Serving the Combined Ministry District of St Paul’s Manuka, St David’s Red Hill and St Luke’s Deakin Community Three churches: one community

No. 22 Summer 2012 Commemorating the

The 350th anniversary of the publishing of the Book of Common Prayer in 1662 was celebrated at a special choral at St Paul’s on 23 August. It coincided with a two-day seminar organised by St Mark’s National Theological Centre to mark the anniversary. “Brilliant” was how the of and Goulburn, Bishop Stuart Robinson, described the service. “I was greatly heartened and felt privileged to find myself in that context.” He thanked the Ministry team and Parishioners for their love and services. (Continued on page 3)

Papers presented at the seminar Theological reassessed the BCP’s influence, significance and relevance both for connections the past and for today. The Bishop of Canberra and his issue of Community goes into Goulburn, Bishop Stuart Robinson, in T some theological depth, the his address to Synod said the Book of reward for which is in the reading. Common Prayer had worked A significant event at St Paul’s alongside the Authorised King James was the special evensong celebrating version of the Bible to shape the the 350th anniversary of the first English-speaking world. Where God between the two institutions. publication of the Book of Common spoke to his people through the The Rev’d Dr John Moses reflects Prayer, conveniently referred to as vernacular of the King James Bible, on how the Book of Common Prayer BCP. the Book of Common Prayer enabled has given its unique This event in itself demonstrated the collected voices of his people to stamp as both a and the important link between St Mark’s engage with God in prayer and praise Reformed Communion. National Theological Centre and St as an eternal legacy. The Rev’d Robert Willson, further Paul’s and the Combined Ministry Professor Tom Frame, in his demonstrating his affection for District. address to the evensong service, Roman history, recalls historical As part of the celebration St explored the full social, political and connections between St Paul at Mark’s organised a public seminar religious context of the BCP. ancient Corinth and some fascinating over two days, recognising the BCP The Rector of St Paul’s, the Rev’d links to the wider Roman Empire, as one of the most influential literary Dr Brian Douglas, in a paper with a roll call of “interesting productions in the English language delivered at the seminar focused on its characters”. with its profound impact on literature sacramental theology. One particular Community is grateful to and theology as well as how people aspect of the sacramental theology— Professor Frame, Dr Moses, Dr have prayed and worshipped for 350 the many faces of the communion Douglas and Fr. Robert Willson for years. service—is reflected in the extract the opportunity to include the fruits As the material for the seminar from that address included in of their scholarship in this issue so indicated, its wider influence has been Community . that we can all share in recognising a in accompanying the of Dr Douglas is also a Senior book that remains significant to us England's expansion from a national Lecturer in Theology at St Mark’s, and to deepen our own understanding established church to global part of the strengthening connection of one of the most important communion. documents in our history.

CONTENTS Crossing the threshold: A “new Theological connections 2 expression” of ministry A new expression of Ministry at St Paul’s 2 n a “new expression” of Ministry, St Paul’s, The prayer book of a nation 3 I standing as it does at the crossway of The unique stamp of commercial, community and leisure activity in the Anglicanism 5 Manuka and Kingston precinct, is reaching out to The many faces of the service of build a Christian bridge between it and the life of the Holy Communion 6 Manuka. It is a significant step forward for the Op Shop reflects dedication of Manuka Parish. volunteers 9 Susan Bridge The initiative is being supported by both the St Paul's fete raises funds for Pelican Foundation of the Anglican Diocese of ministry 12 Canberra and Goulburn and the Manuka Parish. Under the arrangements the Conduits of change and Rev'd Susan Bridge is to be appointed a part-time Chaplain to the Manuka transformation 13 Business and Cafe strip to make contact with businesses and cafes and A pilgrimage to Israel 14 develop opportunities for missional engagement and “fresh expressions” of History and the Christian faith church. At the same time with Parish funding raised from the fete, Susan is 16 to assume a full-time Ministry role. Plan to restore St Paul’s nave The initiative will begin in 2013, coinciding with the 150th anniversary windows 17 celebrations in the Diocese. Susan was ordained in 2009. She has significant St David’s “Garage Sale” 18 experience as a business executive outside the church. Her new project will New offer an opportunity for her to bring those skills to a missional setting. appointed 19 (Continued on page 11)

2

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: The Prayer Book of a Nation

