e Bi-Monthly Magazine of the Prayer Book Society VolumeVolume ,, NuNumbermber March/April MI I E Where can I fi nd a church e Book of that uses the Prayer- Book? Page Common Prayer in Refl ections from the Editor’s Desk Page Irish Gaelic, Richard Hooker on Common Prayer Page
e Book of the Common Prayer, Page
Hooker, Book V, chapter xxiv Page
e Book of Common Prayer, Page
Hooker, Book V, chapter xxv Page
e Book of Common Prayer, Page
Hooker, Book V, chapter xxvi Page
e Book of Common Prayer, / Page
e BCP annotated Page
All Saints Church, Char- lottesville, Va. Page
e offi cial Book of Homilies Page
Prayer Books, CD’s & new Books Page Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness e list parishes using the Concerned Churchmen. is directory Where can I fi nd a 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 Wtion (Episcopal Church or “Continuing Nones, Dupont Avenue South, Min- uses the Church”), and all of their services, if from neapolis, MN , telephone: () Prayer the , or the ones that use the . BCP. e Reformed Episcopal Church Please let us know of other parishes Book? uses a Prayer Book which includes both that use the BCP. We are glad to the (Church of England) and much know of them, and also that folks are from the . 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. Southeast Florida (partial listing) West Palm Beach/Lake Worth/ e Church of the Holy Spirit (Anglican Boca Raton/Deerfi eld Beach Lantana Province of Christ the King) St. Peter’s Church (Anglican Province of e Church of the Guardian Angels (Epis- Drew Street America) copal Church, FinFNA) West Palm Beach, FL - SE nd Terrace Cardinal Lane Deerfi eld Beach, FL Lantana, FL - Sunday, : am Morning Prayer : am Holy Communion Sunday, : am Holy Communion Sunday, : pm Holy Communion : pm Evening Prayer (Saturday) e Rt. Rev. Edward E. LeCour, Rector Boynton Beach/Delray Beach : am Holy Communion (Advent - St. Cuthbert’s Church (Episcopal Church) Easter Day) St. Augustine’s Church (Anglican Catho- E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (NE : am Holy Communion lic Church) th Avenue) e Rev. David C. Kennedy, SSC, Forest Hill Boulevard Boynton Beach, FL - Rector West Palm Beach, FL e Rev. James C. Stoutsenberger, Sunday, : am Holy Communion Assisting Priest Sunday, : am Holy Communion e Rev. David C. Kennedy, SSC, e Rev. James G. Monroe, SSC, Priest- Rector in-Charge e Venerable John D. Shuman, Assis- St. Mary’s Church (Anglican Province of tant America) Homewood Boulevard Delray Beach, FL Sunday, : am Holy Communion Please write the Rev. Fr. David C. Kennedy, SSC : am Holy Communion at Cardinal Lane, Lantana, FL - e Rev. Erich A. Zwingert, SSC, if you know of parishes that use the BCP. Rector Needless to say it will take a long time to list them all! Praise God for that!!! e Rev. Canon Richard A. Smith, Assistant e Rev. Robert H. Hammes, Deacon
T M March/April Volume , N umber Editor: e Rev’d Dr.. Peter Toon • Design/Layout: Boldface Graphics e Members of the Board of Directors of the Prayer Book Society: The Rev’d Wayland Coe (Texas); e Rev’d Joseph S. Falzone (Pennsylvania); Mr. Michael W. Freeland (Pennsylvania); Dr.. Herb Guerry (Georgia); e Rev’d David C Kennedy SSC (Florida); e Rev’d Bill Martin (California); e Rev’d Jonathan Ostman III, SSC (Rhode Island); Mrs Marilyn Ruzicka (New York); Mrs Miriam K. Stauff (Wisconsin); e Rev’d Dr.. Peter Toon (England); Mr. Luther Dan Wallis (California); & Mr. W. Denman Zirkle (Florida). MANDATE is published six times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profi t organization serving the Church. All gifts to the P.B.S. are tax deductible. Recipients of Mandate are encouraged to send a minimum gift of .. Editorial and all other correspondence: P.O. Box , Philadelphia, PA . Phone --PBS-. Postmaster: Please send address changes to the above address. world-wide web address is http://www.episcopalian.org/pbs M PagePage E M Page E Refl ections from
“ECUSAthe may be Editor’s apostate but itsDesk Liturgy is OK.” By e Rev’d Dr. PeterToon being persuaded by theories of dynamic equiva- t has always seemed odd, sometimes amazing, lency for translation work, they do not seriously to me that, amongst those members of the consider whether the Psalter should be used Episcopal Church who bemoan her downward for genuine Christian worship or whether the NIV Ispiral into apostasy, very few (Anglo-Catholic and NRSV are suitable versions for reading in or Evangelical) entertain the possibility that her public worship. public, offi cial Liturgy was and is a major cause of So while Catholics have been deeply upset by that apostasy. the feminist agenda & successes in the ECUSA If a Church (e.g. the ECUSA) is in doctrinal, with its ordination of women and the changing moral and numerical decline, the probability is of God-language to please radical women, and that anything she produces will be aff ected by while the Evangelicals have been upset by the that decline, especially if she produces a whole seeming setting aside of the authority of Scrip- new prayer book and with it rejects her former ture, it does not seem to occur to them that the formularies (BCP, Ordinal & Articles prayer book with its additional of Religion) in so doing. services in the s & s, and It is hard for me to forget two the momentum of liturgy and doc- common attitudes with respect to the trine therein expressed, actually was ECUSA prayer book. and is a vehicle for the promotion of (a) An Anglo-Catholic view: this what they dislike. at is, while they is that the prayer book is the use the rites in their own ways best Anglican prayer book since the for their own churchmanship, the fi rst edition of the BCP () for like larger church constituency uses the that of it is truly catholic. It is same rites, and those spawned after held that the BCP was heavily and approved by the General protestantised by Archbishop Cran- Convention, to promote the very mer to make what