for others in the confidence that the God The second of God's goals that Paul mentioned was uniting, who has blessed us will bless them too. All this is faith's response the extending and deepening of fellowship. Part of our Anglican to the knowledge of God's saving grace in and through our Lord heritage is a centuries-old experience of the unitive power of all Jesus Christ. The sequence is profoundly simple, profoundly bibli­ joining together in the same worship and leaming together to enter cal, profoundly moving, and profoundly enriching to the soul. into it and make it our own. This too is part of Cranmer's legacy: The Holy Communion service is basically stractured by the his strategy was to abolish local liturgies, of which England had a use ofthe same sequence. The Ante-Communion (collect for purity number, and to prescribe just one, in order to bring about national and law of God, pointing to sin; prayer for mercy after the law and unity in gospel faith and gospel worship. I want to celebrate the New Testament readings, pointing to grace; confessing the Creed, wisdom of this strategy which, until quite recently, was a mark of hearing the sermon, and praying for the world as expressions of responsive faith) takes us through the sequence in an introductory way, and this is followed by a second joumey through it in poi- REVALUING continued on page 8

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 7 REVALUING continued from page 7

Anglicanism throughout the world. And, quite specifically, I wish the intemal unity that God intends for our Anglican Church. to put it to you that it is retrograde when modem revised forms in The last of God's goals that Paul mentioned was encourag­ Canada, in England, in the USA and elsewhere include at key points, ing. Encouraging is a matter of imparting hope and strength, by most notably the Prayer of Consecration in the Holy Communion making Christians aware of their resources in God: thus encour­ service, half a dozen altemative forms between which the celebrant aged. Christians will live courageously and consistently for God, may take his choice. With such variety we cannot achieve the de­ however much the culture is against them and however often they gree of unity and togetherness among church people that comes find themselves swimming against the stream. One thing I love when we are all leaming to worship God with a single liturgical about our Prayer Book is that it makes so much of the greatness of form. God's gracious power to strengthen us in our spiritual weakness; Of course, to fulfil this unitive role, the liturgical form used this is encouragement that I need. Spiritually weak? - well, yes, I has to be a good one! It has to express the biblical and evangelical certainly am, and so I beheve are you; threats to our faith, our moral trath to which the Church is corporately committed, and it must do and spmtual integrity, and our zeal for God's cause, are constantly this in a full and faithful way; also, it must express the concems with us; spiritually speaking, in these days of dramatic spiritual about spiritual life and honouring God that Church members do or decline, we are beset by what the Prayer Book calls "many and should have. I believe that on all that is central and crucial and great dangers", however materially secure we may seem to be. I am foundational our 1962 Prayer Book actually does this, and does it thankful that the Prayer Book offers me so many prayers pointing superbly. To be sure, it uses a style of speech that is based on the to the great grace and power of my great God and Saviour to Enghsh Bible as this emerged in the 90 years between Tyndale and strengthen his people when they are under great pressure. the King James Version, and it is semi-technical in its use of key Here, for instance, is the collect for Trinity IX: biblical concepts, and hence it is trae and indeed important to say Grant to us. Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and that using the Prayer Book properly involves leaming a language. do always such things as be rightful; that we, who can not But should this daunt us? do anything that is good without thee, may by thee be en­ We do not complain of having to leam the language of com­ abled to live according to thy will. puters, daisy wheels and bytes and floppies and so on; we simply Here is Trinity XIX: learn it, in order to be able to use computers; why then should anyone balk at learning the language one needs in order to wor­ O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please ship God? There are technical terms in the Bible, which those thee: Mercifully grant, that thy Holy Spirit may in all things who want to know about God labour to learn; why should we direct and rule our hearts. expect things to be I know, of course, and so do you, that for half You see the emphasis: we are weak and impotent; God is great a century people have been assuring us that up-to-date worship and strong; urgently, therefore, we cry for his help. Surely this is forms can be devised that will express everything Cranmer ex­ realistic; surely this is the bibhcal way to pray. The altemative col­ pressed while using only everyday words - the language of secu­ lects that we are offered today are often more eloquent, in their lar life, that is - so that the meaning of the liturgy becomes clear smooth, bland way, but are invariably less urgent. The sense that to the most casual worshippers, without their having to leam any­ we are praying out of a realization of our weakness, sinfulness, and thing. But the idea is unrealistic; it is a mere will-o'-the-wisp; the spiritual danger, and out of experiences of being harassed, distracted, thing cannot be done. Try to do it, as the BAS seems to try, and and discouraged, is much diminished. The BAS, one might say, is what happens is that the truth-content of worship gets watered for nice people whereas the Prayer Book is for real people. I do not down, so that liturgical expression becomes vague, and less wor­ find that the BAS helps me to pray as much as the Prayer Book thy worship is thus made inevitable. It is no wonder many Angli­ does, nor does it encourage me in the same way. cans are moved to say of our Canadian venture into this area, Do we sufficiently appreciate our Prayer Book? We need to what a pity, and even, what a disgrace. It is no wonder, either, that revalue our Prayer Book upward: that, I believe, would be the best the BAS divides rather than unites. and most direct route to the renewal in our Church of the blessing Ever since the sixteenth century, worshippers have been find­ for which Paul prayed - that the God who gives endurance and ing that the forms of words in our Prayer Book are wonderfully encouragement may give us a spirit of unity among ourselves as we enriching and enlarging to the soul. They mesh in beautifully with follow Christ Jesus, so that with one the teaching of Holy Scripture, which they echo, and the experi­ heart and mouth we may glorify the ence of literally millions of Anghcans has been that the more light Father, and that the God of hope may one gains from the Bible the more wisdom one finds in the Prayer fill us with all joy and peace as we Book. If we taught the Prayer Book to our congregations, as our trast in him, so that we may overflow Anglican forebears used to do (this, I beheve, is where today's with hope by the power of the Holy Anglicans have missed out), and if we showed the links between Spirit. God grant it! Amen. #• Prayer Book and the Bible at each point, and if we explained that Christian worship is a leamed activity and helped people to leam it, The Rev'd. Dr. James I. Packer is the I believe we should find the Prayer Book exerting its unitive power Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of once more in a way that would amaze us. May God give us who Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, BC, Canada. teach the good sense to tackle this task as a step towards recovering