Professor Tom Frame

ore than 250 people attended a service of If Charles wanted the M at St Paul’s on 23 August as blood of regicides, part of a two-day seminar organised by St Mark’s advocates of the Established National Theological Centre to mark the 350th Church demanded vigorous anniversary of the first publishing of the Book of suppression of the Puritans. Common Prayer in 1662. The service drew high Sadly, most of the praise as a significant event for St Paul’s. The forgot nothing and forgave Director of St Mark’s National Theological Centre, nothing. Whereas Charles was personally disposed Professor Peter Frame, spoke eloquently of the history, towards religious diversity, the Church’s leaders would significance and contemporary relevance of the Book have nothing of it. In Charles’ realm, religious assemblies of Common Prayer in the expansion of the Church of of five or more people were prohibited unless they England from a national church to a global submitted to the order and discipline of the Church of communion. England. The Act of Uniformity would make use of the Book of Common Prayer obligatory from midnight on I: UNITING A PEOPLE DEEPLY DIVIDED Thursday, 24 August,1662. No public service of worship could be conducted unless it was drawn from the pages of t is difficult for us to imagine the eve of Saint the new prayer book. A lot was riding on the volume that Bartholomew’s Day 1662. We are locked in our own I would appear on St Bartholomew’s Day. time, encased within our own experience. The customs When copies went on sale, most were loose leave and conventions of 2012 make it difficult to sympathise sheets produced in folios; the main issue was not the let alone emphathise with those who have gone before us. book or its contents but the Act of Uniformity. While I The past is a strange place, they do curious things find myself lacking in sympathy for the theological there. 350 years is not just long ago, it is virtually another agenda and ecclesiological aspirations of the Puritans, I world. But to the extent that we are able, let us try to gain would have shared their utter abhorrence at the Act of a sense of the night before the new Book of Common Uniformity and its religious presumptions and political Prayer was published and grasp what was at stake for its pretensions. compilers and advocates, its recipients and its detractors. Initial reactions to the Book of Common Prayer did That a new Prayer Book was about to be launched not focus on its contents but on the intolerance of the was a remarkable thing. The King, Charles II, had coercive apparatus in which it was encased. This was a recently come to the throne after the monarchy was tragedy … not only because the Act of Uniformity was restored following the 12 years of turbulent republican certainly doomed to fail (and it did) .. but more so government. His father (Charles I) had been put to death because the magnitude of the compilers’ achievement as a tyrant, guilty of declaring war on his own people in was overlooked and perhaps even wilfully ignored by an ill-fated attempt to retain absolute power. Charles II those from whom better might have been expected. was determined to enact revenge on those who had Nearly 2,000 clergy, unwilling to submit to the Act of executed his father even as his younger brother, Henry, Uniformity on principle, were ejected from their churches and sister, Mary, died of smallpox, and his brother, and made into virulent opponents of a prayer book that James, married a Roman Catholic. While the depleted contained so much that was worthy of their study and economy was being reconfigured to accommodate a their support. constitutional monarch and a representative parliament, When the controversy and the conflict over state- there was a burgeoning empire to administer and the sanctioned religion died down, even the in-principle prospect of war with the Dutch. detractors of an authorised acknowledged its With all of these pressures demanding his attention, it careful handling of complex doctrine and praised its is remarkable that one of the new king’s first acts was provision of wise pastoral counsel. Such was its agreeing to commission a new prayer book that many theological substance and liturgical substance, the 1662 hoped would unite a people deeply divided over how BCP was to serve the English Church and the Church of God was to be worshipped and what kind of Church England in Australia for more than 300 years. ought to be maintained. There was lingering hostility between Puritans, Roman Catholics and those who II: LEGACIES OF THE BOOK OF COMMON believed in an Established Church – an entity that would accommodate the spiritual aspirations of the nation. The PRAYER liturgy the new book was superseding had been banned hat, then, can we draw from this book 350 years because it represented state-sanctioned religious W on as the people of God? Let me mention just orthodoxy and because it contained doctrines that some seven things very briefly. The first is the importance of believers neither accepted nor assented to. (Continued on page 4)

3 (Continued from page 3) … what it might yet become … is already exuding the common public and private prayer. The second is the signs of decadence and has sowed the first seed of its value of regular prayer at set times. The third is striking own demise. the right balance between, for instance, thanksgiving and intercessions, between repentance and praise. The fourth III: VISION OF A CREATIVE ORDER is attentiveness to context and acknowledgement of would not want anyone to think that I am promoting locality in expressing a Christian presence and declaring I the BCP (or its heirs and successors) as a manual for a Christian agenda. The fifth is the significance of personal fulfilment or a charter for civil society. It was posture to both prayer and worship. The sixth is the not intended to be either. But to the extent that it places possibility of securing and preserving doctrinal individuals and communities in right relation to each orthodoxy through an authorised liturgy. The seventh is other and to God, to the extent that it offers a compelling the inculcation of belief and the deepening of faith account of the fallen sinner and an honest appraisal of the through worship. broken family, it addresses questions, identifies issues With these legacies in mind, I would contend that the and with clarity speaks well beyond the narrow confines BCP belongs not just to the and to of the gathered Christian community with an engaging Anglicans but to Western civilisation and its intellectual vision of the created order. and public culture. For centuries, the BCP seemed to When immersed in the BCP the is constantly mediate not only reminded that is religious life but civil not a personal creed for private proceedings as well. individuals to pursue in the From my confines of their own home. observations of the While Christianity seeks to liturgical reform process take the slum out of the that began in England individual, it strives to take during the 1920s, individuals and whole inadequate attention was communities out of slums as given to the wider well. audience and the The BCP stresses that broader function of the Christianity is a radical BCP. Having said that, I religion that calls for nothing concede that the Church less than the complete inner was, of course, the most transformation of the consistent user of the individual through repentance and faith and a BCP and the most affected by the liturgy … and it was comprehensive renewal of society based on love and not surprising that it looked first to its own needs, albeit compassion. It emphasizes that Jesus lived and died to in relation to the community it was called to serve. free individuals from slavery to sin and death, and In my view the “supplementary” prayer books of commanded his followers to fashion a new community in 1978 and 1995 managed to preserve several of the which the promises of the (Luke 1:46-55) essential elements of the mood and the tenor of worship were physically realised and the pledges of the and life that was projected into all of society through the on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12) took concrete form. Not 1662 Prayer Book. Yet, the AAPB and APBA were, surprisingly, both texts are recited in common prayer. however, primarily for a church and not prayer But inasmuch as the compilers of the BCP were more books for a nation. They lack the broad sweep and interested in a godly people than a Christian nation, the holistic vision of the BCP. daily services made plain the conviction that sanctified The critical question that we might ask is this: given individuals and the heavenly community of which they that the BCP has been highly successful in helping to were a part would stand as a powerful witness to the civilise Australia and was incredibly effective in power and purpose of God and speak prophetically determining the shape of that civilisation, can the BCP against a world gripped by selfishness, material greed, now be safely abandoned with the salutary words ‘well oppression and discrimination. done good and faithful servant’? I think not. Why? The Christian message, as presented in the BCP, was Briefly, because cultures change and institutions mutate; never intended to be therapy for dispirited individuals but because memories are short and attitudes are shifting; an invitation for sinners to embrace holiness in their because identity can be lost and self-awareness can private and public lives. The Church’s mission was not to diminish; and because we ought to resist and defy enhance popular culture or improve the quality of anything in public conversation which presumes or political discourse but to undo existing exploitative implies that the past is irrelevant or anything which power structures and to replace them with relationships forgets that civilised societies are a moral achievement shaped by humility and sacrifice after the pattern of Jesus but also a work-in-progress. Any person who declares and the practice of the early church. that yesterday is out of sight or thinks they and they alone shape their own choices and decisions, is ignorant of the presence of cultural legacies that transform all they touch. Any society which announces that it now is (Continued on page 5)

