ANGLICAN WAY Formerly Mandate, the magazine of the Prayer Book Society Volume 37 Number 1 March 2014 In ThIs Issue Reflections from 2the Editor’s Desk ACNA’s New 4 Formularies Why English Theology and 5 Churchmanship Are Hopelessly Weak An Exchange with John Warwick 6 Montgomery Final Response by John Warwick 10 Montgomery ’28BCP: In Defense of the Book of 11 Common Prayer— The Early Days Children, Confirmation and 13 Communion— A Response Where Is the 1928 BCP the “Liturgical 15 Standard”? Book Review of Worshipping Trinity 17 by Robin Parry 18 Time and Holiness Contemplating 19 Ambition in Lent 20 Lent Reflections FROM THEEditor’s Desk Roberta Bayer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Patrick Henry College, Purcellville, Virginia Neither ought other men’s abuse of Lent the church, but the scandal that we bring upon the Spoil the good use; lest by that argument church ourselves. We forfeit all our Creed. If he could find reason to upbraid himself for Lent, George Herbert bitterness, a man who was just and righteous from We need your all accounts, then so should we. There are ordinary Anglicans who might consider all the fighting about hurch seasons and worldly seasons are not at gifts in order to doctrine and morals that fill the news and the pews one. The ordinary pace of life does not allow as just something to be ignored, while others might carry out your one to keep the fast of Lent—the spring festi- consider it a reason to leave, to forfeit the creed. There mandate to Cvals, the renewal of the sports season, my son’s Spring is good reason not to focus on scandal but simply to Prom—none seem appropriate to the season of Lent. defend the 1928 teach the faith on a day to day basis, even if one can- My frustration with this pace of life, a pace of life not counter all the publicity about what should not be Book of which Christians themselves don’t question, is that happening in the Church. Common it gets in the way of the prayer and contemplation John Warwick Montgomery’s comments printed that I desire just for this one church season. Cannot Prayer. in this issue, on the weakness of English theology and everything just stop? Why must there be such busy- churchmanship, are unfortunately too typical. John is You may send ness in Lent? a vigorous defender of orthodoxy, a well-known pub- a contribution But in the same poem, George Herbert upbraids lic apologist for the Christian faith and a Lutheran me for this frustration: in the enclosed theologian. Living in Europe and in North America, envelope. The humble soul compos’d of love and fear he has witnessed much of the foolishness that has Begins at home, and layes the burden there come to characterize the public face of Anglicanism. Please give When doctrines disagree. His criticisms ring true. But the difficulty is that pub- generously. He sayes, in things which use hath justly got lic perceptions of a Church skew the reality. I am a scandall to the Church, and not John is an esteemed colleague of mine at Patrick Please read our two The Church is so to me Henry College and wrote his article on the sad state of the Church of England for an upcoming issue of websites: pbsusa.org Anglicans have been obsessed in the last few decades his Global Journal of Classic Theology, an online jour- and anglicanway with the scandals of the church—the internet is filled nal of Evangelical Theology (found at http://phc.edu/ magazine.com with the evidence. In the early 17th century, when the gj_journalindex.php). Viewing Dr. Montgomery’s Contact Dr. Bayer at Church was not quite as scandalous in its statements comments in advance, I asked his permission to print editor.mandate@ and behavior as today, the devotional poet George them. I asked our President Gavin Dunbar and two gmail.com or from Herbert yet observed that in Lent our consuming other members of the Prayer Book Society board, Dr. the PBS website. attention should be not with the scandal of others in Gillis Harp, and Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff, Anglican Way Volume 37, Number 1, March 2014 Editor: Dr. Roberta Bayer • Assistant Editor: Sydney Nichole Thomas • Design/Layout: Electronic Quill The Officers for the Year 2013 are: President: The Rev. Gavin Dunbar • Vice President: The Rev. Fr. Edward Rix Treasurer: Kathleen Stephans of Philadelphia • Secretary: Mrs. Rhea Bright of Oklahoma Executive Director: The Rev. Jason Patterson Anglican Way is published four times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profit organization serving the Church of God. All gifts to the P.B.S. are tax deductible for U.S. citizens. Editorial and all other correspondence: P.O. Box 137, Jenkintown, PA 19046-0137. Phone 1-800-PBS-1928. Cover: A parish church, Postmaster: Please send address changes to the