became the nd edi- agendas that the traditional catholics tion of , which (with few changes) and evangelicals hate! And this does became the classic English edition of . e not seem to bother them or alert them to the true American Liturgical Commission (though fi lled nature of the book as one signifi cant encour- primarily with modern liberally inclined litur- agement to apostasy. gists!) recovered the truly catholic elements of the Various reasons come to mind for the support western tradition in the texts and rites of their of the book by those who claim to be ortho- book. Evidence of this includes the new “Shape” dox and biblical. Some have known nothing else of the Eucharist, the inclusion of “the Peace” and but the book and it gave them a certain measure the placing of the Gloria at the beginning of the of freedom; others have felt committed to the Mass; they also point to the availability of a rite book for it is the offi cial Prayer Book of the Church for auricular confession and to the Holy Week and in which they were ordained and in whose pension Easter Eve services. fund is vested their future livelihood; then the bish- What is not usually mentioned is that all these ops have gone to great lengths to push this prayer “catholic” provisions come in a reduced or revised book; further, it is the ECUSA which has (in many form and do not have their full patristic or catholic cases) allowed priests and laity a second marriage fl avour (as my learned friend Professor Charles in church with a blessing and thus their very daily Caldwell often pointed out). life and relations are dependent upon that Church, (b) An Evangelical view: this is that the Rite II whose liturgy they are thus not quickly disposed services in “contemporary language” provide the to criticize. necessary ingredients of intelligibility, simplicity, Whatever be the fundamental reasons, it is accessibility, relevance and meaningfulness and so an amazing phenomenon that those who are so are a means of making their services and outreach critical of the ECUSA, of its bishops, its general popular and attractive. So they pay little attention convention’s legislation and so on, should both to the actual doctrinal content – i.e., they do not use the book as though it were fully and truly check it against the doctrinal content of the classic orthodox, and further should call it by a name that BCP & the Articles of Religion in terms of who is is a huge lie (it is not a genuine Book of Common God, who is Jesus and what is salvation. Further, Prayer at all but a book of varied services!). M Page E M Page E Richard Hooker ( to ) on Common Prayer &
“O God, who hast enlightenedPublic thy Church byWorship the teaching of thy servant Richard Hooker: Enrich us evermore, we beseech thee, with thy heavenly grace, and raise up faithful witnesses who by their life and doctrine will set forth the truth of thy salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” Richard Hooker (d.) is best known as what is the assembling of the Church to pray than the Apologist for the Anglican Way of Reformed the sending of Angels upward? God’s heavenly Catholicism & as the Defender of the Episcopal inspirations and our holy desires are as so many and liturgical Church of England against the Eliza- Angels of communication and commerce between bethan Puritans, who wished to make the English God and us. As teaching brings us to know that National Church into a Presbyterian Church, God is our supreme truth; so prayer testifi es that modelled on the Church in the canton of Geneva. we acknowledge him as our sovereign good. He wrote e Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity in Besides, since all inferior causes in the world eight books. Book Five, with its short chapters, are dependent on God as the Most High; and the is the longest of the eight and deals primarily with higher the cause is, the more it desires to impart the worship of the Church. e text of this may be virtue unto things beneath it; how should any kind read in John Keble’s edition of e Laws (th edi- of service we do or can do fi nd greater acceptance tion, Oxford, ). than prayer, which shows our concurrence with ere are two specialized studies of Book Five him in desiring that in which his very nature most – Ronald Bayne’s Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical delights? Polity, the Fifth Book, London, , & F. Paget’s What can be bestowed on others more easily Introduction to the Fifth Book of Hooker’s Ecclesi- and yet more fruitfully than our prayers? If we astical Polity, Oxford, . en there is John S give counsel, only the simpler people need it; if Marshall’s, Hooker’s eology of Common Prayer. alms, only the poor are relieved; but by prayer e Fifth Book of the Polity Paraphrased and we do good to all. And whereas every other duty expanded into a Commentary on the Prayer Book, is only revealed as time and opportunity require, University of the South, Tennessee, . for prayer all times are convenient. When we are After discussing the public reading of Holy not able to do any other things for people’s benefi t, Scripture and the place of sermons in worship, he when through maliciousness or unkindness they turned in chapters xxiii to xxvi to the subject of will not condescend to accept any other good from Prayer and specifi cally to Public Prayer/Worship. our hands, prayer is that which we always have in All the time he had in mind the Puritan claim that our power to bestow, and they never in theirs to their services, in which the Sermon was central refuse. So “God forbid,” said Samuel, speaking unto and wherein there was little or no fi xed content, a most unthankful people, a people weary of his better represented the scriptural norms for wor- most virtuous government over them, “God forbid ship. that I should sin against the Lord and cease to pray To appreciate what he writes we need to realize for you” ( Samuel :). Prayer is the