4 (Continued from page 4) still possible to hope for Christian people to be of one IV: THE UNITY OF HUMAN KIND mind on questions relating to believing, belonging and behaving? Or will we accept, contrary to the BCP’s n committing itself to upholding the dignity of all assertions, that each local congregation has the right to I women and men, and to addressing the plight of every assert its own authority and to arbitrate on questions family, the BCP’s “prayers for all people” emphasised relating to belief and custom? I leave these questions that the Church’s collective task is to proclaim the unity with you to ponder. of humankind based on ’s acts of reconciliation As I get older (I was born six weeks after the BCP’s (Ephesians 2:14). As this universality must become a 300th anniversary), I find that more and more of the old visible reality, the “Church militant here in earth” is called book comes to me as wise guidance and sound advice. It to be a witness to the one-ness of humanity in its own life. invites me to come to terms with sin – the burden of As a national entity, the Church of A profound which is intolerable; the remembrance of which is England was called upon to lead the depiction of grievous – and to marvel at the grace of a God who does way in showing how this could be “ God and a fuller not “weigh our merits but pardons our offences”. It gives achieved by a godly people. description of me so many memorable and compelling turns of phrase Living in 2012, we are all aware providence to that resonate in my mind and being, and holds before me that the worship of our Church has grow in a vision of the coming Kingdom, a world without end, largely shifted from a common Godliness.” that lifts up my heart and renews a right spirit within me. liturgy to local custom. You might It tells me that the same God who will not be mocked well take a jaundiced view and call never gives up on me. this diversity incoherence. In effect, you might say, we are In the Book of Common Prayer I have encountered, unable to find an enduring consensus on how to worship, as perhaps nowhere else, a profound depiction of God so we worship in our own way and hope it will appeal to and a fuller description of providence, and this encounter those we seek to attract. If you prefer a different style of has helped me to grow in godliness. For this, to quote the corporate worship or a different flavour to personal BCP itself, I give humble and hearty thanks for the devotion, you are invited to find a community and to “ and the hope of glory”. It is my prayer embrace an ethos that better reflects your taste and that you too might encounter God afresh and anew in the temperament. pages of the BCP and be similarly enriched. But how do we mediate doctrine in such an environment? If we construct and convey a particular Photos: Courtesy St Mark’s theology through worship – and this is unavoidable – is it

The unique stamp of faring in their difficulties with Rome; the production of the first Prayer Book of 1549, and then the subsequent Anglicanism ones of 1552, and finally the version of 1662 which The Rev’d Dr John Moses Parliament sanctioned and which is still part of the law and constitution of England. What Christopher Haigh was able to teach us was the he Book of Common Prayer has given Anglicanism incredible passion generated both for and against the T its unique stamp as both a Catholic and Reformed adoption of the Prayer Book. He has researched all the Communion. Choral Evensong on the 350th anniversary pamphlets that were produced by the various hotheads on of the BCP at St Paul’s was celebrated in the 1662 Rite, both sides of the argument over the period 1549 to 1662 the one in which we all grew up and in which we were so that we were able to gain an impression of just how baptised, confirmed and instructed as Anglicans. It had crucial for the life of the nation it was to gain a indeed become part of our culture and identity as consensus on what was considered to be the right way in Christians, not Roman or Lutheran or Calvinist, but which to worship God. Anglican. Remember that it was only achieved at the cost of I attended two conferences to mark the 350th immense brutality and suffering, the result of enmity anniversary. One was at the University of Southern between Papists on the one hand and Church of England Queensland in Toowoomba entitled “The British World: champions on the other, as evidenced by the dramatic Religion, Memory, Culture and Society”. Much of this executions in 1556 of the Oxford martyrs, namely was devoted to how we got the Prayer Book out of the Bishops Cranmer, Ridley and Latimer under the short unimaginable chaos of the Reformation period of reign of ‘Bloody Mary’ (Mary Tudor, 1553-1558). European history. This was followed by equally bloody reprisals against We were enriched in our knowledge and Papists under who reigned from 1558 to understanding chiefly by Professor Christopher Haigh of 1603, in an age when torture and burning at the stake Oxford. He is clearly the greatest living expert on the were the accepted norm of administering justice. situation in England from the beginning of Henry VIII’s But the mayhem did not cease; if anything it became manoeuvring for an annulment of his marriage to worse at the time of the Civil War 1642-1649 with the Catherine of Aragon; his efforts in sending Thomas execution of Charles I and the subsequent installation of Cranmer to Germany to find out how the Lutherans were (Continued on page 15)

