Th ee Bi-MBi-Monthlyonthly MagMagazineazine ofof thethe PrPrayerayer BBookook SSocietyociety Volume 27, Numbers 2 &ANDAT 3 March / May 2004 MIN THIS ISSUE E Where can I fi nd a church that uses the 928 BCP? Page 2

Refl ections from the Editor’s desk. Th e New Leg of the PBS. Page 3

Fr. Wayland Coe – still on board Page 4

Th e American Religion, Gnosticism and Homo- sexuality Pages 5 & 6

Th e Civil War within Epis- copalianism Pages 7& 8 & 9 & 0

Is “Th e Network” building upon sand? Pages  & 2 & 3

Th e new Irish “Book of Common Prayer” Page 4

Church profi le – from Tennessee Page 5

Th e 979 Prayer Book & Gene Robinson Page 6

Th e ECUSA Catechism Page 9

Th e Prayer(s) of Consecration Th e Disfi gured Face of Page 2

New Book: Neither Orthodoxy the American Church: nor a Formulary Page 22 Liturgy: Preservative or Self-Infl icted Pain Transformative? Page 23 Books, Booklets & CD’s 964–2004 from the PBS Page 24 Where can I fi nd a e list parishes using the Concerned Churchmen. Th is directory 928 BCP by state or area, does not tell what prayer book is used. church that their ecclesiastical jurisdic- You may order from the editor, Mrs. Jane uses the Wtion (Episcopal Church or “Continuing Nones, 4800 Dupont Avenue South, Min- Church”), and all of their services, if from neapolis, MN 55409, telephone: (62)824 928 Prayer the 928, or the ones that use the 928 3933. Book? BCP. Th e Reformed Episcopal Church Please let us know of other parishes uses a Prayer Book which includes both that use the 928 BCP. We are glad to the 662 (Church of England) and much know of them, and also that folks are from the 928. reading Mandate. Since we can only list An excellent reference is the Directory each parish once, it might be a good idea of Traditional Anglican and Episcopal to keep the issues of Mandate that have Parishes, published by the Fellowship of this column to use for future reference. New Hampshire Charlestown Laconia Area Church of the Good Shepherd (Anglican St. Michael’s Chaplaincy (Anglican Church in America) Church in America) 20 Sumner Street Winter Street (New Hampshire Veterans Mailing Address: P.O. Box 48 Home Building) Charlestown, NH 03603 • 603 826 40 Tifton, NH Sunday 0:00 am Holy Communion Mailing Address:  Crawford Street (lst, 2nd, 4th) Plymouth, NH 03264 Morning Prayer (3rd) 603 536 794 Th e Rev. Brian R. Marsh, Rector Sunday: Call for information Please remember to Th e Rev. Dean Steward, Chaplain Conway be generous to the St. Margaret of Scotland Pro-Cathedral Manchester Area (Anglican Church in America) St. Luke’s (Anglican Church in America) Prayer Book 85 Pleasant Street (Route 53) 3 Limbo Lane Conway, NH 0388 • 603 447 2404 Amherst, NH Society in your Sunday 9:30 am Morning Prayer/Holy Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3 Communion Amherst, NH 0303-03 Christian giving Th e Rev. Jeff rey Swayze, Rector Sunday 0:00 am Holy Communion Th e Rev. Angelo D’Onofrio, Rector Emer- Th e Rev. Dean Steward, Rector and also to mention itus Th e Rev. William McGinnis, Assistant Th e Rev. Lawrence LaFleur, Deacon it in your will. Jeff erson Th e Rev. William Morrill, Deacon Mission of the North Country (Anglican Church in America) St. Agnes RC Church Building, Jeff erson Please write the Rev. Fr. David C. Mailing Address: P. O. Box 556 Kennedy, SSC, at 723 Hearth Stone Lancaster, NH 03584 • 603 788 4597 Ave., Boynton Beach, FL 33437-2920 Sunday 0:00 am Holy Communion if you know of parishes that use the (2nd - 4th) 928 BCP. Needless to say it will take Morning Prayer (st) a long time to list them all! Th e Rev. Curt Hanners Praise God for that!!!

THE MANDATE March / May 2004 Volume 27 , Numbers 2 & 3 Editor: Th e Rev’d Dr.. Peter Toon • Design/Layout: Boldface Graphics Th e Offi cers for the Year 2004 are: President: Th e Rev. David Kennedy, SSC, of Florida • Vice-President: Th e Rev. Dr. Peter Toon of Tennessee and England 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-profi t 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 928. Phone -800-PBS-928. Postmaster: Please send address changes to the above address. ANDATANDAT Visit the websites of the Society: www.episcopalian.org/pbs928 & www.anglicanmarketplace.com. M PagePage 2 E Refl ections from the Editor’s Desk