fi rst thing that (|) he is writing against Puritanism, and () with which a righteous life begins and the last with that we come out of a religious culture where it is which it ends. taken for granted that prayer is fi rst individual and e knowledge which we have on earth con- then, if we choose to make it so, corporate. He is cerning things that are done in heaven is small. Yet arguing for the superiority of corporate, public and we do know this of the Saints in heaven, that they common prayer. pray (Revelation :). And therefore prayer being a What follows is a paraphrase of chapters xxiii work common to the Church triumphant as well as to xxvi. militant, a work common unto men with Angels, Chapter xxiii Of Prayer should we not think that our lives are celestial and If it is true that Angels have their continual com- divine to the extent that we spend time in the exer- munication between the throne of God in heaven cise of prayer? We are not surprised to learn that and his Church militant here on earth, where the most comforting visitations, which God has should we fi nd this more verifi ed than in these sent people from above, have occurred especially two spiritual exercises, of teaching and prayer? For during times of prayer, as their natural opportuni- what is the assembling of the Church to learn than ties (Daniel :; Acts :). the receiving of angels descended from above? And M Page E M Page E e Prayer Book of HE booke of the common prayer and Sick, the Burial of the Dead, and service for Ash administracion of the Sacramentes and Wednesday. Only the Bible was needed alongside other rites and ceremonies of the Churche: this Booke to conduct services. Tafter the use of the Churche of England. All these services were after the use of the is title indicates that the contents are three- Churche of England. Hitherto there had been no fold: () the common prayer, referring to the choir- such Use. e Preface to this Prayer Book mentions offi ce of the canonical hours, here reduced to two, fi ve varieties of divine Service – those of Salisbury, Mattins and Evensong, together with the common Hereford, Bangor, York & Lincoln - but this list is prayer of procession, the Litany and Suff rages; not exhaustive. e diff erences were in details not () the administracion of the sacraments - Bap- in basic structure and doctrine. e new Unifor- tism, Confi rmation, Holy Communion, Penance, mity required by law in had not been known Matrimony and Unction of the Sick [all except in the Middle Ages in England or Europe. Ordination for which as yet no provision made], Music for the services was provided in e and () other rites and ceremonies of the Churche, booke of Common praier noted prepared by John viz, the Churching of Women, the Visitation of the Merbecke and published in .
M Page E M Page E Richard Hooker on Common Prayer Chapter xxiv Of Public Prayer with much more satisfaction than we do individu- () is holy and religious duty of service ally in private, because what we ask for in public towards God concerns us one way in that we are is the request of all of us, approved as needful human beings, and another way in that we are and good in the judgment of all. Further, in public joined as parts to that visible, mystical Body which prayer, if the zeal and devotion towards God of is his Church. As human beings we make our own some is slack, then the alacrity and fervour of choice of time, place and form for prayer, accord- others serve as a horseman’s spur. St Basil the ing to our own private, pressing needs (see Psalm Great (d.) says: “For even prayer itself when :; Daniel : & Acts :); but the service, which it does not have the company of many voices to we do as members of a public body, is public and strengthen it, is not itself (Epistle ).” Finally, for that cause must necessarily be judged so much the good which we do by public prayer is more worthier than the private service, even as a whole than can be done in private. For besides the ben- society exceeds the worth of any one of its mem- efi t which each of us gains for himself, the whole bers. erefore, it is to be noted that most special church is much edifi ed by his good example; and, promises are made unto Christian assemblies in consequently, whereas secret neglect by any of us the New Testament (e.g., Matthew :). of our duty in public prayer is but only our own ough St Paul was as likely to prevail with God hurt, it is also true that one person’s contempt in prayer as any mortal, nevertheless he thought it of the common prayer of the Church of God much more for God’s glory and his own good, if may be and often is more hurtful unto many. It prayers might be made and thanks off ered on his is with such thoughts that the Prophet David so behalf by a number of people (see Corinthians often vows unto God the sacrifi ce of praise and :). When the prince and people of Nineveh thanksgiving in the congregation (see Psalms : assembled themselves as a principal army of sup- & :); so earnestly urges others to sing praises plicants, it was not in the power of God to with- unto the Lord in his courts, in his sanctuary before stand them (see Jonah -). the memorial of his holiness (Psalms : & :); What I write concerning the power of public and so much complains of his own uncomfortable prayer in the Church of God agrees with what Ter- exile, wherein, although he sustained many most tullian (c - c ) wrote [Apology c. ]: “We grievous indignities, and endured the absence of come by troops to the place of assembly, that being pleasures and honours previously enjoyed, yet as if formed into a congregation, we may be supplicants this one were his only grief and the rest not felt, his to besiege God with our prayers. Such petitions are speeches are all of the heavenly benefi t of public acceptable to him.” assemblies, and the happiness of such as had free () When we pray together in public we do so access unto them (Psalms :; : & :).