8 MANDATE: January/February 2000 The Prayer Book Society THE ANGLICAN FORMULARIES ACCORDING TO THEIR ORDER

he Anglican Way, like the Roman Catholic Way and the by the Lutheran and Reformed (Presbyterian) Churches of that time. Orthodox Way, as a jurisdiction of the one, holy, catholic It was intended to indicate the adherence of the Tand apostolic Church has its own particular formularies. It to the Scriptures and to the doctrine and tradition of the ancient shares with these two ancient jurisdictions the primary and non- Church as well as to provide a guide through the controversies be­ reformable Formulary which we call the Holy Scriptures, the Word tween medieval and reformed catholic positions of the sixteenth of God written. It also shares with them the Nicene Creed and the century. Most but not all of the Provinces of the Anglican Com­ doctrine, dogma and polity set forth in the decrees and canons of munion have the Articles of Religion in their Constitution. the Ecumenical Councds of the Early Church. The fact that the Formularies were composed in the sixteenth However, the Anglican Way is based on the Holy Scriptures century is not any more significant as such than the fact that the and the dogma and canons of the Early Church in translation into Nicene Creed belongs to the fourth century and the Athanasian Creed Enghsh together with its own distinctive secondary English For­ to the fifth century. All human writings, including the holy texts of mularies. The latter have been in place since the mid-sixteenth cen­ sacred Scripture, belong to space and time and have a historical tury when the ancient Ecclesia Anglicana by reformation, renewal context. The context ofthe Formularies is that of reformation in the and change of primary language became the Church of England, a sixteenth century when there was a massive attempt underway to free national and established Church. The same Church of England seek to recover the doctrine, liturgy and discipline of the Early has bequeathed to the Anglican Churches, which have grown from Church of the first five or six centuries. her, precisely the same Formularies, which have in tum been trans­ Certainly the Articles of Religion have a definite Protestant lated into many languages. flavor. But what does Protestant mean here? It means a protest on These Formularies are the distinctive, unique statements ofthe behalf of the Gospel as that was known, preached, taught and given Anglican Way and therefore the doctrinal, liturgical and doctrinal definition in the ancient Church. It is significant that the ecclesiological basis of each of the Provinces and thus of the whole divines of the late sixteenth century developed the simple way of of the of Churches. referring to the foundation ofthe Formularies ofthe reformed catho­ Anglicans can look like Roman Cathohcs or Lutherans in cer­ lic Church of England, referring to One canon of Scripture in Two tain respects, but they are distinguished as Anglican Christians by Testaments, with Three Creeds and Four Councils and Five centu­ reason of the distinctive Formularies of the Anglican Way. Regret­ ries to provide holy tradition in and by which to read Scripture and tably, there have always been within the membership of the Angli­ to establish the polity and law of the Church. can Churches those who wanted to ignore the Formularies and pre­ The Protestant Episcopal Church ofthe United States accepted tend that their parish or diocese or province was, on the one side, the Book of Common Prayer and Ordinal (a revision of the 1662 Roman Catholic in all but name or , on the other side, generically texts) in 1789 and the Articles of Religion (revised to take account Evangelical or (more recently) Charismatic in all but name. ofthe Republic) in 1801. These authentic Formularies remained in The Formularies of the Anglican Way are the Book of Common place until the 1970s when the (now) Episcopal Church replaced Prayer, the Ordinal and the Articles of Religion. In principle, these them with new creations. can be in any language, translated from the originals in English Obviously, the content of the historic Formularies has to be (and the scholarly text in Latin), and they exist in over 150 lan­ understood and applied in different situations (as the Lambeth Quad­ guages of the Anglican Communion. Further, the Formularies exist rilateral makes clear with respect to the historic Episcopate and as in a particular order. the translations ofthe B.C.P. into over 150 languages reveals) but First, came the Book of Common Prayer in 1549 replacing the the content is always there as the common law of the Anglican Way. Latin Service Books. Here the Church of England identified both Further, the Anglican Churches can and do produce other forms of with the Common [Daily Prayer} Prayer ofthe one, holy, catholic service than those in the B. C.P. and the Ordinal, but when they do and apostolic Church and with the administration ofthe Sacraments, so they recognize them to be altemative forms not substitutes and but did so in English and in revised form. Since 1549 the B.C.P. also to be within the doctrinal parameters ofthe Formularies. Thus has gone through various editions and been translated into many new prayer books worldwide (except significantly in the Epsicopal languages. Its most influential edition is that of 1662. Church, U.S.A.) have been called Alternative Prayer Books or Second, came the Ordinal which was produced after the B.C.P. [Country-Names] Prayer Books, since they were not intended to 1549 but from 1550 attached to it. Here the Church of England replace the classic B.C.P. revealed its commitment to the ancient and threefold ordained Min­ Those who desire to see a new, orthodox Anglican Province on istry of Bishop, Presbyter [Priest] and . Since 1549 the American soil realize that, unlike the present Episcopal Church, it Ordinal has been revised only minimally and with the B.C.P. has must be set solidly on the rock of Scripture as the primary Formu­ been translated as part of the [enlarged] Prayer Book into many lary and then on the historic Anglican Formularies as a secondary languages. Its most influential edition is that of 1662. foundation and guarantor of a traly Anglican identity. + Third, came the Articles of Religion. Significantly, this state­ ment of doctrine was not called a Confession of Faith so that it was The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon, President of the Prayerr Book Society. instantly identified with the various Confessions of Faith produced WBMSmsSmm