Th e Rev’d Dr. Peter ThToon M.A., e M.ThPBS ., D.Phil grows(Oxon) would a be sentNew in bulk LEG to the member churches ince 97 the Society for the Preservation of for internal distribution there. the Book of Common Prayer, now the Prayer Further explanation: It is expected that each Book Society of the U.S.A., has been a soci- parish or congregation will pay an annual mem- Sety of individual members with support also from bership fee and having paid this, will be eligible some churches. Th e prayerful and fi nancial sup- to send two representatives to the annual meet- port of individual persons has without any doubt ing of the Fellowship, where ways and means will been the backbone of the Society. Without in any be gradually developed for the administering and way losing this important LEG, the Board of Direc- growth of the Fellowship as need arises and oppor- tors has decided to grow a new Leg, in order to tunities came along. Th e actual annual fee has not meet the special needs of American Anglicanism yet been determined but it is probable that ini- at this time of crisis of identity and purpose. tially parishes of less than 50 members would pay I am very pleased and privileged to make the $00.00, more than 50 but less than 00, $200.00, following announcement: Th e Board of the Prayer 00-200, $300.00, and over 200, $400.00 a year. Book Society of the U.S.A. has resolved to seek For this they will receive bulk mailing of the news- by God’s help and guidance to bring into being: letter and the magazine. (Initially these publica- A FELLOWSHIP OF EPISCOPAL & ANGLI- tions will be subsidised by the Prayer Book Society CAN CHURCHES which use an edition of the for the membership fee will not cover the costs historic BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. while the Fellowship is small & growing.) May I quickly add and emphasize that there is How to express an interest: It is proposed that no intention whatsoever that this fellowship shall this Fellowship will be inaugurated by Whitsun- be a denomination or an ecclesial jurisdiction. tide/Pentecost of 2004 and that the fi rst annual Rather, the plan is that this fellowship promoted meeting of reps from member churches be in by the Prayer Book Society will be: A voluntary 2005. Please call -800-727-928 or 60-490- association of parish churches, congregations 0909 and leave your church name and number and mission stations that are committed to the and we will call you. Or write to the PBS secre- historic Anglican Way and united in using an tary via e-mail, [email protected] putting in the edition of the classic Book of Common Prayer: subject area, “Prayer Book Society Fellowship.” e.g., the 662 BCP, the 928 BCP, or the 962 Please bring this to the attention of your Rector Canadian BCP. It will be non-denominational and Vestry and let us cause this new LEG to grow and embrace the variety of Anglican groups. with strong muscles to serve the Lord with vigor. Th e purpose is: To create and to develop In closing let me make several announcements. a means of contact and fellowship between First of all, a sad word. Th e Rev. Wayland Coe, who churches from diff erent jurisdictions and has been our President for the last two years, has denominations in order primarily to encourage had to step down due to a medical condition which & support each other; and then, in fellowship, has restricted his sight. He remains a Director. Let as the Lord leads and enables, to fi nd, in prayer- us pray for him and his family. ful conversation and study, improved ways to In the second place, we intend to have a page serve the Lord in such areas as worship, teach- in this magazine devoted to Letters from Readers. ing, preaching, evangelism, church planting and Please send letters to me at [email protected]. music, and particularly how to commend the use co.uk or at the PBS address in Pennsylvania. of the classic BCP to others. Th irdly, please support the Society by buying How we hope it will work: Th e churches –big what we produce and make available. See page 6 and small, high and low, rich and poor – will be and then call  800 727 928! For example, new for held together by four means, by an annual meet- 2004 is the booklet, An Act of Piracy. Th e Truth ing of representatives, a website, a mailing of a behind the Episcopal Liturgy of 979, which will newsletter and a semi-annual magazine. Initially, only cost you $5.00 including postage. And also the maintaining of the web-site, the production Annotated Order for Holy Communion, the 928 of the newsletter & magazine and the general Service with explanatory notes for $7.00. Why not administration will be provided by the Prayer get several for distribution to others, who need to Book Society until the Fellowship becomes recognize that the 979 Prayer Book is not really mature enough to begin to provide its own mini- and truly the classic and historic Book of Common mal organization. Th e newsletter & magazine Prayer? Th ank you. ANDAT M Page 3 E AboutWayland Coe’s Eyesight Mrs. Janet Coe took place. Wayland started having blank spots in ast summer, my husband, Wayland Coe, the the vision of his right eye. Th is problem became Rector of St. Th omas’ Episcopal Church in worse over the next twenty-four hours. By Friday Houston, Texas, and President of the Prayer morning his vision was greatly impaired. Th e LBook Society of the U.S.A., began having vision doctor, thankfully, saw us immediately. Th e steroid problems in his left eye. Th e disturbance in his injection was administered and the good news was vision seems to come and go until he fi nally sought that the macula had not begun to swell. Our hope help from a retinal specialist who was recom- was that this treatment would keep the macula mended to him by a parishioner. Th e doctor diag- protected. nosed a condition known as Central Retinal Vein However, upon further investigation, the doctor Occlusion, or CRVO, which, as the name suggests, determined that due to the sudden change in vision is a blockage in the vein that leads away from the on Christmas Eve, the problem in the right eye was eye through the optic bundle. Th e traditional treat- not CRVO, rather it was an arterial problem. Th e ment for this condition is oral steroids which func- doctor was greatly concerned at the prospect of tion to keep the macula from swelling. Prolonged what was happening. He told us that for this type swelling of the macula can cause central vision of event to happen in one eye in a man of his age blindness. was rare enough, but After two rounds for this to happen to of steroids without the second eye was “off any relief, the doctor the charts.” He immedi- administered an injec- ately sent us to a round tion of steroid directly of other specialists in into the eye in hopes search of the cause of that this would reduce the problems. the swelling. Th is was After seeing a rheu- the last hope to save matologist, a hema- the eye from perma- tologist, our general nent macular damage. practice physician, and Unfortunately this a cardiologist, only attempt came too late one problem surfaced. and the damage was Wayland was diagnosed done. He lost the central vision in the left eye with with an elevated level of homocystine which is an blurred peripheral vision remaining. amino acid by-product in the blood. An elevated With this loss of vision, some adjustments had level of homocystine has been known to cause to be made but none so great that life did not con- heart attack and strokes and there also seems to tinue unabated. Many people have lived most of be a relation to CRVO. Th is condition is treatable their lives with vision in only one eye, as has his with medication. We, however, are still searching father, and he knew there would be challenges but for the cause of the arterial problem. none so great that he would not adjust. I often Today we are left with the obvious question: commented on that fact, but I had one remaining Will Wayland’s eyesight return to normal as these fear: that possibly one day through an accident of homocystine levels return to normal? Th e answer some sort, he could lose the other eye. I comforted is that there is no promise that he will ever regain myself with the thought that the chances of such his full vision. Every one responds to these prob- an accident were very slim. Onward through life lems diff erently. We were told not to get our hopes we marched. up. He could get some of his vision back or he may Just a few days before Christmas, Wayland woke never again regain the lost vision. It is simply a up in the night and saw the same warning signs in matter of time and God’s will. his right eye that he had experienced before with Th e impact on his life is that Wayland cannot his left eye. Th e next morning we were at the oph- read without greatly enlarged print . He is unable thalmologist’s offi ce and indeed, the right eye had to drive at all. He has diffi culty recognizing faces. CRVO. As the left eye had taken months before He cannot see more than a few feet in front of him. permanent damage was done, Wayland and the He is legally blind. Th e life adjustments have only doctor agreed to wait until after Christmas when just begun. he would return for an injection of steroids in the Yet, there is always hope. We recently visited right eye. the Lighthouse, formerly known as the Lighthouse ANDAT On Christmas Eve, another dramatic change Continued on Page 3 M Page 4 E Th e Disfi gured Face of the American Episcopal Church . Homosexuality & “Th e American Religion” Th e Rev. Leander S. Harding, Ph.D. culture, furiously searching for the spirit, but each Gene Robinson was elected and consecrated a of us is subject and object of the one quest, which bishop because he had become an accomplished must be for the original self, a spark or breath in practitioner of “Th e American Religion.” To us that we are convinced goes back to before the understand what this means, read on! creation.” (Th e American Religion, p. 22) Th e quintessential American Religion is the Th e American Religion quest for the true and original self which is the arold Bloom, an iconoclastic literary critic “pearl of great price,” the ultimate value. Finding at Yale, wrote a book published in 992, the true self requires absolute and complete free- with the title Th e American Religion.Using dom of choice unconstrained by any sources of Han argument developed by Msgr. Ronald Knox in authority outside the self. Limits upon personal his magisterial work on Enthusiasm freedom and choice are an aff ront and by the Presbyterian theologian to all that is sacred to the American Phillip Lee in his book Against Th e Religion. When the self determin- Protestant Gnostics. Bloom makes a ing self fi nds “the real me” salva- convincing case that the real Ameri- tion is achieved and the ultimate can Religion that is the unoffi cial but self has achieved contact with the actual spiritual mythos which gives ultimate reality. Finding your true shape to the American worldview and self is to the contemporary Gnos- energy to the American religious quest tic the same thing as fi nding God. is some form of Gnosticism. Th e Gnos- For the Gnostic the purpose of the tics, ancient and contemporary, teach religious community is to facilitate that the true and deepest self is a spark the quest and validate the results. of divinity which has become lost and Th e contemporary Gnostic church, imprisoned in a corrupt world. Th e drama of salva- which can appear in both conservative and liberal tion is the drama of rediscovering this secret self forms, is the community of those who know that and reuniting this spark with the divine one. Th is they have found God because they have found is accomplished by access to a secret knowledge their own uncreated depths. For both the South- or “gnosis” which is unavailable to the uninitiated. ern Baptist and the latest devotee of the New Age Gnostic versions of Christianity have been a prob- salvation is often reduced to personal experience, lem for the church from the earliest times. Th e which can only be validated by those who have had struggle with Gnosticism caused St. Irenaeus (30- similar “deeply personal” experiences. 200 A.D.) to write his chief work “Adversus omnes Notice how perfectly the contemporary presen- Haereses.” Gnosticism is hard to kill and has many tation of homosexuality fi ts the American Religion. contemporary fans including the scholars of the A person who discovers that he or she is Gay has Jesus Seminar who champion the Gnostic Gospel recovered his or her true self and “come out” and of Th omas. come through what the Gnostics called the “aeons” Bloom thinks that it matters little what is on the in this case levels of personal, familial and social label, the fl avor of the product is more often than oppression that hinder and constrain the true self. not Gnostic. “Mormons and Southern Baptists call It is a heroic and perilous journey of self-discovery themselves Christians, but like most Americans which would be familiar to a fi rst century Gnos- they are closer to ancient Gnostics than to early tic like Valentinus. Th at the means of liberation Christians. I have centered on Mormons and the is sexual practice is even a familiar theme. Some Southern Baptists than on other major denomina- ancient Gnostics were ascetic but others counseled tions . . . but most American Methodists, Roman sexual license. Both stratagems can come from the Catholics and even Jews and Muslims are also same contempt of nature and are diff erent ways of more Gnostic than normative in their deepest and asserting the radical independence of the self. unwariest beliefs. Th e American Religion is perva- sive and overwhelming, however it is masked, and Being Gay and Th e American Religion even our secularists, indeed even our professed Here is the point. Gene Robinson was elected atheists are more Gnostic than humanist in their Bishop of the Episcopal Church in New Hamp- ultimate presuppositions. We are a religiously mad shire not in spite of being Gay, not as an act of ANDAT M Page 5 E toleration and compassion toward Gay people, and according to an heretical but powerful vision but because he is Gay and as such is an icon of the trying desperately to fi nd a spiritual vocation for successful completion of the quest to fi nd the true the church that has some liveliness and connects and original self. He has been chosen for high reli- deeply with the deepest yearning of the American gious offi ce because he represents high religious soul. Th e Presiding Bishop and his company of attainment. He is being recognized and receiving supporters think they are regaining the lost keys of regard for being an accomplished practitioner of heaven. Th at these newly discovered keys are not the American Religion. According to this Gnos- the real thing but Gnostics imitators of the keys of tic logic divorcing his wife and leaving his family St. Peter will be lost on those who are drunk on the to embrace the Gay lifestyle is not some unfortu- promises of the American Religion of the true, free nate concession to irresistible sexual urges but an and uncreated self. example of the pain and sacrifi ce that the seeker of Th is analysis is a caution to those of us who the true self must be willing to endure. Th at natu- think of ourselves as conservative. Th e fault line ral, organic and conventional restraints must be in the current church controversy is not between set aside is time worn Gnostic nostrum. From the orthodox “conservatives” and revisionist “liberals,” point of view of this contemporary Gnosticism, if but between versions of the American Religion the church does not validate such a noble quest for preferred by the cultural right and the cultural left enlightenment then it invalidates itself and shows and a tradition of genuine orthodoxy that is every- that is no help in the only spiritual struggle that where subverted to the service of the idol of the counts, the struggle to be the “real me.” Because radically independent and uncreated self. Th ere is Gene Robinson has “found himself” he has accord- much loose talk about the Holy Spirit and claims ing to the Gnostic logic of the American religion of “a personal word of the Lord” which are so obvi- found God and is naturally thought to be a truly ously heterodox on the lips of the new bishop of “spiritual person” and a fi t person to inspire and New Hampshire parallel routine claims made in lead others on their spiritual journey which is to “conservative” circles. end in a discovery of the true self which is just In many cases we read the Bible in a highly indi- so the discovery of the only real god, the Gnostic vidualized and devotional way with a complete god. indiff erence to its original context in the life of the Seeing the elevation of Gene Robinson through people of Israel and to its ecclesial, social-political the lens of the mythos of the American Religion and doctrinal implications. A “personal relation- explains some of the fanaticism of his defenders, ship” with the Lord is vital to true religion but this explains why so many bishops of the Episcopal relationship can be conceived in ways that discount Church including the Presiding Bishop would be the relevance of sustained study of scripture and willing to take such institutional risks. Here is a doctrine or make them practically irrelevant. Th e paradigm of salvation that echoes deeply in the famous 20th century Revivalist, Billy Sunday, was American soul and promises to restore a sense of fond of saying that he didn’t know anymore about purpose to a mainline church which has lost con- theology than “a jack rabbit knows about ping fi dence in the story of salvation told by the ortho- pong.” It is unlikely that similar enthusiasms in our dox tradition of the church. Inclusion becomes the own time will be able to resist the lure of the idol fundamental value for the church because it allows of the American Religion. At the moment we are the church to have a real purpose of validating astounded by enormities provided by the subver- that people have indeed found their true identity, sion of the Faith by the proclivities of the cultural and thus found God. Gay people become icons of left. Th ere is no particular reason why the Gnosti- hope. Th ese people have “found themselves” and cism of the cultural right should not produce dif- hence by force of Gnostic logic “found God.” To ferent but equally astonishing enormities. celebrate Gays in the life of the church, not accept Th e antidote is the same it has ever been; com- but affi rm and celebrate, is to celebrate the church plete immersion in the Scriptures, close attention as a truly spiritual community with real spiritual to the story of Israel as Israel, to our Jewish roots power which can facilitate and validate the salva- and close attention to the teachings of the Church tion of souls. Th e church leaders who are risking Fathers, the Reformers and other exemplars of the everything for Gene Robinson are in their own way Great Tradition.