Neither Archaic Nor Obsolete: e English Language of Prayer and Worship by the Rev’d Drs. Peter Toon and Louis Tarsitano e Prayer Book Society and the authors sincerely believe that this is a very important book. It supports the claims and encourages the activities of those who desire to worship God using the forms of words that have become holy and uniquely meaningful through long usage in English lan- guage services — in e Book of Common Prayer, e King James Bible, and the Hymnal (). We intend this book to serve several basic purposes: () To explain how the traditional English way of addressing God in the “ ou” form developed over the centuries; () To show when it came under attack and why there was a determined attempt to replace it with the “You” form; () To show the richness and stability, the reverence and the intimacy, of this traditional idiom of prayer; () To note the instability of the “You” language, which seems to absorb all the latest fads and ideologies as they appear in the church. Please order several copies now for yourself and also as a present for others (e.g., your Rector & Lay Readers). M Page E M Page E e booke e ofPrayer common prayer Book & administracion of of the Sacramentes and other rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England. n this second edition of the Prayer Book in the than the beginning, and so on. reign of Edward VI, the title is amended, by the Also the Book now contains the form & manner removal of “the” before common prayer and of making & consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Ithe substituting of “in the Churche of England” Deacons. for “of the Churche: after the use of the Churche In general, this Prayer Book reveals a greater of Englande.” conformity to the new Protestant theology devel- Inside the Book the Daily Offi ces are renamed oped in Europe by Luther and Calvin than did that “Morning and Evening Prayer” and each is given of . a long penitential introduction. e word “Mass” After the death of Edward VI on July , , the disappears from the title of the Holy Communion, use of this Book was suspended during the reign the structure of the Prayer of Consecration is sim- of Mary I from to . With minor changes plifi ed, the Ten Commandments replace the nine- it returned into use when Elizabeth I came to the fold Kyrie, the Gloria is placed at the end rather throne.
M Page E M Page E Richard Hooker on
Chapter xxv Of theCommon Form of Common Prayer Prayer . One major reason why religious persons fi nd the potential and power to help devotion; so much from experience that their souls are infl amed with more does the Minister with whom the people of the love of public devotion is this. e reverend and God join themselves in this action, for he is the one solemn order of common prayer has such virtue, that stands and speaks in the presence of God for force and effi cacy that it helps overcome that spiri- them. e authority of his place, the fervour of his tual impotence and weakness which is naturally in zeal, the piety and gravity of his whole behaviour us. Without the order of common prayer we are must of necessity exceedingly both grace and set the less able to off er unto God that heavenly ser- forward the service that he leads therein. vice, with such aff ection of heart and disposition of e authority of his calling also serves to pro- the powers of the soul, as he requires. mote public prayer. If God has so far received him To this end, therefore, it has always been into favour, as to impose upon him by the hands of thought in the Church that all things concern- men that offi ce of blessing the people in his name, ing public worship should be done with the most and making intercession to him in theirs, is not his solemnity and majesty that the wisest could devise. very ordination a seal as it were to us, that the self- Public and private prayer are of course diff erent. In same divine love, which has chosen the instrument private prayer secrecy rather than outward show to work with, will by that same instrument eff ect is commended, whereas in public prayer, which the thing whereunto he ordained it, in blessing his involves a whole congregation, more care has to people and accepting the prayers which his servant be taken of external appearance. us the assem- off ers up unto God for them? is offi ce, we recall, bling of people for public worship has always been God has sanctifi ed with his own most gracious regarded as a solemn matter. promise and also has ratifi ed that promise in the . Although the place of assembly [e.g., the ministries of those who have fulfi lled this calling. parish church] serves for a variety of public uses, In the light of their ordination and vocation, the its primary purpose is for the saying of Common ancient Christians usually gave God’s ministers Prayer. Our Lord confi rms this primary purpose the title of “God’s most beloved” [theophilesta- of the sanctuary by his sanctifying the Temple tous], since they were ordained to procure by their in Jerusalem and calling it “the House of Prayer” prayers his love and favour towards all. even though he was aware that the Temple was Again, if there is not zeal and fervency in the appointed by God’s favour and providence for a Minister that off ers for the rest those petitions and variety of other, special uses and services. supplications which they, by their joyful acclama- To develop this theme further. If, as the grav- tions [of Amen], must ratify; if he does not praise est of the ancient Fathers were persuaded and God with all his might; if he does not pour out his often plainly teach, it be the case that the house soul in prayer; if he does not take their causes to of prayer is a Court beautifi ed with the presence heart, or if he does not speak as Moses, Daniel and of celestial powers, that there we stand, we pray, Ezra did for their people; then how should there be we sing hymns unto God, joining our voices with in them anything other than frozen coldness, since those of the angels; and if it be that with reference the one from whom their aff ections should take to the house of God the Apostle Paul requires ( fi re, seems himself not to be on fi re? Cor.:) so great care to be taken of decency for Virtue and godliness of life are required at the the Angels’ sake; how can we come to the house hands of the minister of God, not only in that he of prayer, and not be moved with the very glory of is to teach and to instruct the people (who for the the place itself so as to frame our [thoughts and] most part are rather led away by the ill example, aff ections in an appropriate spirit of prayer, whose than directed aright by the wholesome instruc- petitions the Almighty sits there to hear, and his tion of them, whose life swerves from the rule of Angels are present to attend to? When this way of their own doctrine), but also much more in regard thinking was grafted in the minds of men centuries of this other part of his function, to