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 9 Njojo of Congo, Archbishop Samuel Sindamuka of Burundi, Bishop James Tengatenga of Malawi and other from Uganda and TOO LITTLE Rwanda. From outside Africa were Archbishop Harry Goodhew of Sydney, Archbishop Moses Tay of S.E.Asia and Presiding Bishop TOO LATE Maurice Sinclair ofthe Southem Cone of America. (Some of these men had previously visited the USA at the invitation of Presiding here the subject is so urgent and delicate as the reform Bishop Griswold in order to meet with hberal bishops in the ECUSA and renewal of a part of the one, holy, catholic and and to hear the rationale for the modem homosexual agenda.) Wapostolic Church, it is not surprising that would-be Others present at this extraordinary meeting were representa­ reformers have different ideas and timings for renewal. tives of Reform and Forward in Faith of England (David Holloway & Bishop Broadhurst) who have been pressing in England for a (a) Flying Bishops for the old ECUSA Third Province in the Church of England. The subject of "altemative episcopal oversight" (= "flying bish­ From the USA were representatives of First Promise (Chuck ops") for traditional congregations who cannot in conscience re­ Murphy, Jon Shuler, John Rodgers et al). Forward in Faith North ceive the leadership and care of their official diocesan bishop has America, formerly the ESA (Sam Edwards, David Moyer & War­ been raised by a small group of "evangehcal" bishops in the Epis­ ren Tanghe), Ekklesia (Bill Atwood) and CCLEC (Dick Kim) to­ copal Church. Their leader in this initiative is Bishop Robert Duncan gether with other interested parties. This grouping, associated with of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. the Round Table discussions initiated by the First Promise Move­ The printed proposal was not placed before the whole of the ment during 1999, was united in pressing for a new missionary recent meeting of the bishops in San Diego but was discussed by jurisdiction or a new province for America to be an authentic part the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice. Then the American An­ of the Anglican Communion, where the classic Prayer Book will ghcan Council, led by the Bishop of Dallas, James Stanton, re­ be both a Formulary and for use in the parishes. Thus they had a leased the document to the public. Discussion about it will prob­ very different message to that of the four ECUSA Bishops. Some ably continue in a part ofthe House of Bishops until the next meeting of Bishops in Spring 2000. The contents of the proposal include a commitment to main­ OR TOO MUCH tain the [organizational] unity ofthe Episcopal Church with a readi­ ness by Bishop Duncan and other conservative Bishops to provide TOO EARLY? altemative episcopal oversight to parishes in other dioceses than their own, where those parishes genuinely cannot work with their diehard Episcopalians who think that the ECUSA will eventually official bishop. The proposal does not mention whether in the pro­ do a U-tum back to its former Faith think that the message was too vision of altemative oversight there is the freedom of parishes to much and too early. use the classic 1928BCP! It seems to be aimed primarily at the From this panel of Archbishops & Bishops letters were sent to provision of episcopal oversight for parishes which do not accept those who gave evidence to them, to the Archbishop of Canterbury the commitment of their bishop to the excessive homosexual agenda. and to other Primates (Archbishops and Presiding Bishops of the The general consensus ofthe patient traditionalists in the Epis­ Anghcan Communion) who are due to meet in Portugal in March copal Church seems to be that that this proposal is too little and 2000. In general they express the view that the Anglican Commun­ too late. It would have made sense in the 1970s when the ECUSA ion should find ways to help the distressed and unchurched Episco­ introduced women and its new prayer book, but in the year palians in the USA. 2000 the level of despair and horror as well as of impaired com­ Thus the next meeting of the Primates of the Communion in munion is so developed that a more radical solution seems neces­ late March 2000 is probably where substantial decisions - to help sary to safeguard traditional Anglican life and worship. or not to help and if so just how — are taken.