ANDAT M Page 6 E Th e Disfi gured Face of the American Episcopal Church 2. A Civil War in the U.S.A. Th e Rev. Dr. Louis R. Tarsitano “new religion” of the “new book” was promoted civil war has raged among American as “more contemporary,” which it was, but only Anglicans, whether they call themselves in certain narrow ways. It was partly just another “Episcopalians” or something else, for example of the banality of trendy, post-Vatican II Amore than a generation. I have spent my entire 26 liturgy. It was partly an exercise in what would later years as an Anglican priest in that struggle. Th at be known as “political correctness,” with an “inclu- civil war has recently and notoriously become a sive Psalter” and an ordinal that italicized personal world-wide scandal, as the General Convention pronouns, so that he could become she. It was of the mainline Episcopal Church in the United mainly an eff ort, however, to accustom Episcopa- States of American (ECUSA) has declared that lians in “progressive” parishes to the treatment of sodomy is no longer a sin, but a state of life that can the received Christian Faith as nothing more bind- be blessed by God, so that a man who divorces his ing than a series of antique religious metaphors wife and later begins living sexually with another and optional modes of “spiritual” thinking, includ- man can be a proper candidate for election and ing the central, self-revealed doctrine of God the consecration to the episcopate. Blessed Trinity. Now, I hate to say this, but the orgy of shock Also not very subtle was the ordination of and horror in Episcopalian and Anglican circles women, beginning in 976. Taking whatever posi- that followed this “baptism” of behavior declared tion one chooses on the subject, one must still immoral by God himself was not really very cred- admit that the New Testament teaches that women ible, except among the bishops and representa- are not to have spiritual authority over men in the tives of some of the Anglican churches in South Church (e.g.,  Timothy 2); that the Church under- America, Africa, and Asia, who are still trying stood the New Testament’s teaching on authority to get their minds around the fact that they have in this way from the beginning, as refl ected in her been lied to with a stunning regularity by so many practice; that the vast majority of Christians alive of their First World counterparts. All is not well today belong to churches that maintain the all-male with the revised and neutered Anglican religion apostolic ministry; and that almost twenty centu- of the industrialized nations, or notably charitable ries in, the General Convention of the Episcopal under the regime of the revisionists, despite what Church simply lacks the authority to say “nuts” to Th ird World believers, with their stubbornly bibli- any of the above, let alone to all of the above. cal Christianity, have been repeatedly assured. Nonetheless, from the late 970s through the Strangest of all, however, has been the amazed 990s, the new book and the new ministry were reaction of America’s Episcopal clergy. Th e aver- enforced in many dioceses with what amounted age young boy with a mild interest in sports knows to a scorched-earth policy. Priests were deposed, more about the history and statistics of Major whether for leaving the Episcopal Church in pro- League Baseball or of Professional Football than test of these innovations or for remaining in the entire legions of Episcopal clergymen will admit to Episcopal Church to resist the new order from their having known about the events in their chosen within. Parishes were sued for their property, shut profession, in their national church, or even in their down, or simply seized to eradicate the old ways. own dioceses during the past few decades. A puz- Acceptance of the ordination of women was made zled look was seen on a great number of their faces a requirement to hold any offi ce in the Episcopal when Episcopal Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold, Church, clerical or lay, with only a few brave dio- candidly remarked that the consecration as bishop ceses bucking the trend. Th rough all of this, an of a man living an openly homosexual life was the eerie silence prevailed in most of today’s centers culmination of thirty years of eff ort. of Episcopalian protest against Gene Robinson, the homosexual bishop of New Hampshire. Some From the 970s to 2004 – an overview of the bishops that signed manifestoes of protest Th at eff ort, by the way, wasn’t that subtle. Even against Mr. Robinson had themselves persecuted the fuzziest sleepy-head, for example, might have parishes to death in support of the new regime, noticed when the General Conventions of 976 which they only now perceived as having gone too and 979 replaced the historic statement of Angli- far in this particular instance. can doctrine, discipline, and worship, Th e Book of But where was everybody else? Many of the Common Prayer, with an entirely new book. Th e clergy were just plain afraid of drawing vindictive ANDAT M Page 7 E episcopal attention to themselves, a motivation the Scriptural and social doctrine of rights seeks that is easier to understand and to forgive, than it righteous harmony among men under God, the is convenient or helpful to the spiritual welfare of secular rights doctrine presupposes confl ict among the Church. A great many others, however, had a men on the basis of confl icting desires, viewed as personal stake in the revised religion. Once again rights, so that in practical terms there must always ignoring Scripture and history, the Episcopal be winners and losers in the never-ending compe- Church conformed itself to the American “divorce tition for rights. culture,” in which the need for individual self-ful- In the end, the secular rights theory reduces fi llment has the power to nullify vows, neutralize human interaction to a struggle for dominance. discipline, and redefi ne Holy Matrimony. Both Th e presupposition that rights can and must be the clergy and the laity divorced and remarried in in confl ict explains in large part the bitterness of increasing numbers, and those numbers expected the struggles over revised worship, the ordination not just sympathy or mercy in the Church, but of women, the ability to divorce and remarry at active affi rmation and approval. In fact, a fair will, and now, fi nally, the “right” to choose a sexual number of the clergy began to preach and write partner of one’s liking, whatever his or her sex. As in favor of divorce and remarriage, especially the fallen human heart and its desires continue to their own, as “goods” in and of themselves. After assert themselves, there can be no doubt that fur- all, whereas once they were maritally unfulfi lled, ther “rights” will be asserted at the expense of tra- now they were happy, and any question about their ditional Christianity and traditional Christians. conduct would have to be taken as a direct insult to their new wives, husbands, “life-partners,” etc. Refl ecting on 30 Years of Innovations At this point, moreover, the secular divorce cul- Consider, then, the eff ect of thirty years of these ture and the ordination of women are so much a and lesser revisionist enterprises. Important self- part of the everyday life of the Episcopal Church destructive and self-defeating principles had been that it is impossible to tell if any signifi cant number planted and had taken root in the Episcopalian of Episcopalians have ever understood the pro- mindset. Biblical doctrine, for example, can be found changes in faith and practice necessary to rendered obsolete by changing times. Moral law is accommodate them. Th e theological defi nitions specifi c to particular eras and cultures, and void of words such as “man,” “woman,” “humanity,” in any other circumstances. He and she can be “nature,” “order,” “matrimony,” “fi delity,” and “obe- interchanged because, no matter what the Scrip- dience” have had to be adjusted in the direction ture says, there is no signifi cant diff erence between of a revised doctrine and discipline never known male and female in the functioning of the modern, before in the historic Christian Church. Th e Holy egalitarian church. Personal happiness and fulfi ll- Scriptures now off er only “ideals” of marriage, sex, ment are the conclusive experiential proofs of any and ordination, rather than revealing God’s explicit religious practice. Perceived rights are the ultimate will for their use by the faithful. value. Most of all, the silence of the Bible is more Th is shift toward relativism and re-defi nition conclusive than its words. It isn’t the “bad” divorce left a theological vacuum that was fi lled, not with or the “bad” use of authority by women that the some other organizing principle of theology, but Episcopal Church has embraced, but the “good” by a secular “rights doctrine.” In Scriptural terms, divorce and the “good” use of authority by women a “right” is a duty owed another according to the that the Bible never mentions and, therefore, does righteous will and judgment of God. In this sense, not, cannot forbid. the Ten Commandments can be considered a bill Th ere’s one more thing. Many of the clergy (and of “rights”—of right actions and duties toward to be fair, a good number of the laity) were simply God and man, as decreed by God. Th e endowment bored, suff ering from accidie. Sometimes called of rights by the Creator found in the American “sloth,” accidie is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and Declaration of Independence is compatible with it involves a distaste for the regularity of Chris- the Scriptural view. In the Declaration, rights are tian duty, which is taken as monotony—the same understood as social, as a proper society is created old liturgy, prayers, morality, doctrines, Scripture and judged by the justice of God. readings, and discipline. Sometimes accidie leads Th e modern secular “rights doctrine,” on the to spiritual paralysis, but it can also, as it did with other hand, views rights as individual possessions many Episcopalians, take the form of a frenzy of and entitlements possessed by individual per- experimentation and the desire to try “the latest sons by virtue of their mere existence, essentially thing,” until the latest thing in this case became in opposition to the claims of others, including an actively homosexual bishop and the blessing of God. Under a secular rights doctrine, rights are as same-sex intercourse. numerous as the desires of each individual person, People who had rarely, if ever, raised a peep and that person is entitled to satisfy each of his about revision or its enforcement, rose in pro- desires and to view as hostile anyone or anything test: “But homosexuality is against the Scripture.” ANDAT that interferes with their fulfi llment. Th us, while Yes, the ruling revisionists replied, but when we M Page 8 E changed doctrines, ordained women, and nor- sionist agenda, except the most recent initiative in malized divorce, you joined with us in granting favor of the homosexual lifestyle, unblushingly call that changing times and needs have the power to themselves “conservatives.” Whatever is in their trump Scripture. hearts, they off er in practice only a choice between “But the Church has always taught that homo- taking one’s revisionism straight or with soda. sexual acts are sins,” the protesters pleaded again. Similarly, the “extra-mural Anglicans,” groups of Of course, replied the revisionists, but the Church people claiming an Anglican heritage, but outside never ordained women before or allowed divorced the institutional limits of the Episcopal Church, and remarried men to serve in the ministry, and have had a mixed success. Some of the groups have you have embraced these departures from history relations with Anglican churches in other nations, and tradition. Why shouldn’t people of diverse and some do not, but there has been a distressing sexualities have the same rights to happiness and tendency among them either to imitate the hubris self-fulfi llment as others, whatever was true in the and coercion of debased late Episcopalianism, past? albeit under new management, or to dream of re- Th en the protesters desperately argued, “But creating the Anglican Way as they deem it should marriage is between a man and a woman.” Sure, have been from the fi rst. Both of these approaches answered the revisionists, under archaic theories are a-historical and ideological, so it is only by of patriarchy and sexual diff erences. But we did the grace of God that a number of decent, honest away with all that when we ordained women, and parishes have been founded outside the Episco- if he and she can be interchanged at ordinations, pal Church to continue the traditional Anglican why not at weddings? Way, however thin they may be on the ground, and Now arguing in circles, the protesters repeated, despite the errors common to all new movements. “But the Bible condemns homosexuality.” You just For a traditional Anglican, the unifying factor don’t get it, sighed the revisionists. Th e Bible only among these disparate enterprises is mostly frus- condemns the abuse of homosexuality, not the tration. To achieve their purposes, revisionists, loving, faithful, committed homosexuality that our heretics, and apostates have denied the existence General Convention has identifi ed as a gift from of any permanent, objective content in the Angli- God. Th e good homosexuality is an absolute right can Way so often that even people who despise of those who identify themselves as homosexuals. their agenda, would-be Anglicans themselves or Th e Episcopal train has left the station, and in appalled onlookers from other traditions, have the rough hands of thieves who are determined begun to believe the “big lie” of Anglican vacu- to drive it in their own way and for their own use. ity as a fact. Th ey have also forgotten that while And from these hijackers’ point of view, it doesn’t Anglicans have generally never claimed the neces- matter if they wreck the train, as long as it never sity of being an Anglican to be saved, they usually travels in the old way or serves its former purposes have insisted that one must be an Anglican to be again. Meanwhile, many of the eff orts to recover an Anglican. But what does that mean? the train, or at least to return it to the Anglican Way, have been more about self-expression and Th e Genuine Anglican Way participation in meetings than about accom- Th e logical place to begin is with the English plishing anything useful. Twigs are off ered where Reformation itself. When she reached her matu- heroic chunks of theological fuel are needed, and rity in the seventeenth century, the Reformed Eng- no matter how much one loves those who make lish Church understood herself to be the ancient such off ers, the temptation remains to give them a catholic church of Britain with a renewed focus on good shake for their lack of comprehension of the the sovereignty of God’s grace and a life defi ned by magnitude of what must be accomplished to sal- the Holy Scriptures and the witness of the undi- vage the Anglican Way from both its enemies and vided Church of the fi rst fi ve centuries. One need its hapless friends. not concur in this position, or admire the human vagaries of its maintenance, to recognize that it is, Traditionalists, Orthodox, Conserva- nevertheless, “something,” and not an invitation to tives & Extra-Mural Anglicans “anything goes.” When I called myself an “Anglican traditional- As the Anglican Way spread around the world, ist” earlier on, I did so because words like “con- the boundaries of reformed catholic faith and prac- servative” and “orthodox” have taken on very odd tice were maintained, neither by a special “teaching meanings in the current Anglican controversies. offi ce” or magisterium, nor by a supreme bishop or Certain bishops, for example, who have enthusi- super-synod, but by a series of written formular- astically ordained women, surrounded themselves ies: the Book of Common Prayer; the Ordinal; the with divorced and remarried priests, and almost Catechism; and the Th irty-nine Articles of Reli- completely abandoned the historic liturgy of the gion. Th e ecumenical Creeds determined who was Church, are called “orthodox leaders.” Episcopa- a Christian; the formularies determined who was lians who will go along with every bit of the revi- an Anglican. ANDAT M Page 9 E Some years ago, while I was traveling in Eng- ganized church in the newly independent United land, some men working on a canal found what States as Anglican, until the Americans adopted a looked like a giant plug, stuck into a giant drain. Book of Common Prayer consistent with her own. Nobody remembered what it was, and so the men And there is nothing that stops the churches of the pulled it out. It was a plug, and it was a drain, and Anglican Communion from working and praying the water ran out of the canal. Much the same thing with whatever Americans they judge to be their happened when Anglicans forgot that the formu- fellow faithful Anglicans. laries were the framework holding their national Th e only real hang-ups are these. First, there churches and communion together. When they is the pretense that a communion of churches began to tinker with them, or to replace them out- that began as a protest against a universal eccle- right as in the United States, the framework col- siastical government is somehow itself just such a lapsed and the content of the Anglican Way started universal government and empowered to declare its way down the drain. who may pray with whom in all the nations of For this reason, most of the help or advice that the world, enforcing this and that jurisdictional has been off ered to American Anglicans has been boundary. Under the traditional Anglican Way, worse than useless. Th e Anglican Way and the neither a bureaucracy nor a study commission is Anglican Communion cannot be saved by devel- necessary to determine that sodomy, or anything oping a stronger, centralized government around else contrary to Scripture, is a sin. Second, there is the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other Pri- the additional pretense that the Episcopal General mates of the various Anglican churches, to which Convention can claim not just property, but also all Anglicans will owe obedient fealty. If Angli- ownership of the Anglican identity in America. cans should agree that such an arrangement were Last of all comes the almost infi nite capac- proper, then we all owe the Bishop of Rome or the ity of contemporary Anglicans for self-defeat and Patriarch of Constantinople a sincere apology. Th e uncharity to one another. Especially in the U.S.A. original justifi cation of the English Reformation and in the other Anglican churches of the indus- was based on the twin principles that, within the trialized world, one may be whatever one wants, universal Church, the church in a particular nation one may try to remake the Church however one has the godly authority to govern itself within the desires, as long as one isn’t traditionally Anglican. boundaries of the revealed Christian faith and that Th ose whose “bright idea” is that all will be well if one national church does not possess the author- only the Anglicans would be more like the Romans, ity to intervene involuntarily in the life of another the Orthodox, the Presbyterians, the Pentecostals, national church. or what have you, all have some place to go if their At fi rst, it may seem that these principles work schemes blow up and exterminate the Anglican in favor of the revisionists, but just the opposite is Way. In fact, it is hard to imagine why they have true. When followed, the Anglican Way is a Chris- not moved on to their model churches and tradi- tian way, and the supreme duties of every Angli- tions, where their visions are already realized. I, for can are to say “yes” to God in all things and to say one, would not dare to argue that they might jeop- “no” to man when conscience requires it, willingly ardize their salvation by such an act of honesty. paying the temporal costs of divine obedience. All But, then, I’m an Anglican and unable to accept the American Anglicans have to do to continue universal claims except from Christ. Other people being faithful Anglicans is say “no” to revisionism, may have their Plans “B,” “C,” “D,” “E,” and “F,” but begin again with the formularies as their baseline, people like me are stuck with a single option—our and gather together to say their prayers. It is unfor- conviction that our calling is to follow Jesus Christ tunate, of course, that Episcopalians have permitted in the traditional Anglican Way. We don’t want to their General Convention to claim all of their real force that calling on anybody else, but that’s not estate and other temporal property, to be used as a the same thing at all as pretending that the tradi- weapon against them, but the property is always of tional formularies leave the meaning of the Angli- less value than God’s grace. Furthermore, it simply can Reformation or of the word “Anglican” itself up isn’t reasonable for the Americans to expect for- for grabs. And it would be very convenient if those eign churches and foreign bishops to take some who do not wish to be Anglicans would leave us sort of ecclesiastical action that will secure prop- in peace to pick up such pieces as remain and to erty for them under American civil law. get on with our lives. We don’t mind their eff orts Th ere is, of course, something that the various to convert us, for such eff orts are every believer’s bishops, archbishops, and primates of the Anglican obligation. But we will resist, until the Lord releases Communion can do for the Americans. Th ey can us, any attempts, hostile or friendly, to re-defi ne us face facts and admit that the American revision- out of existence. ists and their General Convention, whatever they [Dr. Tarsitano is the Rector of St. Andrew’s, are, are not Anglicans according to the only stan- Savannah, Georgia, and co-author with Dr. Toon dards that exist, the historic formularies. After all, of Neither Archaic nor Obsolete, a study of the lan- ANDAT the Church of England did not recognize the reor- guage of prayer, available from the PBS Offi ce.] M Page 0 E Th e Disfi gured Face of the American Episcopal Church 3. Is “Th e Network” built on sand? Th e Rev. Dr. Peter Toon for example, be the fruit, the growth or the result he recently formed Network of thirteen of an earlier innovation (or innovations), which in dioceses within the ECUSA has stated that God’s sight may be of a greater wickedness. And, it it intends to maintain Christian orthodox may well be the case that unless the earlier innova- Tin faith and morality and live within the constitu- tions are corrected then the offi cial and off ending tion and canons of the same Church. Th ese dio- ECUSA sexual aberrations of 2003 will remain and ceses are: Albany, Central Florida, Dallas, Florida, will multiply. Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy, Rio Grande, San Joaquin, South Carolina, Southwest Florida, Th e Climax of a Process Springfi eld, & Western Kansas. Some of its mem- In the case of the ECUSA, a very strong case bers have stated that they regard certain acts of the can be presented for the position that the conse- General Convention of 2003, and of the crating of Gene Robinson was the Presiding Bishop with other Bishops climax of, or one special fruit of, since then, as unconstitutional. Th ese a process of the implementing of acts are all to do with the permitting of “justice” in the same ECUSA. Th at same-sex blessings and the consecrat- is, the real source of this innovation ing of Bishop Gene Robinson of New in “justice” are earlier major deci- Hampshire, who celebrates living in a sions taken by the General Conven- same sex partnership. tion and put into canon law (and It may be observed that the logic to which, apparently, most of the of this position is this. Th at before the members of “Th e Network” had/ General Convention of 2003, there have no special disagreement). was nothing fundamentally wrong Consider that since the 970s the with the Constitution and Canons General Convention has taken as its of the ECUSA. In other words, what was agreed theme a topic or phrase taken from the so-called and done in late 2003 concerning sexual relations “Baptismal Covenant” found in the Prayer Book by the General Convention, and supported by a that was approved in 976 & 979 to replace the majority of dioceses, is judged by “Th e Network” received, classic Book of Common Prayer (928). as being unique in terms of the long list of inno- One aspect of this covenant is that the baptised vations introduced and imposed by the General in the ECUSA are to work for “justice and peace.” Convention since the 960s. Th ese words have been consistently understood We all agree that sexual matters go to the core against the meaning given to them in the revolu- of human feeling and so an innovation which goes tionary 960s. In other words, they belong to the against the traditional taboos and standards of culture of human rights and of personal thera- western culture – not to mention against Islamic peutic self-fulfi lment. So, for example, it is justice and much tribal culture of the Global South – and to work for the right of a human being to have a which pioneers new understanding, defi nitions life & experience, which are true to her/his sexual and practical sexual arrangements within the orientation. And true peace in the church is only human rights culture and the personal fulfi lment reached when each person is free and empowered ethos of western culture, is going to create a lot of to be and to express who she or he really is. interest & condemnation around the world. So it is In fact what “Th e Network” does not seem not surprising that Christian leaders of the Global yet to have seen suffi ciently clearly – and this is South as well as Muslim clerics have condemned supremely important – is that the making of the the recent sexual innovations of the ECUSA. Th is 979 Prayer Book [basically in essence “A Book of widespread horror has given “Th e Network” a wave Alternative Services”] into the offi cial Prayer Book of background publicity and support, which have of the ECUSA was a major change in the worship, tended to strengthen its case in the public arena doctrine, polity, discipline and morality of the and media. ECUSA. It enabled the ECUSA to have the outward Yet, what is judged by conservative human show of both a semi-traditional liturgy & the use of culture to be an innovation and aberration of a an ancient title, while pioneering the entry of all uniquely serious kind may not be – in God’s way of kinds of doctrinal, moral and practical innovations judging things – uniquely wicked. In fact, it may, into the life of the Church. Take, foe example, the ANDAT M Page  E very name given to the new Prayer Book of 976/79 sive language came into the 976/79 Prayer Book in which, regrettably, dishonesty is enshrined as a & Psalter and in greater measure – for God as well characteristic of the changing ECUSA. Knowing as humanity – into the various Liturgies approved that it was surely breaking the Commandment, by General Convention in the period from 980 to “Th ou shall not bear false witness,” but justifying 2003. Further, belief in the ordination of women itself on the basis that the end justifi es the means, as of divine institution became in the 990s an the General Convention chose to call its new prayer article of faith for offi ce-holders in the ECUSA. book of varied services (in which were all kinds of Had women not been ordained certainly Robinson infl uences from feminism and the values of the would never have been considered for consecra- 960s) by the ancient and hallowed name of “Th e tion. Book of Common Prayer,” as it also confi ned the authentic Book of Common Prayer to the status of Getting things Right a historical document. And then it proceeded to I suggest that for “Th e Network” truly to become persecute those who chose to continue to use the by heavenly grace the righteous remnant of the classic Book of Common Prayer (i.e., the American ECUSA and to be a root, from which godly church 928 edition which descends from the 662 BCP). order can grow, it surely must take seriously the Further, “Th e Network”, while it makes all kinds fact that it is based upon a Formulary (the 979 of claims concerning its commitment to the unique- prayer book) and upon Canons which – even ness of holy matrimony and of the latter being the with the best will in the world – cannot be justly only relation in which there should be sexual inter- described as commending a biblical, Anglican course, does not yet seem to have realised that the orthodoxy. As a minimum, “Th e Network” needs canon law of the ECUSA, and the very position of to recover the classic Formularies of the Anglican not a few of the members of its dioceses, actually Way – BCP, Ordinal & Articles – in order to regain stand for something other that the uniqueness of its Anglican identity and orthodoxy. And, at the holy matrimony. Th at is, they stand – at least par- same time, it needs to do a most serious review tially – for a conservative form of the divorce cul- of the Canons and the way that they are inter- ture which has dominated American society since preted in order to know which it must set aside. the 950s. In other words, “Th e Network” has not In terms of the ordaining of women it needs, as a yet publicly admitted and confessed that the allow- basic minimum, to commit itself to the doctrine ing of divorced persons to be remarried in church, of Reception. And, of course, and importantly, and the allowing of clergy to continue in offi ce & to do all this while seeking to worship the Lord pastoral leadership after divorce and remarriage, in the beauty of holiness and to be active in mis- are in real terms a major contributing cause of the sion and evangelism. Th e thirteen dioceses need actions of General Convention in 2003 in allow- to look in four directions at the same time – up ing same-sex blessings and confi rming the elec- to the enthroned Lord, back to the Scriptures and tion of Gene Robinson as bishop. After all, if the the classic Anglican tradition, forward in hope of so-called heterosexual person is given rights to the Second Coming, and around upon the world in personal fulfi lment according to orientation in mission and evangelism. multiple marriage arrangements, why should not Despite the courage and energy expended by the homosexual person be treated “in justice” the devoted founders and members of “Th e Network” same way? Further, there seem to have been no this movement will most probably collapse, even objections to Gene Robinson based upon the fact though it has at the moment the support of thir- that he is a divorced man and as such is unsuitable teen Primates of the Anglican Communion. It will to be a bishop! Likewise, the trial of Bishop Righter do so because it is presently built upon sand. Let it several years ago was not on the charge that he has be founded upon rock. 3 wives alive; but, that he ordained a gay man – an amazing charge and brought by bishops now rep- Th irteen Global Primates state “ECUSA resented in “Th e Network”! has separated itself” Th en, also, “Th e Network,” by allowing without In February 2004, thirteen Primates have issued question the presence of ordained women, does a statement on the current state of aff airs in the not seem to have fully realised just how much the Anglican Communion. Th e full text of the state- ordaining of women contributed to the change in ment follows: doctrine and morality in the ECUSA and so is a “We, Primates of the Global South greet major contributory cause to the consecration of you in the name of our Triune God, Father, Gene Robinson. Women were fi rst ordained in the Son, and Holy Spirit. 970s and it was very much seen by many then as Th e actions of the Episcopal Church of an issue of justice and human rights. After they the United States of America (ECUSA) in the were ordained, the same justice cried out for a lan- election, confi rmation, and consecration of guage to be in place in the liturgy & Bible which Canon Gene Robinson have created a situa- ANDAT was true to their identity; and, so it was, that inclu- tion of grave concern for the entire Anglican M Page 2 E Communion and beyond. Th eir actions are We ask you to join in our repentance for a direct repudiation of the clear teaching of failing to be suffi ciently forthright in ade- the Holy Scriptures, historic faith and order quately addressing this issue in the past, and of the church. we invite you to stand with us in a renewed Th ey also constitute a clear defi ance of the struggle to uphold the received truth found Primates of the Communion, who warned at in Jesus and His word. their October meeting: We re-affi rm our solidarity with faith- ‘If his consecration proceeds, we recog- ful Bishops, clergy and church members in nise that we have reached a crucial and North America who remain committed the critical point in the life of the Anglican Com- historic faith and order of the church and munion and we have had to conclude that the have rejected unbiblical innovation. We off er future of the Communion itself will be put our support and the full weight of our min- in jeopardy. In this case, the ministry of this istries and offi ces to those who are gathering one bishop will not be recognised by most in a Network of Anglican Communion Dio- of the Anglican world, and many provinces ceses and Parishes now being organized in are likely to consider themselves to be out North America. We regard this Network as of Communion with the Episcopal Church a hopeful sign of a faithful Anglican future (USA). Th is will tear the fabric of our Com- in North America. We invite those who are munion at its deepest level, and may lead to committed to the preservation of historic further division on this and further issues Biblical faith and order, to join that work and as provinces have to decide in consequence its essential commitment to the Gospel. whether they can remain in communion with Finally, we appeal to you to sustain us in provinces that choose not to break commu- prayer, and to intercede especially for Angli- nion with the Episcopal Church (USA).’ cans in North America. ‘Now to Him who is Th e world needs to know that the rebel- able to do far more abundantly beyond all lious and erroneous actions of ECUSA are that we ask or think, according to the power contrary to the teaching of the Anglican that works within us, to Him be the glory in Communion and represent a departure from the church and in Christ Jesus to all genera- fi ve thousand years of Judeo-Christian teach- tions forever and ever. Amen (Eph 3:20-2).’” ing and practice. By their actions, ECUSA Th e Most Rev. Peter Akinola, Nigeria; Th e has separated itself from the remainder of Most Rev. Drexel Gomez, West Indies; Th e the Anglican Communion and the wider Most Rev. Greg Venables, Southern Cone; Christian family. Th e Most Rev. Joseph Marona, Sudan; Th e We appeal to all the faithful to be diligent Most Rev. Benjamin Nzimbi, Kenya; Th e in prayer and faith and call upon Anglicans Most Rev. Henry Orombi, Uganda; Th e Most across the communion to engage in loyal Rev. Fidele Dirokpa, Congo; Th e Most Rev. witness to the risen Christ and to resist and Donald Mtetemela, Tanzania; Th e Most Rev. confront the false teaching undergirding Bernard Malango, Central Africa; Th e Most these actions and which is leading people Rev. K.J. Samuel, South India; Th e Most Rev. away from the redeeming love of Jesus into Alexander Malik, Pakistan; Th e Most Rev. error and danger. Yong Ping Chung, South East Asia; Th e Most