be a godly ago, no penal statutes were needed to draw them example of holy living. In this regard, whether we unto public prayer. e warning bell was no sooner respect the weakness of the people, who are apt to heard, than the churches were immediately fi lled hate and despise the sanctuary when they which and the pavements covered with prostrate bodies minister within it are of such wickedness as the and washed with their tears of devout joy. sons of Eli were (see Samuel -); or else whether . Even as the place of public prayer, though we consider the inclination of God himself, who belonging to the external context of worship, has M Page E M Page E e Prayer Book of fter the Civil War, the rule of Oliver Crom- or said in churches: And the Form & Manner of well and then the return of King Charles II Making, Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops, to England, it was necessary to set in order Priests and Deacons. Athe Church of England including authorizing a Here for the fi rst time the Ordinal and the Prayer Book. e new edition of the Prayer Book Psalter were formally made part of e Book of was approved by Convocation in December Common Prayer and included in the full title. and by the King in Council on February . is edition remains the offi cial Prayer Book is Prayer Book was an amended form of that of the Church of England, and with e irty- authorized in the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, Nine Articles (printed at the end of the Prayer and it contained a new Preface. Book from ), constitute the Formularies of the THE BOOK of Common-Prayer and Admin- Church. It is widely used in the Church of England istration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and and in the British Commonwealth in either its Ceremonies of the Church according to the Use of original English or in translation. It was used in the Church of England, together with the Psalter America from to . or Psalms of David, pointed as they are to be sung
M Page E M Page E Richard Hooker on
Chapter xxvi Of themCommon that do not like to have Prayerany set form of Common Prayer . To the present time no man has ever been so poetry, and for a prayer which might be repeated impious as plainly and directly to condemn prayer. often, in circumstances diff erent from what caused e best strategy possessed by Satan, who knows its fi rst appearance. For that very hymn of Moses that his kingdom is shaken more by the public became later a part of the ordinary Jewish liturgy; devout prayers of God’s Church than anything as also did other such prayers composed later. else, is to slander their form and manner so as both e Jewish books of common prayer contained to bring them into contempt and to undermine the partly hymns taken out of the holy Scripture, power of people’s devotion towards them. From partly benedictions, thanksgivings, supplications, this strategy, and no other forge, a strange conceit penned by such as have been from time to time has proceeded, that to serve God with any set form the governors of that synagogue. ese they sorted of common prayer is superstitious. into their several times and places, some to begin . It is as though God himself did not provide the service of God with, and some to end, some for his Priests the very speech with which they to go before and some to follow, and some to be were charged to bless the people (Numbers :); placed between the divine readings of the Law and or as if our Lord, in order to prevent this enthusi- the Prophets. e Evangelist Matthew evidently asm for extempore and voluntary prayers, had not alludes to their custom of fi nishing the Passover left us of his own framing one prayer [ e Lord’s with certain Psalms (-), when he says that Prayer], which might both remain as a part of after the cup delivered by our Saviour unto his the Church liturgy, and also serve as a pattern by apostles “they sung” (Matthew :) and went which to construct all other prayers with effi cacy, forth to the mount of Olives. yet without excess of words. . As the Jews had their songs of Moses and If prayers are only accepted by God if they are David and the rest, so the Church of Christ from always newly conceived, according to the needs of the very beginning has both used the same and present occasions; if it is right to judge God by our besides them other of like nature, the song of own bellies, and to imagine that he hates to have the Virgin Mary, the song of Zechariah, the song the selfsame supplications often repeated, even of Simeon, and such hymns as the Apostle doth as we do to be fed every day without alteration or often speak of saying, “I will pray and sing with change of diet; if prayers are actions which ought the Spirit ( Corinthians :):” again “in psalms, to waste away in the making; if being retained and hymns and songs making melody unto the Lord used again as prayers, they become but instru- and that heartily” (Ephesians :). Hymns and ments of superstition: then surely we cannot psalms are such kinds of prayer as are not usually excuse Moses, who gave occasion of scandal to the conceived suddenly, but are framed by meditation world, by not being content to praise the name of beforehand, or else are inspired by prophetic illu- Almighty God according to the usual naked sim- mination, as at that time it appears they were when plicity of God’s Spirit for that admirable victory God, by extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, enabled given them against Pharaoh (Exodus ). But, in men to fulfi l all parts of service necessary for the the Song of Moses unto the Lord after the deliver- edifying of his Church. ance, a precedent was set for forming prayers as
Please remember e Prayer Book Society in your will. M Page E M Page E e American Prayer Book of / he General Convention of the Protestant the relation to the mother Church of England and Episcopal Church met in and adapted continuity of the life and ministry of that Church the English Prayer Book of in this way. in the newly organized Church in America. T() Prayers for the President and Congress replaced e Ordinal was approved and added in prayers for the British monarch and parliament; and e Articles of Religion in . () e Athanasian Creed was omitted as were is edition of the American Prayer Book was also the Magnifi cat and Nunc Dimittis in Evening offi cially revised in and again in . at Prayer; () e Scottish Prayer of Consecration which is called “ e Book of Common Prayer of (via the Scottish Communion Offi ce of ) was ” is not a revision of the classic Prayer Book adopted to replace that of in the Service of but a new kind of Prayer Book, containing a vari- Holy Communion; () New services were added ety of services in traditional and modern language – Visitation of Prisoners, anksgiving for the forms. erefore the edition remains THE fruit of the earth, and Forms of Family Prayer. Book of Common Prayer in the U.S.A. e Preface is important in that it establishes