(b) A New Entity alongside the old ECUSA In conclusion Four of the ECUSA bishops (Duncan of Pittsburgh, Fairfield The book. Dear Primates, pubhshed for January 2000 is ad­ of N. Dakota, Jecko of Florida and Stanton of Dallas) who put for­ dressed from the Prayer Book Society to the Archbishop of Canter­ ward the proposal to the Presiding Bishop went to Kampala, Uganda, bury and all the Primates. Together with various discussion papers for the week of November 15,1999, to explain their case to a panel already sent to Lambeth Palace and various Archbishops and Bish­ of archbishops and bishops. ops, this publication represents thus far the input of the Prayer Book This panel, now expanded, began its life in Singapore in early Society to the debate over Flying Bishops and/or new Province. 1999 when concemed American Episcopalians met with several It is of more than passing interest that even as an appeal was made Archbishops to ask for their help in the recovery of biblically-based in the 1780s by the new Protestant Episcopal Church in the United Anghcan rehgion in America - if not within the ECUSA then along­ States to the Church of England for approval of its revised Book of side it in a new entity supported by the Archbishops. Common Prayer and for the consecration of Bishops for America, The majority on the panel sitting in Kampala were from Af­ so in the year 2000 an appeal is being made by part of the present rica. They included Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo of Episcopal Church to the Archbishop of Canterbury and his fellow Uganda, Archbishop Immanuel Kolini from Rwanda, Archbishop Primates for help in recovering and retaining the Anglican Way as Donald Leo Mtetemela of Tanzania, Archbishop Patrice Byankya understood and set forth by American Anglicans in the 1780s. #

10 MANDATE: January/February 2000 The Prayer Book Society UNITY IN DIVERSITY

he dominant way of understanding unity in the Anglican Canterbury and York, into which traditional parishes and clergy Communion has been that of one jurisdiction in one geo­ could move. And though he has not specifically said so, he gives Tgraphical area. Here the model has been the Church of the impression of believing that "schism is worse than heresy." England with its dioceses as geographical regions. Thus it has been In his passion for unity on the territorial model, the archbishop held that in any part of the world there can only be one province of the is on stronger (but not necessarily solid) grounds with respect to Anghcan Communion. In South Africa this has meant the rejection of England, with its ancient Ecclesia Anghcana, than he is with re­ the Church of England in South Africa (with excellent credentials) spect to America, with its diversity and supermarket of religions. and the acceptance of the Church of the Province of South Africa. If Archbishop George were to examine the way in which the However, this territorial model has not been enforced rigidly Roman Cathohc Church and the Orthodox Church maintain unity everywhere. In New Zealand and in North America there are dio­ in diversity in the USA he would perhaps be led to consider and ceses for native peoples which overlap the territorial dioceses, and adopt a different model of unity, at least as a starter for America. In in England there are the special provisions allowing "flying bish­ any large city there are multiple Roman jurisdictions with their bish­ ops" to have oversight across existing diocesan boundaries. Fur­ ops who are in eucharistic unity one with another; likewise there ther, in Europe there have been overlapping Enghsh and American are multiple Orthodox jurisdictions with their bishops who are in missionary jurisdictions. eucharistic unity with one another. Here the model is more like In two recent addresses - to the Anghcan Consultative Council overlapping circles, and, in the ethnic and cultural diversity of the in Dundee and to the Sacred Synod of the Forward in Faith move­ Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the USA, it has worked well ment in London - George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, for a very long time. has insisted that the maintenance of unity is as important as the Thus, for there to be a second Anglican province in north holding of the trath. And he has tended to equate unity with one America existing alongside the ECUSA would be nothing odd or model of unity, that of one ecclesial jurisdiction in one geographi­ strange or bad! It could serve as a complement and a contrast to the cal area. Further, he has made it clear that for him it would be noth­ ECUSA; further, it could offer a classic and stable form of the An­ ing less than schism to create a third province, alongside those of glican Way for those who have been driven from or are leaving the ECUSA on doctrinal and ethical grounds. The relation between the We must recognize - each and every one of us - that two provinces would have to begin on the basis of impaired com­ the gift of unity is so precious and so fragile that we must munion (as explained by the Eames Commission) because of the value it and find ways to deepen it whenever our common radical positions in doctrine, liturgy and morality taken by much of faith is strained. Our unity is not merely a unity of confessional the ECUSA, but in this impairement it would be no different to the relations between existing provinces of the Communion. Further, identity, but it is also a unity of ministry embodied in the there is in embryo already a second province in America with the collegiality and continuity of our Bishops.... It is this very existence of a growing number of parishes of the Church of South notion of continuity that underpins our identity and unity as India (supervised from India) in the USA, with independent epis­ Anglicans. This is why, with respect, I must challenge the copal congregations and with the Continuing Anghcan groups (who concept of a "Third Province": I find the theology behind have left the ECUSA). Then also significantly the present ECUSA this proposal [for the Church of England] alien to Anglican is planning to be in full communion with the Lutheran Church and this will necessarily mean overlapping and parallel jurisdictions. ecclesiology and incomprehensible within our tradition. ...It is another name for institutionally-validated schism. Unity, I think the Archbishop of Canterbury needs to rethink not his in order to be real, must be able to withstand the severest passion for unity, which we admire and seek to emulate, but rather strain without breaking. his model of unity. Under certain circumstances an added Province From An Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, London, October 28,1999. is not "institutionally-validated schism" but the best way to main­ tain unity. *