Continued from Page 8 and pray that God will return to him his vision and resources to help make the necessary changes in fullness of health in body and soul. If the body does lifestyle. We also had a visit from a representative not heal then we will continue to make our lifestyle who demonstrated some incredible products that changes and do the best we can. We have been so will enable him to read his books again. Th ere are blessed by God’s hand in this ordeal that we are special binocular type goggles that should help unable to count the blessings. him see his son play on the bagpipe competition We never know what our Lord has in store fi eld and see his daughter dance in the annual for us and for our lives. I hope that we will soon Scottish Festival. He probably will never be able to see what the reason for this episode in our lives drive again, but we are never without hope in that is. We may never know. What we do know is that area either. we are not on this walk alone. We walk daily with Life looks much more promising now than it our Lord knowing that all things work together for did those fi rst panic stricken days after Christmas. good to them that love God; to them who are the Th e outpouring of prayers has been the most pow- called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). erful help of all. We both are continuing to hope ANDAT M Page 3 E Twenty-Five years on. Th e Irish Church follows the liturgical innovation of the American Church hat is Th e Book of Common Prayer? Th e answer until recently was straightforward. It is an edition in English or another language of that Prayer Book which was approved by King can Episcopal Church – e.g., the Church in Wales and Parliament in England in 662 for use in the in 984 & 2004, the Church in the West Indies in ChurchW of England and in the British Empire. Later, 995 and the Church in Ireland in 2004. each of the provinces of the Anglican Communion In May 2004, the Church of Ireland will begin to either prepared its own edition of the BCP 662 to use its own new Book of Common Prayer accord- relate to the public realities of its region & culture, ing to the use of the Church of Ireland. Unlike the or it simply used the BCP 662 itself. West Indian Book but like the American Book (and Th e story becomes complicated because from also like the English Common Worship) it contains the 970s another type of Prayer Book emerged in Rites both in traditional and contemporary lan- the Anglican Family, that which may be called “A guage. Th us there are two basic forms of the Ser- Book of Alternative Services.” Th is contained mul- vice of Holy Communion, one based on the text tiple Rites for Holy Communion and several for of the BCP of 662 and one following the modern the Daily Offi ce. Th e Rites themselves were usu- structure and contents. Th e latter has three Eucha- ally off ered in both contemporary language and ristic Prayers and many variations for season and traditional language. In England there has been circumstance. Th e former has dropped the use of Th e Alternative Service Book (980) replaced by “the Holy Ghost” preferring “the Holy Spirit”. Also Common Worship (200) while in Canada there there are two basic forms of Morning & Evening has been Th e Book of Alternative Services (985). Prayer, one based on the BCP 662 and one similar Behind the scenes during the last thirty or so to the modern Rite in the American & West Indian years there has been a determined eff ort by some Prayer Books. liturgists and bishops in the West/North of the At the offi cial website of the Irish Church we Anglican Communion to redefi ne “Common read that: “Th e Church is again to have one unify- Prayer” (see for full details Chapter 2 of Common ing Book of Common Prayer, including within its Worship Considered, a Liturgical Journey Exam- covers material in both traditional and contempo- ined, by Peter Toon, Edgeways Books, 2003). rary language. It is to be hoped that parishes which Some national Churches have decided to transfer hitherto have worshipped more or less exclusively the title, “Th e Book of Common Prayer”, from the in one idiom will now, at least occasionally, try historic, classic editions of Th e Book of Common out material which is in a diff erent style to what Prayer (662 or based upon it) to a modern “Book they normally experience.” Here the conversion of Alternative Services.” of the title “Book of Common Prayer” is fully evi- It will not be a surprise to learn that it was in dent. Th ere was a time not long ago when the Irish the USA that this major and far-reaching inno- Church had one Prayer Book, its own edition of vation began. Th ere appeared in 979 what was the basic BCP of 662. Th is went through two edi- called “Th e Book of Common Prayer according to tions, those of 87 and 926. Th en came the era of the use of the Episcopal Church” and the public- trial, experimental and new services during which ity surrounding it stated that it was the new edi- time the Irish Church produced the Alternative tion of the American Prayer Book, which appeared Prayer Book (984) and then the Alternative Occa- fi rst in 789 and was minimally edited in 892 & sional Services (993). Now selections from the 928. However, anyone who opened this new Book two streams, the BCP & the innovative, are bound dated 979 knew that it belonged instead to the together into one volume and the old, traditional new genre, the “Book of Alternative Services.” name of Th e Book of Common Prayer is used for Regrettably, there was little if any condemnation the new collection. Th is new Book also becomes from outside the USA of what was an act of piracy, the chief Formulary of the Irish Church. a lie, and an innovation in worship & doctrine, and Will this trend – of pirating the name and so it is not surprising that other provinces in part or making a falsehood acceptable – soon be taken up ANDAT in whole later followed the example of the Ameri- by provinces in Africa and Asia? M Page 4 E 928 Prayer Book Church Near Nashville, Tennessee