M Page E M Page E Annotating the Book of
ost people whoCommon use e Book of Common arranged Prayer by R.Mant. Prayer desire to understand its struc- e full titles of the four popular commentaries ture and contents, so that they can use published both sides of the Atlantic are: Mit more devoutly and effi ciently. e Prayer Book Interleaved with historical From to the First World War learned men illustrations and explanatory notes arranged par- produced for publishing companies, including the allel to the text, by the Rev. W.M. Campion & the SPCK, many diff erent, annotated editions of e Rev. W.J. Beaumont, with a preface by the Lord Book of Common Prayer, which contained notes, Bishop of Ely [E.H. Browne]. [First published in explanations, comments and introductions of , it remained in print through editions until varying length, quality and churchmanship. .] e last edition of an annotated BCP appeared e Annotated Book of Common Prayer, being in when the Oxford University Press of New an historical, ritual & theological commentary on York City published e Oxford American Prayer the devotional system of the Church of England… Book Commentary which included the text of the edited by J.H. Blunt. [First published with its American Book of Common Prayer of on one last edition in .] page and commentary on the opposite page by e Teacher’s Prayer Book, being the Book of Massey H. Shepherd, Jr. Common Prayer with introductions, analyses and is Oxford book was not, however, the fi rst notes…by A. Barry (). e fi rst edition of this Prayer Book Commentary to have been published text was in with a th edition in . in the USA. Bishop T.C. Brownell was the editor e Book of Common Prayer with commentary of one that fi rst appeared in and this was for teachers & students containing historical intro- reprinted regularly until at least . Its title was duction [First published in and then com- e Family Prayer Book or e Book of Common mentary rewritten for new edition in by E.E. Prayer accompanied by a general commentary. Warren, and in print until the late s.] ere were also published in the USA in the th An examination of the twenty-fi ve or so other and th centuries several other commentaries on annotated prayer books that only had small print the American Prayer Book. ese had originally runs would take us into the theological and liturgi- been written with reference to the English BCP of cal emphases and controversies of the th century. and were adapted to the American one (edi- For example, one that was published in and tion of or later of ). e editors of these had three printings until was entitled, e were the Rev’d W.M. Campion with the Rev’d W.J. Book of Common Prayer…with explanatory notes Beaumont ( e Prayer Book Interleaved), Canon J. compiled from all former ritualists. One edition H. Blunt ( e Annotated Book of Common Prayer), which is of particular interest to those who want Bishop A. Barry ( e Teacher’s Prayer Book), the a profound devotional commentary on the BCP Rev’d F.E. Warren ( e BCP with Commentary for is e Whole Book of Common Prayer with notes Teachers and Students). selected from eminent divines, printed by J. & R. While the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Childs of Bungay, Suff olk in . It was reprinted USA produced two commentaries and imported in and is extremely rare. four or more others, the mother Church of the It would seem that the time is ripe for the Prayer Anglican Family, the Church of England, produced Book Societies of the Anglican Communion to at least twenty-fi ve and maybe even thirty editions produce a good Annotated BCP! of the BCP , where notes or commentary or Meanwhile, there is much valuable information introductions were added to the text. ese were on the BCP in two books that are readily available of varied quality and some were often reprinted second hand: Liturgy & Worship, edited by W.K. while others only appeared once or twice. Lowther Clarke and A New History of the Book of ose which were often reprinted in new and Common Prayer, by Procter and Frere. improved editions in England, were those men- e task of putting the major editions referred tioned above with respect to America, together to above on to CD’s, using pdf, and for use on with two others. First, one which made use of the computers has begun and proceeds slowly within notes of William M. Burkitt ( –). is the American Prayer Book Society. e Annotated fi rst appeared in and was often reprinted by Prayer Book produced by Canon Blunt has been several printers until as e Book of Common placed on a CD by Irene Tees and will soon be Prayer…with notes & annotations by Wm Burkitt. available from the On-Line Store to be opened by And second, one which was edited by Bishop Rich- the Prayer Book Society, as well as from the usual ard Mant (-) and printed between address of the PBS in Philadelphia. and as e Book of Common Prayer with notes e Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon M Page E explanatory, practical and historical…selected and M Page E AllCharlottesville, Saints Church Virginia hen visitors come to All Saints parish deaconesses (the other being Sister Arlyn New- the fi rst thing they notice is a passage comb), seems to increase week by week. At the of Scripture quoted at the bottom of end of Holy Communion we have a procession of Wthe bulletin for the Sunday service: ey continued twenty-fi ve to thirty little ones to the altar rail for a steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, blessing. We have a large number of young families and in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers in the parish and I hope and pray we continued to (Acts :). is pinpoints one of the major be blessed by more. We are also very blessed to emphasizes of All Saints, a parish in the Diocese attract students from the University of Virginia of the Eastern United States within the Anglican who are looking for a parish home. is gives us a Church in America: a focus on apostolic faith and good number of bright young people who are both worship as set forth in the Holy Scriptures and as intellectually sharp and spiritually hungry for the lived in the ancient Church. Gospel. According to our Rector none of the UVA We truly think that the Prayer Book tradition students, who drive about seven miles to get to confers a beautiful living reality to this ideal, pro- the parish, has ever once expressed a desire for a viding forms of service contemporary language that are biblical and service. doctrinally sound and In order to address in keeping with the the needs of both mind great spiritual heritage and spirit, we off er of the Western Church. a number of classes Sunday worship at All geared toward students Saints centers around and adults. “How to the Holy Communion Study the Bible,” “Sci- as found in the ence and the Christian American Book of Faith,” “ e Cruelty of Common Prayer. e Heresy” and “What is service is defi nitely a Just War?” have been