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 11 UNITY IN DIVERSITY

he dominant way of understanding unity in the Anghcan Canterbury and York, into which traditional parishes and clergy Communion has been that of one jurisdiction in one geo­ could move. And though he has not specifically said so, he gives Tgraphical area. Here the model has been the Church of the impression of believing that "schism is worse than heresy." England with its dioceses as geographical regions. Thus it has been In his passion for unity on the territorial model, the archbishop held that in any part of the world there can only be one province of the is on stronger (but not necessarily solid) grounds with respect to Anghcan Communion. In South Africa this has meant the rejection of England, with its ancient Ecclesia Anghcana, than he is with re­ the Church of England in South Africa (with excehent credentials) spect to America, with its diversity and supermarket of religions. and the acceptance of the Church of the Province of South Africa. If Archbishop George were to examine the way in which the However, this territorial model has not been enforced rigidly Roman and the Orthodox Church maintain unity everywhere. In New Zealand and in North America there are dio­ in diversity in the USA he would perhaps be led to consider and ceses for native peoples which overlap the territorial dioceses, and adopt a different model of unity, at least as a starter for America. In in England there are the special provisions allowing "flying bish­ any large city there are multiple Roman jurisdictions with their bish­ ops" to have oversight across existing diocesan boundaries. Fur­ ops who are in eucharistic unity one with another; likewise there ther, in Europe there have been overlapping English and American are multiple Orthodox jurisdictions with their bishops who are in missionary jurisdictions. eucharistic unity with one another. Here the model is more like In two recent addresses - to the Anglican Consultative Council overlapping circles, and, in the ethnic and cultural diversity of the in Dundee and to the Sacred Synod of the Forward in Faith move­ Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the USA, it has worked well ment in London - George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, for a very long time. has insisted that the maintenance of unity is as important as the Thus, for there to be a second Anglican province in north holding of the trath. And he has tended to equate unity with one America existing alongside the ECUSA would be nothing odd or model of unity, that of one ecclesial jurisdiction in one geographi­ strange or bad! It could serve as a complement and a contrast to the cal area. Further, he has made it clear that for him it would be noth­ ECUSA; further, it could offer a classic and stable form of the An­ ing less than schism to create a third province, alongside those of glican Way for those who have been driven from or are leaving the ECUSA on doctrinal and ethical grounds. The relation between the We must recognize - each and every one of us - that two provinces would have to begin on the basis of impaired com­ the gift of unity is so precious and so fragile that we must munion (as explained by the Eames Commission) because of the value it and find ways to deepen it whenever our common radical positions in doctrine, liturgy and morahty taken by much of faith is strained. Our unity is not merely a unity of confessional the ECUSA, but in this impairement it would be no different to the relations between existing provinces of the Conununion. Further, identity, but it is also a unity of ministry embodied in the there is in embryo akeady a second province in America with the collegiality and continuity of our Bishops.... It is this very existence of a growing number of parishes of the Church of South notion of continuity that underpins our identity and unity as India (supervised from India) in the USA, with independent epis­ Anglicans. This is why, with respect, I must challenge the copal congregations and with the Continuing Anghcan groups (who concept of a "Third Province": I find the theology behind have left the ECUSA). Then also significantly the present ECUSA this proposal [for the Church of England] alien to Anglican is planning to be in full communion with the Lutheran Church and this will necessarily mean overlapping and parallel jurisdictions. ecclesiology and incomprehensible within our tradition. ...It is another name for institutionally-validated schism. Unity, I think the Archbishop of Canterbury needs to rethink not his in order to be real, must be able to withstand the severest passion for unity, which we admire and seek to emulate, but rather strain without breaking. ^^ his model of unity. Under certain circumstances an added Province From An Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, London, October 28,1999. is not "institutionally-validated schism" but the best way to main­ tain unity. *

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 11 ADVERTISEMENT

Cfrea^

At the beginning of the third millennium, there is within both the Episcopal Church USA and the Continuing Anglican Churches a sense that another Province of the Anglican Communion of Churches is needed in North America. It is needed in order to unite faithful Episcopalians and Anglicans and to preserve the historic and dynamic Anglican Way, with its distinctive doctrine, discipline, and worship.

The two authors, Louis R. Tarsitano and Peter Toon, present a case for the creation of such a Province in this book, Dear Primates. Their arguments for a new Province are based on (a) principles confessed and followed in the 1780s at the creation of the Protestant Episcopal Church from the colonial branches of the Church of England in the new independent United States of America; (b) the rejection of historic Anglican orthodoxy and liturgy by the modem Episcopal Church; (c) the critical position of the classic Formularies in the Anglican Way; (d) the way in which the dioceses of the Orthodox Churches of the East and of the Roman Catholic Church are organized and exemplify Communion in the USA; (e) the relation of the present Episcopal Church to other branches of the Anglican family present in America, and (f) the prin­ ciples set forth by the Eames Commission and accepted by the Lambeth Conference of 1998.