oly Cross Church, Franklin, Tennessee, (met- ropolitan Nashville area) was founded in the mid 980’s and is a traditional Anglican parish of the Episcopal Missionary Church, Diocese of Trinity in the beauty of holiness, separated from the South under the jurisdiction of Th e Right Rev- the world, as they look unto Jesus, the author and Herend William Millsaps, EMC Presiding Bishop. the fi nisher of their salvation,” our worship is of that Th e Rector is Th e Right Reverend Lucien Lindsey, Prayer Book with devotional enrichments from the Suff ragan Bishop of the diocese, assisted by Th e Anglican Missal. We believe that the Prayer Book Reverend James Bristow. provides “a daily discipline of praise and thanks- We are a parish family of diverse ages and back- giving, confession and petition, intercession and grounds committed to living and witnessing “the supplication so that God’s people remain in com- Anglican Way.” munion with their Lord as they go about their daily We recently completed construction of the fi rst lives.” A sung Eucharist is celebrated each Sunday phase of a three-phase expansion of our church morning, preceded by Sunday School and followed buildings, and we are now worshiping in our new by a time of fellowship. Weekday celebrations of church. With all bills for the construction paid, the the Eucharist are said each Monday, Tuesday, Church was consecrated this past All Saints Day. Th ursday, and Friday mornings with a celebra- Th e reformed Catholic Faith is taught and prac- tion on Wednesday at Noon. On Prayer Book Holy ticed at Holy Cross. Refl ecting the traditional com- Days there is an evening celebration of the Eucha- prehensiveness of authentic Anglican heritage, rist at 6:30. we do not overlook opportunities for evangelical Our corporate life as a parish centers on the endeavor. Clergy and Laity of the parish have been Eucharist and our Blessed Lord’s presence in Word active in the establishment and nurture of new and Sacrament. We have seen that the traditional congregations in the diocese and in ecumenical Prayer Book “exists to make people holy, to bring ministries which do not compromise our faith. a people in worship unto the heavenly kingdom Our motto is “worship the Lord in the beauty of where they shall be lost in wonder, love and praise holiness.” Believing that the 928 American Prayer as they enjoy the Beatifi c Vision.” Book (to use Dr. Toon’s words) “exists to enable For more information, visit our website: repentant, believing sinners to worship the Holy www.holycrossanglican.org