5 -Shaped Gatherings of the Diocese of Sydney, for The Many Faces of the example, opts to follow what is described as the pattern and theology of the 1662 BCP, arguing, quite differently, Service of Holy that the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and its Communion Eucharistic liturgy preserve a distinct Anglican Reformation heritage with emphasis on the sacrifice of Brian Douglas Christ and justification by faith alone while at the same time overcoming Medieval influence.

As part of the celebration marking the 1662 Book of PATIENT OF DIFFERENT Common Prayer, the Rector of St Paul’s and Team INTERPRETATIONS Leader of the Combined Ministry District, the Rev'd It seems that the Eucharistic liturgy of 1662 is patient Dr Brian Douglas, delivered a paper on the BCP’s of very different interpretations. The 1662 BCP sacramental theology at a seminar organised by St in fact preserves much of the traditional Mark’s National Theological Centre on 24 August. Medieval past while at the same time presenting Community is pleased to be able to include one theme Reformed agendas. It uses a set form of words in a of a comprehensive presentation. consecratory formula with manual actions by the . At the same time it omits other traditional Eucharistic formulae, presumably to satisfy a Reformed tradition. he Eucharistic liturgy of the 1662 Book of Common The 1662 Eucharist did not include an or T Prayer, properly entitled ‘The Order for the invocation of the Holy Spirit on the elements, as the Administration of the Lord’s Supper or Holy 1549 BCP Eucharist did, where the priest said that the Communion’ has over the years projected several faces. bread and wine ‘may be unto us Christ’s body and Anglicans have worshipped with the same service in blood’. The 1662 book also omitted in the Prayer of distinctly different ways and believing distinctly different an or the recounting of the things about what happens in the Eucharist: some in the mighty sacrificial and salvific acts of Christ, apart from form of a solemn high , with additions to the text, his death, where worshippers are seen to be assured of choral music, , incense and the continuing effect of these acts re- bells and others with unchanged text presented in the Eucharist in the present. and with limited ritual and ceremony. There were, however, those at the time Some have worshipped using this the 1662 BCP was being put together liturgy and believing that Christ is who wanted these included but who in really present in the Eucharist, in the the end did not get their way. Cranmer’s elements, in the Scriptures, in people use of an epiclesis and anamnesis in the and in the priest and that His sacrifice extended Canon of the 1549 BCP, were is re-presented in the Eucharistic not repeated in the 1552 BCP, in order, I celebration. Others have seen this guess, to lessen any notion of a real service as praise and thankful presence of Christ in the Eucharist and remembrance only of a past and any suggestion of Eucharistic sacrifice. completed action of Christ in which There were those such as the Christ is accessible by faith alone and traditionalist bishop Stephen Gardiner in which there can be no real presence of Christ or re- who were quite happy with the Eucharistic theology and presentation of Christ’s sacrifice in the Eucharist. practice of the 1549 BCP and this acceptance merely These differences in theological interpretation arise encouraged Cranmer to ditch traditional material he had from an inherent ‘multiformity’ of theological and previously used. philosophical assumptions underlying the Anglican Reformed critique also encouraged Cranmer in this Eucharistic tradition generally and the 1662 service of direction. Many Catholic Anglicans, right throughout Holy Communion in particular. Anglican history, have hankered for a return to this fuller The interpretations can be surprisingly different. The Eucharistic theology and indeed this has happened in the noted liturgical scholar of the early twentieth century, previous and present Eucharistic liturgies of many Walter Howard Frere, in discussing the Prayer of Provinces of the , including the Consecration in the 1662 Eucharist, for example, noted Anglican Church of Australia’s A Prayer Book for that it was ‘more Roman than Rome’ in its emphasis on Australia. effecting the consecration through the recitation of an Evangelical Anglicans, however, have not generally institution narrative or the words of Christ alone. In followed this pattern. At the same time, the situation is Frere’s view this was a form of consecration ‘in the complicated by the fact that the Anglican Church of narrowest and most partisan way’, following the Australia, through its Constitution, makes the 1662 Book Medieval Roman model which insisted on institution of Common Prayer the standard of doctrine and worship. narrative alone as the means of consecration. This is The situation is quite different in other parts of the sometimes overlooked by those who argue for a distinct Anglican Communion, such as in the United States of Reformation heritage for the 1662 BCP. The recently released Common Prayer: Resources for (Continued on page 7)