This Book can be obtained within the USA by members of the Prayer Book Society by sending a check for $10.00 to the P.B.S. Box 35220, Philadelphia, Pa. 19128-0220. Be sure to get a copy for yourself and a second one for your rector (2 copies $18.00). Orders from the trade and elsewhere should be sent to the publisher: St. Peter Publications, P.O. Box 713, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada CIA 7L3

12 MANDATE: January/February 2000 The Prayer Book Society PREFACE A Letter to His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and his fellow Primates of the Anglican Communion

Dear Archbishops & Presiding Bishops, With you we believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ is our Lord and exalted King-Priest, the same yesterday, today and forever. With you we worship the Father Almighty through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, using the Com­ mon Prayer of our Anglican Way. We are Episcopalians & Anglicans in the United States of America, who have the particular, chosen vocation to keep the tradition of THE COMMON PRAYER - its use and understanding - alive and well. We are the Board of Directors of the Prayer Book Society, which exists to maintain the historic and classic Book of Common Prayer (1662/1789/1928) both as a Formulary of the Anglican Way and as a Prayer Book in daily use today. We rejoice that in the larger part of the Anglican Commumon and in many languages the Book of Common Prayer is in daily use. Having been founded in 1971, when the Episcopal Church was beginning to implement the first stages of its modem, perilous agenda, we have often stood alone against innovations, while others of a traditional disposition have sought to try to live with the new forms of worship, doctrine and morality, emerging within the E.CU.S.A. since the 1970's. We beheve that our witness has not been in vain. We have shared with our friends within the E.CU.S.A. a profound concem that we now seek to share with you. It is this. The Anglican Way cannot exist meaningfully as a jurisdiction of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church unless its classic and historic Formularies are in place — The Book of Common Prayer containing the forms for the godly life, doctrine and worship of Anglicans, the Ordinal containing the Rites for the of the Bishop, Priest and Deacon, and the Articles of Religion, declaring the doctrinal basis of the Anglican Way and its path through the controversies of the sixteenth century. Regrettably, as you may know, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. set aside these Formularies during the 1970's and has showed no signs whatsoever of restoring them to their rightful place. For example, it continues to call what is manifestly its "Book of Alternative Services" or "An " of 1979 by the traditional and hallowed name of "The Book of Common Prayer." Because of this rejection of the Anglican doctrinal, liturgical and ethical heritage, thousands left the church and what we call the Continuing Anglican Churches came into existence and continue to grow slowly. We have also made the point, which is developed in detail in this book, that what we now call the Anglican Communion had its first draft in this country at the end of the eighteenth century. Without the later name and without the full realization of the importance of what was being done, an Anglican Communion of Churches (called the Protestant Episcopal Church) came into being in the 1790s, composed of the independent churches of the former colonies. Today, although the American part of the Anglican family is not very large, it has a unique history and, further, it lives and ministers in the richest and most powerful country on earth. Therefore, the story of the Anglican Way in America is an educational as well as a cautionary tale! We rejoice in the possibility of help and guidance coming from you and the Anglican Communion of Churches to assist in the recovery of the fullness and unity of the Anglican Way on American soil. We look forward in eager anticipation in the United States to the restoration of an Anglican/Episcopal jurisdiction firmly based upon the solid and primary foundation of Holy Scrip­ ture and the secondary authority ofthe historic Formularies. We ask you, before you make any final decisions about whether or not to press (a) for the provision of "Flying Bishops" within the E.CU.S.A. to minister to traditional parishes or (b) for the creation of an entirely new Province of the Anglican Communion in North America, carefully to consider the historical evidence, theological considerations and practical concems that we present to you in the chapters of this book. We suggest that it may be beneficial to start with the last chapter, which makes a preliminary case for a new province to exist alongside the present Episcopal Church, and then to return and read the book, beginning at chapter one. We believe that you will leam much from these pages about the nature and history of the Anglican Way in America and you wdl understand why we were convinced we had a duty to share this information and these insights with you. The book has been written for us by Dr. Peter Toon and Dr. Louis Tarsitano, who also were the authors ofthe book, The Way, the Truth and the Life. The Anglican Walk with Jesus Christ (St Peter Publications, Canada) which, in collaboration with the Prayer Book Societies of Australia, Canada and England, we sent to you and all bishops of the Anglican Communion at the time of the Lambeth Conference of 1998. May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ guide you in your ministries in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, and may He give you wisdom in your relations with American Episcopalians and Anglicans. Yours traly. The Board of Directors of the Prayer Book Society, [The Rev'd Joseph S. Falzone, Mr. Michael W. Freeland, The Rev'd David C. Kennedy, The Rev'd Jonathan Ostman UI, Mr. John H.W. Rhein III., Mrs Marilyn Ruzicka, Mrs Miriam K. Stauff, The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon, Mr. Luther Dan Wallis, Mr. Joseph E. Warren & Mr. David A. Williams] P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, Pa. 19128-0220.