New Board Member he Reverend Eddie Rix of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania has been elected as a Board Member of the Prayer Book Society. He Tis pictured here with his family. ANDAT M Page 5 E What is the Connection between the Consecration of Gene Robinson & the Use of the 979 Prayer Book in the Episcopal Church? oud and many have been the protests against the consecration as a bishop in the Episcopal Church, USA, of Gene Robinson, an openly gay man living with his male partner. And he and his found in the OT and NT. friends have proudly defended his lifestyle and his 3. Th e ECUSA allowed – even welcomed Lelevation. – contemporary experience, especially A variety of reasons have been given as to why progressive movements in society, to the Diocese of New Hampshire and the General guide both its interpretation of the ConventionConvention of thethe ECUSAECUSA tooktook thisthis stepstep in 20032003 Bible and itsits viewview of thethe toto electelect and conficonfi rmrm thisthis man asas bishop,bishop, when thethe moral lif life.e. Th ererefore,efore, it it greatergreater ppartart of tthehe AngAnglicanlican ffamilyamily of isis in prac practicetice g guideduided by ChurchesChurches aroundaround thethe worldworld thethe principlesprinciples and ethicsethics made it clearclear thatthat theythey vehe-vehe- of modernmodern liberation-liberation- mentlymently opposedopposed suchsuch a step.step. istist movements,movements, whichwhich HereHere araree ssomeome of tthehe rreasonseasons assertassert tthehe rightsrights of per-per- givengiven by opp opponentsonents f foror t thishis sonssons toto self-worthself-worth & actionaction of t thehe E ECUSA,CUSA, whic which,h, self-fulfiself-fulfi lmentlment accord-accord- we mustmust remember,remember, occurredoccurred ing toto theirtheir naturenature and constitutionallyconstitutionally by a majoritymajority orientation.orientation. votevote in bothboth thethe diocesandiocesan and 4. Th ee E ECUSACUSA ha hass a a national conventions. doctrinedoctrine of GodGod whichwhich . Th ee E ECUSACUSA t tookook up uponon declaresdeclares t thathat H He/Shee/She i iss LOV LOVEE itselfitself in thethe revolutionaryrevolutionary and t thathat t thishis LOV LOVEE r requiresequires 960s,960s, and developeddeveloped thisthis justicejustice forfor all in thethe sensesense of in laterlater years,years, thethe rolerole of thethe inclusioninclusion of all, whoeverwhoever EnlightenedEnlightened CChurchhurch wwithith a and wha whatevertever t theyhey ar are.e. traditionally-shapedtraditionally-shaped Lit-Lit- Th ererefore,efore, LOV LOVEE r e requiresquires urgy.urgy. ItsIts bishopsbishops preachedpreached fullfull sp spaceace and pl placeace f foror t thosehose an enlig enlightenedhtened r religioneligion whosewhose orientationorientation isis homosexual,homosexual, and morality in tunetune withwith justjust aass it dodoeses fforor tthosehose who araree hehetero-tero- thethe l latestatest tr trendsends w withinithin lib liberaleral c culture.ulture. sexualsexual or eevenven bi-bi-sexual.sexual. Th ee G oGodd of of love love Th erereforeefore tthehe EEpiscopalpiscopal offi offi c ece w awass s eseenen isis thethe affi rmerrmer of individualindividual and personalpersonal as the promoter of “prophetic causes” preferences. and the baptismal covenant of the new I think that all of these explanations are correct liturgy was seen as the commitment of as far as they go in terms of explaining the changing the people to these same causes. character of the Episcopal Church, from being the 2. Th e ECUSA set aside the traditional “bridge Church” between Catholicism and Protes- view of the authority of Holy Scripture tantism up to the 960s and then turning into the for faith and conduct. Th erefore, it does “enlightened Church attuned to liberal culture” of not, perhaps cannot, hear and heed the the 970s. However, I do recognize that it is a com- ANDAT clear condemnation of homosexual acts plex story with a variety of dimensions and causes M Page 6 E from social to theological. For a description in depth and detail of the In this complex story of causation, I want to dominant ways in which the “enlightened culture” argue that the rejection of the classic Book of of the 960s and 970s saw the nature of human Common Prayer (662 – 928) as its Formulary and beings and their place in society, one can turn to its replacement by the 979 Prayer Book (which such authors as Alasdair MacIntyre and his book, bore the name of the historic Book while rejecting Whose Justice, Whose Rationality. However, what much of its doctrine and piety) has played a major is found in detail in such writers is summarised role in the preparation within the ECUSA for the with great clarity by Philip Turner in connection possibility of the consecration of a “gay” man. Th e with the Episcopal Church in an essay published in basic reason for this claim is found in the often- 2003 (“Th e Episcopalian Preference”, First Th ings, repeated statement by ECUSA liturgists and bish- November 2003, pp.28ff .). Dr Turner clearly shows ops that “the law of praying is the law of believing.” that: Th at is, that which is in the public Liturgy and is . Th e Episcopal Church from the 960s heard often becomes very readily the belief system, presented itself as an enlightened alter- the assumptions or the mindset of the users of that native to the moral and theological Liturgy. And this of course is compounded if the rigidities of Rome and the enthusiasm of sermons, teaching and ethos surrounding liturgy evangelical Protestantism. It embraced is of the same nature as the essential content of the an enlightened religion tuned into the Liturgy. So my argument is that the use of the 979 latest trends within secular, liberal cul- Liturgy, and especially the “contemporary lan- ture. So, it is not surprising that the guage” rites and texts therein, prepared the way for notorious & heretical Bishop James Pike receiving all kinds of innovations by conditioning of California, who publicly denied basic the members of the ECUSA to see those innova- Trinitarian Th eism was neither prose- tions as compatible with the faith they prayed, and cuted nor disciplined in the late 960s by thus to be acceptable even if odd or strange. the House of Bishops or by the General Th e place to go and look for a summary of the Convention of the Church. basic and innovative doctrines and ideas within the 2. Th e offi ce of Bishop began to be used 979 Prayer Book is its Catechism or “Outline of from around 970 as a prophetic lever the Faith.” Th is was produced by a small commit- or instrument to shake people free from tee, which was charged with putting into question the supposed incrusted and outdated and answer form the basic teaching that they found doctrines and positions of the past. explicitly or implicitly only in the Rite Two services Th e illegal ordination of women in 974 of the new Prayer Book (which were approved on and then the illegal ordination of “gay” fi rst reading in 976 and then on second reading in women and men from 977 onwards 979). Since the House of Bishops was aware that were examples of actions by bishops there was a real diff erence between the doctrines claiming to act prophetically to relieve in the traditional language Rite One texts and the the oppressed and downtrodden. In modern ones known as Rite Two, they asked for fact, the ordination of women and then a Catechism based only upon the law of worship of sexually-active homosexual persons of the latter. Th is ensured an “enlightened” Cat- became a “justice” issue to be taken up echism. and furthered by a “prophetic” episco- Within the very fi rst section of this Catechism, pate. the careful reader discovers the dominant doctrine 3. Th e Episcopal Church absorbed and concerning human beings which was fundamental worked from a new kind of innova- to the public religion and morality of the Episco- tive, western morality where each pal Church from the 970s through to 2004. It is human being is seen as an individual, the novel doctrine that being made in the image of who is wholly unique, as a self that has God (a traditional Hebrew and Christian expres- a particular history and needs, and as sion based upon Genesis : 27) is all about human a person who has particular rights that beings as creatures having freedom and exercising allow him/her to express his/her indi- choices. Within the cultural context of the 970s viduality and to pursue well being. this way of expressing what it is to be in the image And for human being as moral agents of God was obviously understood by many in terms who see themselves as individuals, of the view of human moral agency and freedom selves and persons, sexuality becomes that was widespread at that time – the view found both a marker of identity and a pri- not only in popular songs but also in the ideology mary way of expressing the prefer- of the liberationist movements of the time and the ences that defi ne identity. Th erefore, philosophy of left-of-centre political parties, not to what is called “sexual orientation” and mention of many academics and media personali- its expression are seen as very impor- ties. tant in the new moral order. ANDAT M Page 7 E 4. Th e sirens of modernity sound so sweet certain Canticles and of the Psalter (see e.g., the to the Episcopal Church because it has Song of Simeon in Rite Two). Further, it is there lost a full sense of the transcendence in the multiple choice off ered within the Liturgy God and has majored on the immanence for, on the modern view, individuals, selves and of God, so that its theology leans either free persons need choice to be who they are. To towards pantheism (the mind or essence be restricted to one liturgy and one only, as in the of the world is God) or possibly to pan- historic editions of Th e Book of Common Prayer, entheism (the world is included within would be to exist in chains and to be tied to the old the being of God). Th us the standard order of things. type of sermon is as follows: “God is Not often noted, for it is perhaps too obvious, is love; God’s love is inclusive; God acts in that this novel commitment to freedom of choice justice to ensure that everyone (all types) is demonstrated in the very title of the 979 Prayer are included; we should work with God Book. Th e Liturgical Commission followed by the as co-actors and co-creators in this great House of Bishops and then the whole General drama in making the world what She/He Convention felt that they were free of all reference desires it to be.” to and duty towards established order and to tra- 5. Th e God of the Episcopal Church is the ditional views of truth and honesty. Th ey believed Image of the ideal society that the new that they had a modern duty to be what they were moral order points to – the inclusion of and to do what they had to do in order to be true preference. God is the all inclusive one. to themselves. Th eir God of truth wanted them She/He is loving inclusion, the affi rming to be true to their inner feelings and to the cause of preferences, and that is all. Gone are they espoused. Th erefore, without so much as an the old themes of the divine hatred of sin explanation, excuse or argument they decided that and the loving of holiness and righteous- they would call their book of multiples services, ness! Th e God of this Church is on this “Th e Book of Common Prayer,” even though they estimate simply an idol, the projection well knew that in other provinces of the Anglican of the new moral and social order, wor- Family much the same book was being called “An shipped by the adoring members. Alternative Service Book” or “A Book of Alterna- Now in this context, it is not diffi cult to see that tive Services” and the ancient title was reserved the freedom which is seen as essential to being – as it had been since 549 – for that form of Prayer human by the Catechism is basically that described Book which truly contains common (one rite for above. It has no reference to established norms and all) in contrast to varied and optional public prayer order in the tradition of the Church, but is gener- (multiple choice). ated from within each human being. Truth is in Th erefore the constant use of the pirated name being true to oneself as one knows oneself through of the 979 Prayer Book and its commitment to the one’s feelings and expresses oneself through ones innovative, enlightened view of moral agency and orientation and actions (which, of course, in the human freedom made a major contribution week estimate of the old doctrines, is wholly to misun- by week and year by year to setting the context derstand one’s real self and one’s standing before wherein the Episcopal Church, which created the the holy God). 979 Book, went on to consecrate Gene Robinson. Now let us consider the doctrine of moral agency Of this man, Dr Turner writes: “Here is a unique and freedom in the Prayer Book of 976/979. individual, who is a self with a particular history, It is, I think, relatively easy to see the rela- and a person who has a right to express his pref- tion of the enlightened view of moral agency and erences and put his talents to work in the world human freedom to such innovations as the bless- he inhabits. To deny him that right on the basis of ing of second and third marriages of divorcees in sexual preference is to deny him his personal iden- church, the ordaining of women to the Ministry, tity.” Of course, the ECUSA did not deny that right the ordaining of “gay” persons and the blessing of and Robinson is very comfortable with the 979 “gay” partnerships, the support of a woman’s right Book. in terms of abortion, the right to choose how to Regrettably and tragically, most of the oppo- address God in prayer and not to be bound by nents of this consecration of Gene Robinson biblical categories, and so on. It is perhaps more within the ECUSA treat this 979 Book as not only diffi cult at fi rst sight to discern the infl uence upon the acceptable Formulary of their Church but also the Prayer Book. However, it is there for eyes to as the source of their weekly liturgies. In doing see not only in the defi nitions of human nature and this, they help – perhaps unwittingly – the ECUSA sin in the Catechism but also in the understand- prepare for more innovations, as they also bind ing of Covenant both in the Catechism and in “the themselves into the enlightened, liberal view of Baptismal Covenant.” In the latter a free individual human moral agency and freedom associated with takes on the duty of pursuing peace and justice this book – again perhaps, without wholly realis- ANDAT in the world. It is there also in the translation of ing this! –P.T. M Page 8 E Th e Catechism in the 979 Prayer Book of the ECUSA he holy, catholic and apostolic Church has been given the great commission to preach the Gospel of the Father concerning his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to the world and to make disciples of all due preparation these can still be most useful and nations. Th is commission stays in place until the edifying for congregations. TLord Jesus Christ returns in glory with all the holy Th is tradition of using the Creed, Command- angels to judge the living and the dead. ments and Lord’s Prayer was all set to continue in Arising out of this, it has been the common A Catechism (973) prepared for the proposed new practice that, after a person has heard the call of Prayer Book by a committee headed by Bishop God in the Gospel, turned from sin, believed on the Stanley Atkins of Wisconsin. However, the House Lord Jesus Christ unto salvation, and is desirous to of Bishops and the Standing Liturgical Commission be a committed Christian, then that person is pre- decided that what was needed was something paredpared by a ministerminister of thethe locallocal churchchurch moremore r relevant,elevant, c credibleredible and ac accessible,cessible, a forfor baptismbaptism and churchchurch mem- catechismcatechism whichwhich would reflrefl ectect thethe spiritspirit bership.bership. Th ee name name g iven given to to and contentcontent of thethe newnew servicesservices in thethe thosethose who araree bbeingeing prpreparedepared modernmodern str structureucture and l languageanguage t thathat forfor entryentry intointo fullfull participa-participa- werewere bbeingeing aapprovedpproved fforor tthehe neneww PraPrayeryer tion of tthehe liflifee of tthehe cchurchhurch BookBook of 976/79.976/79. is catechumens, and tthehe bbasicasic So a small committee contentcontent of whawhatt ttheyhey araree ttaughtaught headedheaded by t thehe Re Rev’dv’d Dr Dr.. is usually found in a Catechism.Catechism. RobertRobert H. GreenfiGreenfi eldeld waswas Th eesese twotwo worwordsds ccomeome ffromrom tthehe setset up toto prepareprepare thethe draftdraft Greek word, catechesis, mean-mean- of thethe newnew catechism.catechism. ItsIts ing “instruction”,“instruction”, whichwhich waswas thethe tasktask w wasas t too e examinexamine t thesehese wordword usedused in thethe earlyearly ChurchChurch of newnew s serviceservices pr producedoduced by thatthat whichwhich waswas givengiven toto convertsconverts thethe StandingStanding LiturgicalLiturgical Com- beforebefore t theyhey wer weree b baptized,aptized, u usu-su- missionmission t thathat wer weree alr alreadyeady ally a att E Easteraster E Eve.ve. L Later,ater, when t thehe approvedapproved or werweree ccurrentlyurrently on ChurchChurch containedcontained ChristianChristian families,families, a trialtrial and toto dededuceduce ffromrom tthemhem child of Christian parents was baptized the doctrines they contained as an infant as occasion off ered, and then as a and proclaimed. Th e reason for young person was taught the Catechism before this method was the maxim so often stated at that Confi rmation and/or full church membership. time – the law of praying is the law of believing. In In the Anglican tradition, the Catechism, the other words, Christians believe what they pray and body of instruction, has been printed in Th e Book thus to know what they should believe they need of Common Prayer in relation to the Services for to examine carefully what they pray publicly in Baptism and Confi rmation. It contains brief expla- liturgy that is approved by the appropriate church nations of the Creed, the Commandments and the authority. Lord’s Prayer, together with further brief explana- It will be observed that great trust and confi dence tion of the two Sacraments, Baptism & the Lord’s is here reposed by the House of Bishops in those Supper. who had created and were still refi ning the new services of worship, the new public liturgy of the From old to new Catechism church, due to be approved in 976 and then 979. Th e Catechism found in the American editions It is assumed that they what they had composed of Th e Book of Common Prayer of 789, 892 and and had been approved by the General Conven- 928 followed the style and content of that of the tion and/or the House of Bishops was wholesome, English edition of 662 by providing expositions in godly and orthodox. Further, the House of Bishops question and answer form of the Creed, the Com- placed great confi dence in the inductive method mandments, the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments. used by the committee as well as of the abilities And the 928 edition also has “Offi ces of Instruc- of the committee members to establish what it is tion” as services of worship for teaching the con- that Episcopalians of the 970s actually believed, tent of the catechism. Used imaginatively and with taught and confessed. In contrast, the content of ANDAT M Page 9 E the old style of catechism in the traditional Prayer inhabitants of a pre-established moral order Book and from Bishop Atkins stayed with basics but as individuals who are utterly unique, as and with a tradition of brief explanation of them selves that have particular personal histories that go back to the early Church through the medi- and needs, and as persons who have rights eval period. that allow them to express their individual- We may say that the old type of catechism ity and pursue their personal well-being. required no innovation, merely updating of lan- For moral agents who think of themselves guage; but the new method required fi rst confi - as individuals, selves, and persons, sexuality dence in the new texts and secondly in the powers becomes along with money, both a marker of of men rightly to communicate what is in those identity and a primary way of expressing the texts. Ultimately the liturgical experts were defi n- preferences that defi ne identity. (First Th ings, ing what the Episcopal Church was to receive and Nov.2003) believe as Christian doctrine. Th is new form of moral agency wherein free- Th e new Catechism approved by the House of dom to choose and freedom to be what you believe Bishops is found on pages 845 to 862 of the 979 you are is the central theme has to be in place for Prayer Book. In the brief introductory explana- a Church to support widespread divorce, divorce tory comments we are informed that it provides and remarriage, the rights of “gay” persons to be an outline of instruction for use in parishes, a brief “themselves” and of women to be ordained. summary of the Church’s teaching for an inquir- Returning to the Catechism or Outline of the ing stranger who picks up the new Prayer Book, Faith, what one immediately observes is the empha- and the basis for a simple service of instruction. sis in the fi rst section upon human freedom as that However, it is cast in the traditional question and which defi nes human nature. We are told that what answer format for ease of reference. it means to be made in the image of God is that “we are free to make choices: to love, to create, to Traditional Format with Innovatory reason, and to live in harmony with creation.” Fur- Content ther, we are informed that the reason why we live Although the format is traditional, the doctri- apart from God and out of harmony with creation nal content of the new Catechism is not so for it is that “from the beginning, human beings have intentionally seeks to be modern. Th is is refl ected misused their freedom and made wrong choices.” fi rst of all in the order of content, for it begins not Of course, with a generosity of mind one can with God or the Bible but with “Human Nature.” interpret this doctrine of freedom and being in the In the second place, the modern is refl ected in the image of God in such a way as to make biblical and view taken of human beings in this section as also orthodox sense of it. However, within the powerful in that which deals with sin. cultural ethos of the 960s and the known history In order to see the signifi cance of the doctrine of the Episcopal Church in those decades, it is dif- of humanity set forth in the Catechism, it is nec- fi cult to do so. Rather, one reads these statements essary to recall certain aspects of the mindset of as being religious ways of expressing in perhaps a the leaders of the Episcopal Church during the minimal form the new view of moral agency and 960s into the 970s. A signifi cant minority in the individual preference that has entered the Epis- House of Bishops and the General Convention copal Church as it conformed to the world at this was committed to the position that the vocation of time and did so while believing that it was being the Episcopal Church in the vast American super- true to its vocation of being relevant and credible market of religions was to be the purveyor of an to a new generation. enlightened religion in a liberal culture, supported Further, it is important to note that this teach- by supposedly new learning and new experience. ing on the freedom of the self to chose its prefer- Along with this developed liberal vocation of ence is at the very beginning of the Catechism and the Church which is seen in its absorption of the actually sets the tone of the whole thing from the divorce culture, its lack of serious interest in classi- doctrine of sin through the idea of covenant to the cal Christian dogma and doctrine, its ambivalence doctrine of God. What is present in the Catechism over abortion and euthanasia, and its acceptance of in embryo, and which reached full development by human rights ideology as a major source of moral- 2003 with the consecration of an openly gay man ity, came the dominant 960s view of the human as a bishop, is the nothing less than idolatry, for person and of moral agency. human preference is exalted above divine law. In the social and cultural context where there Th ere is not space here to show that the teaching was commitment to preferences rather than to within this Catechism, itself based upon the Rite notions of ordered relations and the pursuit of the Two texts, is defi cient or even erroneous in such good, the view of the human being is very diff erent major areas as the doctrine of God as the Father, of from that of the traditional moral order. Dr. Turner God the Holy Trinity, of Jesus Christ, One Person explains that: made known in two natures, human sinfulness and ANDAT Members think of themselves not as so on. –P.T. M Page 20 E From uniformity to variety