6 (Continued from page 6) also an extended Canon which included many of the America and South Africa. In The Episcopal Church of traditional aspects of the Eucharist such as the the USA the 1662 service is less important, and a separate Benedictus (Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the stream of Eucharistic liturgies and theology of the Lord) and the Agnus Dei (O Lamb of God that takest Eucharist dating back to the late 1700’s was inherited away the sins of the world, have mercy on us). from the Episcopal Church in Scotland and has It is also important to remember that as long ago as consistently presented a fuller Eucharistic theology 1958 the Bishops of the Anglican Communion at the liturgical development. declared, distinctly different from Anglican Evangelicals have tended to be more the emerging constitution of the Anglican Church of satisfied with the form of the consecration and particular Australia, that the 1662 Book of Common Prayer was no theological interpretations of the Eucharist they find in longer the basic pattern or bond of unity and doctrine the 1662 BCP, not I suspect because it is more Roman and worship in the Communion. In so doing the than Rome, but because of a desire to affirm a bishops encouraged liturgical change and development Reformation heritage, emphasising justification by faith apart from the 1662 BCP model. alone, and the death of Christ. A PERIOD OF EXPERIMENTATION SEVERAL FACES OF UNIFORMITY In modern times throughout the Anglican All this seems to suggest that there have been and Communion the process of ecumenical convergence and continue to be several faces, or as I am calling it a liturgical experimentation has continued and modern ‘multiformity’ of Eucharistic theology and practice, in the liturgical forms, with a different liturgical shape, Eucharistic liturgy of the 1662 BCP. I suspect this will language, cultural appropriateness and theology to the continue. 1662 BCP model, as well as with greater variety and Attempts to change the Eucharistic liturgy and choice have emerged. This has been the case in the theology of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer to provide Anglican Church of Australia, resulting, after a long other forms are not modern phenomena and have period of experimentation by the Liturgical Commission continued from its inception to the present. in the development and use of the 1978 An Australian The liturgical work of the Non-jurors from 1688 Prayer Book and the current 1995 A Prayer Book for onwards into the nineteenth century, the Liturgy of Australia. Comprehension in 1689 and the Scottish Communion Development of the Eucharistic liturgy continues in Office of 1764 are some early examples of this process. Australia outside the processes of the Liturgical The contribution of the Tractarians and the Ritualists in Commission but under the authority of the Constitution the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the in both the Anglican Catholic Diocese of Ballarat with recovery of a fuller Eucharistic theology and practice was the publication of The Holy Eucharist in 1995 and 2002 significant in promoting development and change, and in the Anglican Evangelical Diocese of Sydney with through a desire for fuller liturgical forms and through the in 2001 and Common Prayer in 2011 use of various missals and material often borrowing from and the Better Gatherings web site. the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. Despite the historical and continuing desire by some The attempted revision of the Book of Common to reform the 1662 Eucharistic liturgy, with approval by Prayer in England in 1928 with the proposed extension of diocesan bishops, under the terms of the Constitution of the Canon to include an epiclesis, anamnesis and the the Anglican Church of Australia, the fact remains that Prayer of in the Consecration, suggest that for the 1662 Eucharist continues in use and that the some the 1662 Eucharistic liturgy was deficient and in Anglican Church of Australia in its Constitution, alone need of reform. Despite being rejected by the British in the world, I suspect, ‘retains and approves the Parliament, many, with the agreement of their bishops, doctrine and principles of the Church of England have used the 1928 variations in the celebration of the embodied in the Book of Common Prayer’ and more 1662 Eucharist. The so-called Diocesan Rite, approved by specifically, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, together Bishop Burgmann in this Diocese of Canberra and with the Thirty-Nine Articles, ‘as the authorised Goulburn, is an example of this practice which still standard of worship and doctrine in this Church’. This continues. may seem a clear directive but it really begs the Others of course have not shared this view and have question since there is ‘multiformity ‘of Eucharistic been content to continue with the 1662 Eucharist without doctrine and worship without any readily agreed additions. Other dioceses in Australia introduced uses in position by all. This makes it very difficult to define the early twentieth century, based on the 1662 BCP but such a standard of worship and doctrine when there is attempting to introduce more catholic elements in the such a wide degree of interpretation in practice and 1662 Eucharistic liturgy. These included the Brown theology, or ‘multiformity’ of Eucharistic doctrine, Book of 1939 and the Green Book of 1946 introduced by within the Anglican Church of Australia in relation to Archbishop Halse in the dioceses of Riverina and the 1662 BCP. Brisbane and the famous Red Book introduced by Bishop ‘Multiformity is the norm of the Anglican Wylde in the Diocese of Bathurst in 1942. These books Eucharistic tradition, both now and in the past, and not only presented a more realist and so catholic presently applies not only to the development of modern understanding of Eucharistic theology, closely associating the signs of the Eucharist with what they signified, but (Continued on page 8)