celebrated in the high Sunday School topics. church tradition, and Our commitment to those coming from a Christian education is traditional Lutheran or Roman Catholic back- also fostered by our involvement in the Center for ground fi nd the words prayed and the ceremonial Christian Study here in Charlottesville. Over the employed very familiar. However, this isn’t done past year several clergy and lay scholars from our simply to preserve things the way they were in the parish have given lectures at the Center on theo- Episcopal Church of decades past. logical and cultural subjects. To our great benefi t e classic Prayer Book is used because it has we have an excellent staff of clergy at the parish. stood the test of time and has been used by Angli- e rector, Father Glenn Spencer, is the arch- can Christians for over years. Many of the deacon for the Diocese and has been at All Saints members of our parish came to All Saints from for the past twelve years. Previously he worked faith traditions outside of the Anglican tradition as a chaplain at Duke University Medical Center (or from no faith tradition at all). ose who have and Director of Pastoral Care at Charter Medical come and stayed often say it is because in the clas- Center in North Carolina. Our curates are the sical Anglican way of prayer they fi nd worship Rev. Michael Kerouac, a priest who also serves as that is biblical, orthodox, and in keeping with chaplain at the Miller School, the Rev. Dr. Gene the traditions of the undivided Catholic Church. Godbold, a deacon (formally trained in biochem- All who come to All Saints fi nd a Christian home istry and employed as a scientifi c researcher), and that truly centers on the preaching of the true and the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Adams, a deacon, political lively Word and the right administration of the scientist, and a scholar in residence at the Center Holy Sacraments. for Christian Study. Happily, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism is We also have a very visible presence on the celebrated frequently at All Saints as well. In the world wide web, thanks to the excellent work last two years many children have entered in the done by Christopher Hoebeke: Several traditional Christian fold at our font. e number of infants Anglican web sites have a link to a site Chris and toddlers taken care in the nursery each Lord’s designed that allows you to set up the Daily Offi ce Day by Sister Lynda Gerlach, one of our devoted throughout the entire year using several scripture M Page E M Page E translations. He also helped me set up a site where Faith according to the Anglican tradition, rooted I’ve listed biographies of some notable Anglicans. in Holy Scripture, the two Creeds, and the weekly To visit our parish site, please go to www.allsaintsa Holy Communion given in the Prayer Book tradi- nglican.org and enjoy what you see! tion. However, it isn’t mired in disputes of the past Our street address is: All Saints Anglican nor does it seek to be a repository for how the way Church, Ivy Road, Charlottesville, VA things used to be. e Anglican Church is not, nor . should it be, a museum piece. All Saints seeks to be In terms of our choir we have one of the most a living parish with an evangelical mandate to win gifted groups I think I’ve ever heard. ey are led others to Christ and to worship the Blessed Trinity by our organist and music director Roger Seth- in the beauty of holiness through the Sacraments mann. Having the classic hymns sung so rever- ordained by Our Lord, taking the true Faith and ently and robustly focuses mind and heart on the worship of the ancient Church into the future. mysteries of the faith. As Saint Augustine once [Derrick L. Hassert, postdoctoral fellow at remarked Song is prayer prayed twice. the University of Virginia and postulant for Holy In short, All Saints seeks to live the Catholic Orders within the Anglican Church in America.]
e First History of the Continuing Anglican Movement is now available from Tractarian Press! Divided We Stand: A History of the Continuing Anglican Movement by Douglas Bess Chronicles the formation and histories of various Continuing groups, includ- ing the ACC, ACA, APCK, EMC, and others. Divided We Stand is a 314 page, 51/2 x 81/2 paperback, ISBN 0-9719636-0-6. Send Check or Money Order for $22.00 to: Tractarian Press 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, 71-295 • Riverside, CA 92507 Or visit our website at tractarianpress.com
Continued from Page requires the lifting up of pure hands in prayer, and had all one original mould, and that the public has given the world plainly to understand that the prayers of the people of God in well-established wicked, although they cry, shall not be heard (see churches were never dependent on day-to-day John :; Jeremiah :; Ezekiel :); they are inspiration and ex tempore prayer. no fi t supplicants to seek his mercy on behalf of . To him who considers (i) the grievous and others, whose own unrepented sins provoke his scandalous inconveniences to which they make just indignation. “Let thy Priests therefore, O Lord, themselves daily subject, with whom any blind be evermore clothed with righteousness, that thy and secret corner is judged a fi t house of common saints may thereby with more devotion rejoice and prayer; (ii) the manifold confusions which they sing (Psalm :).” fall into where every man’s private spirit and gift . But of all helps for due performance of this (as they term it) is the only Bishop who ordains service of public prayer the greatest is the very him to this ministry; (iii) the irksome deformities existence and availability of, e Book of Common whereby through endless and senseless eff usions Prayer, which framed with common advice, has of undigested prayers they often disgrace in a both for matter and form prescribed whatsoever most insuff erable manner the worthiest part of is publicly done in worship. No doubt from God it Christian duty towards God – that is, those who has proceeded; and by us it must be acknowledged are subject to no certain order in public worship, a work of his singular care and providence, that but pray both what and how they please: I say to the Church has always through the centuries held him, who duly weighs all these things, the reasons a prescribed form of common prayer, although not cannot be obscure, why God in public prayer so in all things everywhere the same, yet for the most much respects the solemnity of places where, the part retaining much the same shape and content. authority and calling of persons by whom, and the So that if the liturgies of all ancient churches precise appointment even with what words or sen- throughout the world are compared amongst tences, his name should be called upon amongst themselves, it may be easily perceived that they his people. M Page E M Page E Whatever are the Anglican