inntil Vatican the II in the 960s Eucharistic there was for the produced for the creationPrayer of each of the optional Roman Catholic Church in each local area Eucharistic Prayers. Th ese can range from follow- one and only one authorised Canon of the ing ancient patristic models through conforming UMass, the Prayer to the Father in the Name of the to medieval shapes to accepting modern ecumeni- Incarnate Son for the consecration of bread and cal agreements. However, the plain act is that unity wine to become the body and blood of the same is strained by variety for in one parish at diff erent Incarnate Son. Likewise, until the 970s within the Eucharists a variety of Prayers may be used and Anglican Churches, in the local editions of Th e also in the next parish a related but diff erent vari- Book of Common Prayer, there was in each edition ety may be in place. Instead of taking into memory only one Prayer of Consecration, where the bread and into heart one Prayer, the devout worshipper and wine were set apart for holy, sacramental use. is now required to be alert to note which Prayer Th us in both cases whatever were the aesthetic, is being used and to adjust his mental attitude to cultural and ceremonial diff erences between par- benefi t from it. No wonder that traditional Eucha- ishes and congregations, there was in word and in ristic devotion has diminished in recent decades. doctrine unity through uniformity. Much the same For whom was the change from unity through was true of, and in fact remains true of, the Ortho- uniformity to unity with diversity made? It would dox Churches, which possess two similar expres- seem that the answer must be that it was made sions of the Divine Liturgy, those of St Chrysostom in the fi rst place to satisfy the liturgists, who and St Basil, and these are used at appointed times had become very much aware of other shapes of everywhere and so there is also unity with unifor- Eucharistic Prayer than the one used in their juris- mity. dictions; and they wished to make some or all of Th erefore, we may claim that until 970 within these available to their own constituency, for their jurisdictions of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic edifi cation. In saying this one cannot help but note Church, in terms of the Church’s primary off ering that the surrounding western culture was one, and of worship to the Father through the Son and with remains one, that places a high priority on choice the Spirit, there was a local unity through unifor- and on achieving maturity through the exercise of mity of text and rite, and thereby there was unity in choice. It seems that the liturgists were not unaf- basic doctrine. We may also note that since 970, fected by the prevailing culture in their off ering while the unity through uniformity of liturgy has multiple choice; further, it also seems clear that been maintained by the Orthodox Churches, it has some parishioners were also grateful for the new been deliberately let go by the Roman Catholic and variety for they had become bored with the repeti- Anglican Churches. For the average Roman Cath- tion of the same Prayer week by week. olic parish there is a choice of using one Prayer out of four, but for special occasions and congregations Diversity as a Virtue the choice is even greater, at least one out of ten Th ese days, of course, diversity is regarded as (see the latest edition of the Sacramentary, Missale a virtue and we are called “to celebrate diversity” Romanum, 2002). And for the Episcopal parish in many areas of life. Diversity, however, is really in the USA the choice is even greater for there is a value-free term. It is a way of stating a condi- the opportunity also for a parish to create its own tion of unlikeness amongst beings or things and of Prayer, as long as it keeps to the approved “shape” reporting the diff erences as a fact. Yet the actual and recommended ingredients (see the Episcopal existence of diversity – in this case the availabil- Prayer Book of 979 and the Canadian one of 985 ity of multiple rites – is regarded by some leaders and various booklets since then). as good in and of itself. Th at is, the diversity itself is seen as a benefi t and positively helpful. Having One Shape but varied Content noted this, it is also important to add that, within Unity in 2004 is therefore no longer in unifor- Roman Catholicism at least, there is a real con- mity but it is through using a Prayer that conforms cern about divergence from historic language (cf., to a given structure or “shape” and contains spe- Liturgicam Authenticam). It would appear that no cifi c items – e.g., the Sursum Corda & the Sanctus. matter how well meaning the ideological calls for Common Prayer has been revised to mean using a diversity might be, in practice, serious people who common structure and keeping to approved ingre- aren’t necessarily “conservatives” at all are seeing dients. So now we have unity in diversity, except with their own eyes that disunity is the result of with the Orthodox Churches. variation, rather than a new inclusiveness. Also in Of course, all kinds of good reasons can be practice, it would seem that any liturgy designed to ANDAT M Page 2 E be inclusive of a particular group must also exclude tation of the Church’s doctrine through one clear one or more other groups. A feminist inclusive lit- statement through this unique Prayer, the reality urgy, for example, ends up excluding people who of a felt and real unity via uniformity (which allows are traditionalists and people who wish to use con- diff erences in style and setting). sistent Scriptural terms to speak of God, of which One real problem for a jurisdiction, which starts “our Mother” is not one. Diversifi ed liturgies are on this path of writing and authorising multiple not parallel or centripetal, but centrifugal! forms of this Prayer, is that in principle there is no Having noticed the celebration of both choice upper limit to the number of options. Th is position and diversity in our secular society, we would not has been reached now in the Episcopal Church of want to argue that no good of any kind has come the USA and in the Church of England, for both of this change where the aim is to gain and expe- allow the creation of a Eucharistic Prayer by each rience unity through diversity; but, we would like local parish to meet its own special felt needs. It to suggest that much that is good in the Christian would seem that only those who can see the shape life has been lost. Examples are the importance of in the variety and pluriformity can also truly per- memorisation and devout habit, the clear presen- ceive the unity.