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 13 have a vision that I pray to be God's will, which is that early in the new millennium there will be a coming together of the "THAT Ipresent separated jurisdictions of the Continuing Anglican Churches in America. God's people in the one, holy, cathohc and apostolic Church THEY AL ought not to be divided but united by the Holy Spirit, and proclaim­ ing one Gospel to the world. Unity is a goal for which ALL Chris­ tians should strive taking into account the reahty of different cul­ MAYBE tures, languages and historical experiences of peoples; in other words, unity in/with diversity. Before there can be unity internationally, there needs to be unity within each of the major traditions of Christianity - in our case, unity within the Anglican Way. Around the world The Greater An­ UNITY IN THE CONTINUUM glican Communion seeks to maintain unity in diversity. They do this on the basis of possessing common Formularies and through by Marilyn K. Ruzicka their possession of various instruments of unity, such as the Arch­ bishop of Canterbury as Primate, the Anghcan Consultative Coun­ ciliation is being provided by the moves afoot to create a new or­ cil, the Lambeth Conference every ten years, and the Meeting of thodox Province of the Anglican Communion in the USA. Though Primates (Archbishops/Presiding Bishops) every three years. the drive for the new Province is coming from conservative church­ In the United States we have the sad spectacle of a splintered, men within the ECUSA, along with sympathetic Archbishops from and in parts apostate Anglican Way sorely divided and in competi­ abroad, the people who are needed to give solidity and backbone to tion with itself. the Province are the people of the Continuum. There cannot be a new Province without the Anghcans of the Continuum. First of all, within the ECUSA we have the deep division be­ Happily, within the Anghcan Way there is space for high and tween the minority who still desire to maintain the historic Angli­ low churchmen, for catholics and evangelicals. This Way is a choir can Way, and the majority who changed the Anglican Way to ex­ to sing the praises of God and an army to fight the world, the flesh press the values and norms of post-modemity. Secondly, outside and the devil. In a traly comprehensive Way it is built upon the rock the ECUSA there is not one, or several Continuing Anglican of Scripture and the foundations of the classic Anghcan Formular­ Churches, but many. ies. Originally, in the 1970s, when the secession from ECUSA When the Primates of the Anghcan Communion meet in March began of those desiring to continue the historic Anghcan Faith, the 2000 in Portugal and have on their agendas the future of the Angli­ intention was for there to be one, and one only. Continuing Angli­ can Way in America, I would like to see the leaders of the Con­ can Church. But now, due to the sin of pride, we have the spectacle tinuum also having a meeting. I would like to see these representa­ of smaU Anglican jurisdictions in competition with each other. Yet, tives taking the first strong steps to unity in their ranks. Then they by the grace of God, there are people in this divided Continuum could send a message first to the Primates and then to the members who are preserving the historic Anghcan Way — the true rehgion of ECUSA who are pressing for the new Province, and inform them of the original PECUSA, and who are using the classic Book of of their move to unity. Common Prayer (1789/1892/1928). Thus ALL current activities towards unity, all organizations The scandal of separation must end. At the dawn of the new and jurisdictions who faithfully have been striving to uphold the millennium the time is ripe for members of the Traditional Angli­ doctrine, disciphne and worship of orthodox , could can Family in America to discover their relatives and to have a have this as a goal to aim for. * family reunion of reconciliation. Once joined in a fellowship of charity under one umbrella, let NOTHING put them asunder! Mrs Marilyn Ruzicka is the editor emeritus of Mandate and a member With God's help, I believe that the opportunity for this recon- of the Board of the Prayer Book Society

LETTER continued from page 15 mischief, however innocent the intention. For example, it is difficult for some of us on the firing hne in the ECUSA to argue rationally and consistently against the use of the growing number of feminist and homosexual-sponsored rites on the one hand, and of ex tempore charis­ matic rites on the other, when those who make a serious claim to be orthodox in the mother Church of the Commumon are in fact apparently breaking canon law and acting as if they have given up on Anghcan doctrine and liturgy in favor of the Roman use. The radical refrain becomes "everybody does it." Thus we ask: Is it remotely possible that the Forward in Faith movement of England wiU state clearly at its next public assembly that it really holds to the official Formularies of the Church of England, that it interprets them in a "Cathohc" Way, that it prays for a growing sense of unity with the Roman Catholic Church (as per the most recent ARCIC statement), and that it will only use such Rites as are officially permitted in the C of E? And will the members of Forward in Faith accept the commitment of their overseas friends, such as ourselves, to defend the propriety of their pursuit of the canonical authorization of one or more of the Eucharistic Prayers from the Roman Sacramentary, to be deemed as altematives or supplements to the basic Anglican formularies? If it will do these things, the Forward in Faith movement will become more of a beacon within the whole of the Anglican Communion and will be a tremendous inspiration to many in the USA. Yours truly. The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon & the Rev'd Dr. Louis R. Tarsitano