7 (Continued from page 7) liturgical material but also to the way people interpret Realists would also argue that Christ’s sacrifice is and use the Eucharistic liturgy of the 1662 BCP. The dynamically remembered in the Eucharist such that assumption that Anglican Eucharistic theology is the effects of that sacrifice are renewed and re- multiform rests not only on recent research but also on presented. the extensive narrative discourse of individuals, parties Realists interpret the words of the 1662 BCP and their hermeneutic right through the history of the Prayer of Consecration in this way when they say that Anglican Eucharistic tradition. Christ ‘did institute, and in his holy Gospel command The discourse of the Anglican Eucharistic tradition us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his presents a variety of theological and philosophical precious death, until his coming again’. understandings about what happens in the Eucharist. ‘A perpetual memory’ is seen as one where the Some adopt the sacramental principle based on realism, effects of Christ’s sacrifice are re-newed and re- connecting signs with what they signify in a real way presented in the Eucharist. Nominalists deny this while others reject this principle and its philosophical analysis and argue that there is no realist connection assumption of realism and adopt a nominalist separation between Christ’s sacrifice and the Eucharist since of entities where signs are not seen to be connected in they deny that the signs of bread and wine can convey any real way to what they signify but function only in a what they signify in any real way. linguistic manner. Peter Jensen, for example, following this line of thinking, describes the Eucharist as a meal that takes THE REALISM OF SIGNS place at millions of places around the world on a Philosophically and theologically, realists argue that weekly basis where the aim is to ‘share a meal in sacramental signs are instances of or vehicles of what memory of a certain man’. This meal is described as they signify and as such participate in or instantiate what ‘a sort of perpetual wake’ which ‘has lasted for two they signify so that the particular signs really convey thousand years so far’. He also describes the what they signify. Hence a realist in regard to Eucharist as ‘a projectile launched from antiquity into Eucharistic theology would argue that the Eucharist as a our own time; it constantly turns up amongst us and sign itself and the particular outward signs of bread and says, “never forget this man”’. wine really convey what they signify, that is, the nature, Jensen’s central thought here seems to concern life and identity of Christ. remembering and eating and drinking as an act of In the 1662 BCP Eucharist, for example, a realist faith, will and mind alone, since following Cranmer, would argue that when the words from the Prayer of Christ can only be really present in heaven and never Humble Access are prayed, that is: ‘Grant us therefore, on earth in the Eucharist. He speaks here of gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus ‘remembering’ in the sense of bringing to mind a past Christ, and to drink his blood,’ that the nature, life and event, completed in the past but remembered in the identity of Christ is really present and received in the present with thanksgiving but without sacramental Eucharist and the Eucharistic elements of bread and instrumentality. wine, although this is of course distinguished from any For Jensen, the Eucharist is ‘a perpetual and fleshy notions of Christ’s presence. effective reminder of the sheer stature of Jesus The same realist argument is applied to the words of Christ’. The Eucharist therefore functions principally administration where the priest delivers the elements to as a reminder only which serves in its use as the the communicant with a formula beginning with the moment of remembering with assurance of a past and words: ‘The ’ and ‘The ’. completed action and the giving of thanks for the Realists argue that Christ’s body and blood is really benefits of that action in people’s lives by faith given by the signs of bread and wine. without any realist linking between the signs and Rowan Williams, using realist assumptions based on what they signify. an incarnational theology, argues that the signs of the A hint of ‘multiformity’ is given in the of Eucharist are as much carriers of Christ’s life and identity the 1662 Book of Common Prayer where the task of as are Jesus’ literal flesh and blood. Nominalists deny the liturgical reformers is stated as ‘not to gratify this this realist analysis of sacramental instrumentality and or that party in any their unreasonable demands’. argue that all we have are particular signs which function Brian Cummings has recently pointed out that ‘when to remind us to give thanks for a past and completed theologians and divines assembled to revise the Book transaction, that is, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, of Common Prayer for new use under Charles II after without any real participation in or instantiation of what 1660, they did so with contradictory energies’. they signify in the present. Cummings contends further that ‘while it was Better Gatherings in the Diocese of Sydney for proclaimed by parliament to constitute an “Act of example argues that ‘when we pray that we may “eat the Uniformity”, its real effect was anything but’. flesh” of Christ and “drink his blood”, the reference is The contradictory energies of this ‘multiformity’ not directly to the Lord’s Supper but to faith in the of Eucharistic theology and practice expressed in the sacrifice of Christ that saves us’. Nominalist analysis Book of Common Prayer extend beyond mere party does not deny that Christ is present in the Eucharist in spirit and to a ‘multiformity’ of differing theological some way but only the realist analysis of sacramental and philosophical assumptions. instrumentality.