Th e Prayer Book Society of the U.S.A. has pleasure in announcing the publication of a Book, which explains in the clearest of terms why it has consistently for many years stated that the ECUSA 979 Prayer Book is neither a genuine Book of Common Prayer nor a true Formulary of the Anglican Way. Neither Orthodoxy nor a Formulary. Th e Shape and Content of the 979 Prayer Book of ECUSA It is written by two priests who have been studying liturgy, doctrine and the language of prayer for a long time, and who have cooperated in the writing of several books. Th ey are: Th e Rev’d Dr. Louis R. Tarsitano, who is a professor of English and the rector of an Anglican church in Savannah, Georgia; and Th e Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon, who is a retired professor of theology and the rector of two village parishes in the Church of England. In the Book, the authors explain the necessity of Formularies for the public profession of Christianity and show what are the Anglican Formularies. Th en they examine the major aspects and parts of the 979 Prayer Book to see whether they rise to the level required to be an orthodox formulary. In particular they look at the Catechism, the Eucharist, Baptism and doctrine through language. Further, the authors explain what has been understood to be Common Prayer through the centuries and demonstrate that the 979 Book belongs to the modern type of prayer book known as “A Book of Alternative Services.” Many Episcopalians will not like the conclusion of this Book but all serious- minded clergy and lay leaders ought to read it if they are truly concerned with the reform, renewal and regeneration of the Anglican Way in the U.S.A. Available May 2004 from Th e Prayer Book Society via its web site www.anglicanmarketplace.com or by phone  800 727 928 for $2.50 including post & packing (PA residents add tax). Also from the Prayer Book Society: Neither Archaic nor Obsolete Th e language of Public Worship and Common Prayer by Tarsitano & Toon, $4.00, including post. Th e Annotated Holy Communion Service of 928 with notes by Peter Toon, ANDAT $7.00, including post. M Page 22 E Th e Preservative & the Transformative Two Approaches to Public Worship e all are aware that there are diff erences 970s in transformative style by R C commissions in the Anglican Way over what we call and thus there were radical changes in the Liturgy churchmanship. One church has bells of the R C Church and in the way texts were trans- Wand smells with bright eucharistic vestments while lated for use it in. another has no bells and smells and the clergy are In the Anglican Way, the Transformers tri- in black and white. What may not always be recog- umphed and presented the Churches with the nized is that underneath this diff erence of church- creation of forms of alternative service books to manship there is another concerning the shape push out the use of the traditional liturgy. [In the and content of the texts of the liturgy. ECUSA the plan to provide a gentle revision of the From the 940s on, there were two main schools 928 edition of Th e BCP became by the 970s a of liturgics. One, the Preservative, attempted to major project to provide a totally new set of Rites study what was best in each liturgical tradition and Services. In the C of E, in contrast, the BCP and to foster and re-enforce such good things as was retained and alongside it the ASB was pub- it found. Th e other, the Transformative, which lished.] came to the fore in the 960s, believed that its job Th e clash betweenPreservers and Transform- was three-fold: ) to give the churches the liturgy ers was/is also seen in the translation of the Bible. that academics determined they should have; 2) to Th e Preservers stand for the essentially literal re-shape the Church via the new liturgy; and 3) to approach of the KJV, the RV and the RSV while the re-make the world by liturgy – through creating Transformers stand for the dynamic equivalency transformed, activist people in search of peace and approach of the NIV and the NRSV. Th us into the justice. new liturgies of the Transformers went canticles, Th e Transformers hated the accustomed wor- responses and psalms rendered into English accord- ship of ordinary people the way a Round-Head sol- ing to the dynamic equivalency theory and includ- dier in the 640s hated a statue of a saint dressed in ing politically-correct renderings (e.g., “Happy are clothes and surrounded by candles. Th ey hated the they...” for “Blessed is the man” in Psalm .) churches as “communities” that were not engaged A majority of ECUSA clergy, of both a liberal in the world according to their own novel, social and conservative kind, think that the only viable theories. Th ey hated the continuity of Christian option is the transformative for they believe that tradition. Th ey idealized the early Church of the its provision of a Cateferia of Liturgy with a basic third century and their reconstruction of its Lit- Shape brings us nearest to the early church ideal urgy and Worship in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and suits the widespread desire for freedom and and multi-linguist Roman Empire. choice in modern society. Th ey have not yet real- Th e Preservers hated novelty for novelty’s sake ized that what they think is THE right way of Lit- and believed that much of the change being sought urgy and Bible translation is only some thirty or was for the sake of change in order to appear to forty years old at the most! be relevant, up-to-date, meaningful, credible and Th e Preservers have tenacity, courage and per- authentic. In contrast they had looked for and still severance. Th ey will be around when the Trans- hoped for gradual, sensitive and gentle reform of formers have expended all their energy and lost the received Tradition of liturgy, language, doc- their vision. Th e latter will come to see that Jesus trine, and music. Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever, Because the western world, and the churches as and thus the worship of his Father in his Name has part of it, went through and were much aff ected by a defi nite solid continuity through space and time the social and cultural revolution that we call “the in the Church of God until the Parousia of Christ 960s,” the Transformers came out on top in the Jesus. Th e Preservers, however, to be true to their 970s both in Rome and in Protestantism. In 2004 heritage must be transformed and vitalized by the they are still out on top although a lot of questions very grace of God which they uphold, or they will are now being asked in Rome about where they are be lost in a dead orthodoxy. going. We recall that the Second Vatican Council [Peter Toon (developing some thoughts expressed (962-65) was interpreted in the late 960s and by Lou Tarsitano) March 8, 2004.] ANDAT M Page 23 E THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY Books & CDs for Sale Type Title Price O Lord Open Th ou Our Lips CD Morning Prayer with Litany from St Th omas’ Church, Houston $2.50

Lighten Our Darkness CD Evensong for the Feast of St Michael and All Angels $2.50 From St John’s Church, Savannah

Th e Order For Holy Communion CD Featuring the Parish Choir of Saint Th omas’ Episcopal Church, Houston, with the $2.50 assistance of members of Chorus Angelorum

Homilettes from Christ Church, Biddulph Moor, England CD Six practical talks on the Prayer Book and the Christian Year delivered by Th e Rev’d Dr $2.50 Peter Toon in the Diocese of Lichfi eld, England

Collects. CD All the Collects of the Book of Common Prayer read by the Rev’d Dr. Peter $2.50 Toon

Six Edwardian Homilies CD set Read by Th e Rev’d Dr Peter Toon $7.00

Six Elizabethan Homilies CD set Read by Th e Rev’d Dr Peter Toon $7.00

Th e Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity CD-ROM By Richard Hooker (Keble edition) $2.50

Annotated Book of Common Prayer (1662) CD-ROM $2.50 J H Blunt

-29 copies $2.00 ea Th e Spanish Prayer Book 30-49 copies $.75 ea. Booklet Contains Morning Prayer, Litany, Evening Prayer and Holy Communion 50-99 copies $.50 ea 00+copies $.25 ea. Th e First and Second Prayer Books of Edward VI Prayer Books Th e Everyman Edition with a new Introduction by Professor Porter $20.00

Neither Archaic Nor Obsolete. Th e English Language of Common Book Prayer and Public Worship $4.00 By Dr Peter Toon and Dr Louis R. Tarsitano

An Act of Piracy. Th e Truth behind the Episcopal Liturgy of Booklet $5.00 1979. By Dr Peter Toon $7.00 Th e Annotated Order for Holy Communion – the text of the Booklet (bulk orders for 1928 Service with explanatory comments, page by page. churches ⅓ off ) Prices include shipping. Pennsylvania residents subject to sales tax. Call 1-800-727-1928 or 610-490-0909 or visit www.anglicanmarketplace.com

Th e Society for the Preservation NONPROFIT ORG. of the Book of Common Prayer US POSTAGE PAID (Th e Prayer Book Society) FORT WORTH, TX P.O. Box 35220 Permit No. 467 Philadelphia, PA 928-0220

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