above address. church of England Visit the websites of the Society: www.pbsusa.org & www.anglicanmarketplace.com. ©iStockphoto.com/cnstock 2 THE MAGAZINE OF THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY to comment. This exchange makes for a lively debate about the merits of Anglican Theology and the Ref- ormation formularies (and the English character). The defense presented on these pages shows that News from the public scandal is not all there is to see. Finally, to Dr. Montgomery’s final remarks about Sola Scriptura in Anglican Way Anglicanism, a future article must be devoted. None- theless, it is also salutary to remember during Lent THE SECOND ANNUAL PETER TOON and Passion Week of that which Herbert reminds MEMORIAL LECTURE us—the greatest scandal really lies within—the daily sins and the original sin of Adam, for which Christ The Second Annual Peter Toon Memorial Lecture, died on the Cross to redeem us. hosted by the Church Society, will be given by the In Anglican Way, Vol. 36, No. 2, Summer 2013, the Rev. Dr. Ashley Null, Fellow of the Royal Histori- President of the PBS, the Rev. Gavin Dunbar wrote cal Society in London, and Canon Theologian of an article on the question of whether or not children Western Kansas. Dr. Null will speak on “The Divine should receive communion before being confirmed, Allurement: Cranmer’s Comfortable Words”. The lec- entitled “Children, Confirmation, and Communion.” ture will be held on Friday, June 13, 2014 at Oak Hill In a subsequent issue, the Rev. Jonathan Mitchican, Theological College. Evening prayer is at 4pm, fol- who blogs at conciliaranglican.com, responded some- lowed by refreshments and the Lecture. what critically to Fr. Dunbar’s remarks. He wondered The Rev. Dr. Ashley Null is the author of numer- whether or not the practice of Confirmation, as found ous scholarly articles and the influential study of in the Anglican Reformation, is consistent with Scrip- Cranmer’s grace and gratitude theology, Thomas tural teaching and Patristic theology. In this issue, Fr. Cranmer’s Doctrine of Repentance: Renewing the Dunbar responds to Fr. Mitchican, pointing to some Power of Love (Oxford, 2000). He is currently based of the sources for the Anglican Reformers’ views on at Humboldt University of Berlin and Cambridge confirmation. Also on the next page, Fr. Dunbar com- University, UK, where he is preparing a critical edi- ments briefly upon the new ACNA formularies. tion of Thomas Cranmer’s private theological notes. William Murchison, well-known syndicated col- umnist and long-time friend of the Prayer Book Soci- w ety, has recently joined our board. He has contributed a lively article, in his inimitable style. It is the first part of The Georgia Anglican/Episcopal Men’s Conference a two-part article on the early days of the Prayer Book announces its upcoming meeting for 2014. “Man to Society. Fittingly another article in this issue, contrib- Man: Sharing the Christian Faith in a Pluralistic Soci- uted by the Rev. Frederick Erb III, priest of the Episco- ety” will be held September 12–14, 2014, at St. Luke’s pal Missionary Church, considers the extent to which Church, 7 Ewing Street (P.O. Box 1821), Blue Ridge, the historic Books of Common Prayer continue to be George. used in the continuum and beyond, despite their having Speakers will include the Rev. Canon Dr. John been replaced in 1979 within the Episcopal Church, by Macdonald, Associate Professor of Mission and the “Green Book.” An interesting book by an English Evangelism at Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, evangelical theologian who is re-discovering the mer- Pennsylvania and Ted Sprague, founder of Witness its of Trinitarian worship, is reviewed here by the Rev. Breakthrough, an organization seeking to equip Jim Basinger, rector of Our Saviour Oatlands. Not all Christians to learn to share their faith more effectively. signs of the times are entirely bad. Finally we have an Inquiries can be made at St. Luke’s Church article about the importance of the 1928 Ordo Calen- (706) 632-8245. dar, and the importance of daily worship according to that calendar, by Allison Steinberg, the administrative Who may attend? Anglican/Episcopal laymen Dean of St. Andrew’s Academy and Fr. John Boonzaai- from throughout the state of Georgia and surround- jer, rector of the Chapel of the Cross and Headmas- ing states are welcomed. Clergy are also invited. ter of St. Timothy’s School, Dallas, Texas. Whithorn What is the cost? The registration fee is $65 if Press produces a beautiful Ordo Calendar based upon booked by August 15, $70 thereafter. The fee includes the 1928 BCP. See: http://whithornpress.standrews a wine and cheese reception on Friday night and a almanor.org/sample-page/ bagged lunch and supper on Saturday.