8 OPEN FOR BUSINESS Op Shop reflects dedication of volunteers

he role of the Op. Shop is to After more than 20 years T outreach to the general public as of devoted and sacrificial well as to provide good quality service Joan Boston has clothing for those who like retired from leadership of hunting for a bargain. St Paul’s Op Shop. We have encouraged a The Op Shop is a regular clientele who significant ministry within sometimes just need a St Paul’s for its outreach, friendly person to greet them meeting a community need and to have a chat. We have and raising funds for the a dedicated group of church. In 2011 it raised volunteers who turn up rain, more than $6,000. In the hail or shine on Friday first six months of this year afternoons and Saturday it has made nearly $4,500. mornings. Community’s visit to the I officially retired at the Op Shop with its display of end of May and Robyn Joan Boston on duty at the Op Shop clothing neatly arranged and Schleiger is my replacement. presented in rows of hangers She will be ably assisted by coincided with the first Elizabeth King, Roz Bruhn national Op Shop week, a and Maggie Coffison as well promotion to encourage as the stalwart members of more people to give good the roster. quality clothing to Op Shop It has been gratifying to stores. The publicity for the see the yearly income week indicated that more improve to between $6500 to and more Australians were $7000 per year plus $600 to turning to charity Op Shops $700 from our Fete. to buy clothes and other We have kept only a high items. standard of clothing in recent There seemed no Vivien Singleton and Pat Lewis prepare a years and hope to maintain display of clothing shortage of clothing at St this. Paul’s Op Shop waiting for I first became aware and customers. became involved in St. Paul’s Op. Community asked Joan Shop in 1990 when my father died to reflect on the Op Shop and we were disposing of his and her years of service. clothing. The entrance to the Op. Shop was by the small door at the very end of the Hall facing the pathway to the Stuart Flats. The space subsequently became one of the rooms now used to display and store our clothing racks so we have come full circle. fitted in one of the cupboards in the Soon after, the Op. Shop was main hall and it needed only a moved upstairs to the original couple of willing helpers to switch Mollison Room in the area now used from Summer to Winter and vice by Gale Edwards for her Ballet versa. School. About 2001 work took place on A good taking for a Saturday the plumbing problems downstairs morning was about $25. Climbing the and after a time the Op. Shop and stairs put many people off. We had office were moved there. The a sign of sorts but it was not Mollison Room was also relocated prominent and we did little or no (together with Mrs. Mollison’s Two models greet visitors to the Op advertising. We had a small stock of Shop declaring it is open for business photograph) . clothing and the off-season garments (Continued on page 10) 9 (Continued from page 9) Pat Lewis sorts new donations of The Ballet School was given the clothing entire space upstairs and a new floor installed for the pupils and everyone was happy for a time. Just settling in, we received the devastating news that we would no longer have our Op. Shop room (off the new Mollison Room). Things were looking grim as about the same time our co-ordinator for many years, Robin Gordon, became too ill to carry on and retired to a nursing home in Sydney. All ended well, however. The dispute was resolved and we kept our space. I took over the coordination of the Op. Shop in 2004. One of the best improvements occurred when Alan Christie, with The Mollison Room was relocated the help of Neville Boston and (together with Mrs. Mollison’s others, erected shelving and hanging photograph in the background) . space for our reserve/off-season of carpet donated for the new clothing in the space under the stage A lot of good parishioners helped Mollison Room. An eye-catching at the rear of the Mollison room, make it the convenient and workable sign was purchased, a male model thus giving us a much needed space it is today and it is impossible donated by John Hanna, Trish storeroom. This area is also used to name them all. The Op. Shop Levick donated hanging shelves, the by the Trading Table people and for should have many more successful original shelving was redesigned, a St. Paul’s archival material. Neville years under the new leadership and I bookshelf was put in place, also wall and I loose-laid carpet from off-cuts wish them well. racks hung to reduce the clutter. Joan Boston

Finding the adherence within the bush. and other heavy industries.” religious The most ‘religious’ location in Dr Short noted that you can only country Australia was Bogan Shire, learn so much about people’s centred on the town of Nyngan in spiritual beliefs from statistics.