14 MANDATE: January/February 2000 The Prayer Book Society An Open Letter concerning the Anglican Formularies & the Roman Mass addressed especially to English members of the Forward in Faith Movement Dear Friends and fellow Anglicans, Greetings from America in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we consider how best to preserve our mutual identity and feUowship, may we agree that a study of the history of the Church of England and of the Anghcan Communion leads to the conclusion that there are certain basic Formularies of the Anglican Way accepted by all of the Provinces of the Anglican Family (with the exception of the Episcopal Church, USA, which rejected them in the 1970s)? On this basis, may we further stipulate that these basic Formularies of the Anglican Way are at least two in number (The Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal), and probably three (the BCP, the Ordinal, and the Articles of Religion)? May we also agree; then, that these historic and now classic Formularies of our particular family of national churches are of necessity secondary to the primary Formulary ofthe Canon of Holy Scripture, as well as to the patristic formularies found in the dogma, doctrines, and creed of the Seven Ecumenical Councils? And that this relation of primary and secondary formularies has been the express intention of the Anglican Formularies since the first English Prayer Book in 1549 declared itself to be "The Book of the Common Prayer.. .after the Use of the Church of England," not as against the common doctrine, discipline, and worship of the whole Church, but merely expressing it in the Anglican Way? If these things be trae (and we beheve that they are), the purpose and the effect of the Anglican Formularies is to identify the character­ istics of the Anghcan Way as one (now intemational) household, a coherent communion, and a lawful jurisdiction of the one, holy, cathohc, and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. Now it is well known that in the Church of England certain weU-respected parishes which identify with the Forward in Faith movement in actual practice use neither the Book of Common Prayer (1662/1928) nor the Altemative Service Book (1980). Rather, their custom is to use the Roman Catholic Missal (or Sacramentary), published by the authority ofthe Roman Church. When asked about this practice, some of its advocates reply: "In the old days before Vatican U, we used the , which was based on the Tridentine Missal then authorized by the Roman Catholic Church. Now we use the Missal currently authorized by Rome." When pressed further they say: "Anglo-Catholics have always thought of themselves as Westem Catholics, and we have sought over the last century to bring back into the Church of England and into the Anghcan Communion those catholic doctrines, rites, and ceremonies which are truly (Westem) Cathohc. In using today's we are simply retaining the best tradition of classic Anglo-Catholicism." And then some will also add: "There is an obvious similarity between certain of the new Eucharistic Prayers of the Altemative Service Book (1980) and the Eucharistic Prayers of the present Roman Missal, and in using the latter we are only perfecting or making truly catholic the former. We are actually being true Anghcans by recovering the fullness of Catholic life!" In commenting on these responses, we respectfully offer the following thoughts: 1. We do not wish in any way to challenge the orthodoxy of the Eucharistic Prayers of the Roman CathoUc Missal. 2. We do wish to raise the question of the wisdom of their use in Anglican parishes as a "norm," that is as the form and order for the principal act of divine worship on the Lord's Day. Our question is raised, not to coerce or to reproach, but to deepen our contemplation of these matters, and it is based on the principle of the Formularies. The Roman Missal is clearly one of the current Formularies of the Roman Catholic Church, and it is thus inextricably related to all the other Formularies of that Church. These include the dogma and doctrine of Twenty-One Ecumenical Councils as counted by the Roman Communion (that is the Seven Councils accepted by the Orthodox, together with fourteen later ones), the pronouncements of infallible dogma by the Bishop of Rome, and the body of Roman Catholic canon law. Thus it is inconsistent and a potential source of confusion for a parish to use as a norm in its worship that which is the deepest expression of the total Faith of the Roman Catholic Church even though (a) that parish is not a part of the Jurisdiction of the one Ecclesia that produced it and authorizes it, and (b) when it is likely that the parish does not accept that total Faith or all of the required disciplines connected with it. Thus we ask: Would not it be more appropriate for those of an Anglo-Catholic leaning and persuasion to use the rites permitted by canon law in the Church of England and to use them in a way which reflects a deep sense ofthe Church of God as the "Cathohkos"? And would it not be more effective and productive, in this ethos, to continue in fraternal relations with the Roman Catholic hierarchy and to look for some form of explicit union down the road — as suggested by the latest ARCIC document on "The Gift of Authority"? Furthermore, from this position of greater clarity, Anglo-Catholics could rightfully seek official approval for the use in the Church of England of one or more of the Eucharistic Prayers of the modem Roman Missal as altematives or supplements to the basic Anghcan Formular­ ies. In this way, both freedom and unity would be upheld and strengthened, to the edification of all in the Anghcan family everywhere. Indeed, the good example and leadership of the Church of England, and of a movement like Forward in Faith, is needed in a great many places. In our various national churches, it is far too easy to believe and to act as if our particular Church were the only Church that really matters in the Anglican Communion. What is true, however, is that what is done in one national church affects the welfare of all the others. It is also true that there is a real contest going on within this intemational Communion for what is the true Faith, for what is bibhcal orthodoxy, for what is Christian morahty, and for what is a genuinely Anglican life. The use of the rites of another Communion, without first seeking their authorization in this Communion, opens the door to great

LETTER continued on page 14

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: January/February 2000 15 INFORMATION CONCERNIN OW TO OBTAIN PRAYER BOOKS

1. The English Prayer Book Society has reprinted, with a new introduction by Professor J.R. Porter, the long-out-of-print Everyman Edition of the Prayer Books of Edward VI, that is the Book of Common Prayer in its first two editions (1549 & 1552). This hardback book has 480 pages and may be obtained in the U.S.A. by sending a check for $25.00 which includes postage to the Prayer Book Society in Philadelphia.

2. Copies of both the English 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the American 1928 Book of Common Prayer (in leather and cloth) may be obtained from Oxford University Press in New York City (1-800-334-4249, Bible Department). Discounts for bulk orders from churches.

3. A pew edition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer is now also available in red binding from the Anglican Parishes Association, 225 Fairway Drive, Athens, GA. 30607 for $18.95 including postage; a box of 14 copies is available for $195.30, postage included. Call 706-546-8834.

The Bishop White Prayer Book Society (founded 1833) donates to poor parishes and missions which are unable to purchase them copies of the 1928 BCP and also the 1940 Hymnal. Apply to Canon James C. Dorsey, 257, W. Somerville Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19120. Call 215-548-8959.

Please note that the Prayer Book Society does not sell the 1928 B.C.P. but guides inquiries to the Oxford University Press and the Anglican Parishes Association.

The Society for the Preservation of the Book of Common Prayer NON-PROFIT. ORG. (The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church) U.S. POSTAGE P.O. Box 35220 PAID Philadelphia, PA 19128-0220 LOUISVILLE. KY Permit No. 879