BooksDo they of have Homilies? authority? n the Church of England in the sixteenth cen- ere is the question as to the authority of the tury sermons could not be preached by every Book(s) of Homilies, which are dependent upon incumbent (rector/vicar of a parish). A licence the authority of the formulary we know as e Iwas needed, for which an M.A. degree (usually irty-Nine Articles of Religion (). ( e other from Oxford or Cambridge) was a usual qualifi ca- two formularies of the Anglican Way are the BCP tion. In e Book of Common Prayer no sermon and the Ordinal.) is scheduled or required in the rubrics at either In Article XI on Justifi cation we are told that a Morning or Evening Prayer, or with the Litany, but full exposition of the doctrine is contained in the one is required in the Order for the Holy Com- Homily of Justifi cation, which is Homily III in the munion. First Book. is strongly suggests that to know the When a sermon was not to be preached at Holy doctrine of justifi cation by faith of the Reformed Communion, according to the Book of Common Church of England we need to study this Homily. Prayer of , “After the Crede, if there be no us this Homily has a specifi c, doctrinal author- sermon, shal follow one of the homelies already ity. set forth, or hereafter to be set forth by commune Article XXXV describes the second Book of auchthoritie.” e rubric remains substantially Homilies and states that it contains “a godly and unchanged to the present day in the Prayer Book wholesome doctrine and necessary for these of the Church of England. It was widely obeyed times”. en it refers to the First Book and then during the reigns of King Edward VI & Queen Eliz- of both Books says: “We judge them to be read in abeth I (-). In fact in the parish churches churches by the Ministers, diligently and distinctly, of Shakespeare’s England sermons were heard less that they may be understanded of the people.” is frequently than the homilies. ey were strongly suggests that the Homilies teach and illustrate the defended against Puritan attacks in Elizabeth’s worship, doctrine and discipline of the Church of reign. ( e Puritans objected to a minister reading England in a general way and in their essential con- a sermon written by another person.) tents (rather than their rhetorical style and inter- e Book of Homilies, as the rubric states, nal organization) are to be received as the doctrine is in fact two books bound together. e fi rst book of the Church of England. e emphasis that they of twelve () written sermons was published in be read “diligently and distinctly” is notable for the reign of Edward VI in , and the second they are not in any way popular sermons. ey are book of twenty-one () in the reign of Elizabeth much more demanding than the average sermon in . Archbishop Cranmer is the major name on today in any church. behind the fi rst book and Bishop Jewel behind the If an Anglican Province sets aside the Articles second. of Religion then it would seem that the Homilies e topics of the fi rst book of homilies are: sin, have no authority at all for they are dependent on salvation, justifi cation, faith, good works and the the existence and authority of the Articles. How- Christian life of faithfulness and obedience. ever, in Elizabeth I’s day they were required to be e topics of the second book of homilies used by other personal forms of authority, espe- include: Christmas, Easter, Whitsuntide, Roga- cially that of the Queen herself. tiontide, Marriage, Common Prayer, the Sacra- It would appear that in the Book of ments, Idolatry and godly living. Homilies is no longer in print (according to British Often a homily was divided into two or three Books in print). parts and read on consecutive Sundays. It is surely time for a new edition and one is It is surprising that the Homilies have not being planned for by Edgeways Books an enriched the English language with proverbial imprint of e Brynmill Press Ltd of England. phrases as have the Bible and the Prayer Book. And it is surely time for more people of the is may be partly because most of the homilies Anglican Way to become acquainted with them are in any case solidly biblical, and secondly per- and their teaching. To this end the Prayer Book haps because now that they are so little known we Society has released a double CD whereon are do not recognize every phrase they put into cir- recorded the fi rst six Homilies, read by Dr. Toon. culation. Shakespeare is said to have derived from ese are available from the OnLine Store or the them his ideas about the necessity for order and PBS Offi ce in Philadelphia. respect for authority. M Page E M Page E e Book of Common Prayer: Why Does Its Language Work So Well, and Where May I Obtain a Copy? irst published in and, in revised and gation. Further, it is characterized by being the edited forms, published many times since, address of an inferior to a superior, never of an e Book of Common Prayer is still in print equal to an equal. Its purpose is not primarily Fand still works in a dignifi ed and effi cient way for the communication of information but the vocal public worship. Why so? expression of the inner convictions of faith, hope It is written in a formal, not informal, language, and love. It is designed to be read out not once only composed of texts produced to be spoken/chanted but often, week by week or day by day, and become aloud either by a single person or by the congre- the more meaningful by this constant use.
Obtaining a Prayer Book . Copies of both the English Book of Common Prayer and the American Book of Common Prayer (in leather and cloth) may be obtained from Oxford University Press in New York City (-- -, Bible Department). Discounts for bulk orders from churches. . A pew edition of the Book of Common Prayer is also available in red binding from the Anglican Parishes Association, Fairway Drive, Athens, GA. for . including postage; a box of copies is available for ., postage included. Call --.
FROM THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY ON LINE STORE www.anglicanmarketplace.com or the PBS OFFICE, P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA 19128-0220 (1-800-PBS-1928)
Four Music C D’s Recordings on a CD of • Morning Prayer with the Litany from St omas’ Church Houston; • Evening Prayer with Anthem from St John’s, Savannah, • Holy Communion with anthem & hymns from St omas’ Church Houston, and • Merbecke’s setting to the Services recorded in NYC in . ree non-music C D’s • Blunt’s Annotated Prayer Book (pdf); • Selected th Century Homilies (speech); and • Homilettes on BCP prayers (speech) by Dr. Peter Toon. Two Books • Neither Archaic Nor Obsolete: the Language of Common Prayer and Public Worship, by Dr. Toon & Dr. Tarsitano; • Spanish BCP Abbreviated edition (M & E P, Litany & HC).
e Society for the Preservation NONPROFIT ORG. of the Book of Common Prayer US POSTAGE PAID ( e Prayer Book Society) FORT WORTH, TX P.O. Box Permit No. Philadelphia, PA -
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