New South Wales. Only 7.4 per “Having said that, these figures give hile an increasing number of cent of Bogan residents said they us an important snapshot of the people in Australia, according W had no religion. challenges and opportunities for to the 2011 census, are reporting “no “Generally speaking, rates of communicating the Christian faith in religion”, research has revealed religious identification are highest in today’s Australia.” significant differences between traditional farming communities, The society is encouraging capital cities and rural areas. especially in a strip that runs along Australian Christians to give The Bush Church Aid Society the western slopes of New South generously so it may continue to conducted an analysis of the 2011 Wales and Southern Queensland,” send people to engage communities Census data and found that while the said BCA’s National Director, Dr and grow churches across rural and percentage of country Australians Mark Short. “They are lower in remote Australia. who said they had ‘no religion’ was coastal communities with a lower than in the capital cities there significant lifestyle/tourism presence was a big difference in religious and in towns impacted by mining 10 (Continued from page 2) participate in Large CROSSING THE activities that “ numbers of THRESHOLD might build into people work in, or fresh are drawn to visit Strategic location expressions of Manuka, but The Anglican Parish of Manuka is church; some relatively few cross strategically located in the business people may Captain Cook district and café strip of Manuka come to see Crescent to the close to shops and businesses, these activities church. Our aim is occupying a prominent position on as their to cross over the Manuka Circle. It has a large 'weekday road ourselves to congregation and offers liturgical and church'. meet people in sacramental worship alongside “For the spaces that are outreach into the community, Stuart Flats we comfortable for including ministry in aged care hope to see them.” facilities and an Op Shop. There is community- also a distinct ministry in the Stuart building. Some residents currently Flats, next to the church, which attend Sunday services and we see operates three times a week as the the potential for activities on site with Verandah, staffed by parishioners the residents. who provide hospitality and welfare One aim is to develop the parish relief. The Parish is also home to a groups already meeting in cafés, number of groups which meet Discovery Group, Bellringers and principally the Bell Ringers, the regularly. Young People’s Group,” Susan said. Discovery Group and the Young St Paul’s has been a consistent “We aim to transform these casual People’s Group, so that they become presence in southern Canberra since connections into intentional ministry the nucleus of groups that attract non- early in the 20th century with a close opportunities led by trained and parishioners. physical relationship to the Manuka committed clergy and lay people.” The project aims to create business district. Susan went on to explain: “Large connections between business Its style of sacramental worship is numbers of people work in, or are owners/employees and the new unfamiliar to many unchurched drawn to visit Manuka, but relatively Chaplain. “The chaplaincy role would people. New models of ministry need few cross Captain Cook Crescent to a relatively new step for us,” Susan to be found, while maintaining the the church. Our aim is to cross over said, “to focus on workplaces and to sacramental style of worship that the road ourselves to meet people in address the needs of a wealthy and expresses the faith of the existing spaces that are comfortable for them. healthy group. We perceive that congregation. We hope to be visible in the café strip many busy people have limited A regular as well as casual to engage with business people and outlets for spiritual discernment and clientele of build community relationships. We exploration.” people come to If we develop hope to address spiritual isolation and How will the proposed project be Manuka “ a sense that disengagement. sustained into the future? throughout the church at St “While the main aim is to be “We expect to foster a day and the Paul’s happens visible in the Manuka café strip, new commitment from the business Parish seeks to both in its activities may encourage people into community and the Stuart Flats make contact traditional form the parish centre with its large hall residents to develop activities that with them. They in the church as and smaller meeting room, as well as gain their support,” Susan said. include business well as in new the church. “Some activities may generate fees, people while forms beyond the “If we develop a sense that church such as a local play group or evening others in public doors, we think at St Paul’s happens both in its classes or other activities under the housing have the idea of traditional form as well as in new aegis of the parish, utilising the parish significant social church itself forms beyond the doors, we think the hall. We will ask local businesses to needs. could take on a idea of church itself could take on a contribute towards the chaplaincy new meaning for new meaning for those who share in service if they support it. There may Broadening the those who share the initiative. As a consequence, also be an increase in attendance at church’s focus in the initiative. “ participation in both traditional and worship services.” Although new expressions might grow.” some quality programs are already Susan said that business people established there is a need to broaden would come to know that they have a the church’s focus and build new chaplain as part of their community. communities. “We want to leverage Among the potential activities might the connections our own parishioners be: get-togethers and activities have already made through their sponsored by St Paul's; opportunities presence in the café strip—the for workers, residents and visitors to

11 IN BRIEF These windows have been Canberra community can be proud. It deteriorating for some time and are needs proper conservation.” now in a poor condition. Restoration The Rector of St Paul’s, the Rev’d has therefore become urgent. Dr Brian Douglas, said the appeal St Paul’s fete The Chair of the Fund’s trustees, was an opportunity for parishioners Dr John Seymour, said: “This is a and the wider community to become raises funds for worthwhile and important project. part of the history and future of St ministry The church buildings and landscape Paul's.” have been entered on the ACT The Trustees of the fund have heritage Places Register kept by the established a benefactors’ program to he St Paul’s fete held in bright National Trust. recognise those who make larger T sunny weather on Saturday, 10 “The church is a place of worship contributions to the appeal—$10,000 November, raised a record $14,000 of which the Parish and the wider for benefactors and $2,500 for towards Parish funds. sponsors. Parish Council has decided that the funds should be used to assist ministry resources and especially to further enable the work of the Parish’s assistant priest, the Rev’d Susan Bridge, who will now become full- time. Bishop welcomes child abuse The Rector, the Rev’d Dr Brian inquiry Douglas, thanked all who had worked so hard in preparing for the fete and on the day itself. “It was a great day of fellowship and work for the Parish,” he said. can strengthen our current system. Special thanks went to those who he Anglican Bishop of Canberra “The aim of church leaders must had coordinated and worked on stalls T and Goulburn, Bishop Stuart be continuous improvement in this and to those who generously donated Robinson, has welcomed the Federal area, so we can say with a totally time and goods. There was particular Government’s decision to hold a clear conscience that we have the best recognition for the organisers, Rod national Royal Commission into practice protocols in place which will King, Roz Bruhn and Tim Bailey. child sexual abuse and will ensure help prevent children from being the Diocese co-operates fully. mistreated. Bishop Stuart said: “A wide- “Invariably this Royal Restoring our ranging enquiry that looks at systems Commission will reveal dark events across the board is likely to produce which will cause pain. However the church windows the sort of comprehensive bottom line is that these issues must Launching of appeal for recommendations that will assist the be confronted and dealt with Anglican Church to further transparently so that people who have funds strengthen our procedures. been hurt can find justice and also be “While the Anglican Church has cared for in such a way that they worked hard to improve Professional know they are precious and loved. Standards arrangements since the Our prayers continue for victims of t Paul’s Parish Council will Woods Royal Commission, I am abuse and their families; their welfare launch its heritage appeal on S hopeful this new Royal Commission is our utmost concern.” Sunday, 9 December, after the 10 am will identify further areas where we service. The appeal is to raise funds to support the conservation and restoration work on the church and its heritage precinct. The appeal is being supported by the National Trust of Australia (ACT). A special appeal account “National Trust of Australia (ACT)—St Paul’s Church, Manuka, Heritage Conservation Appeal Fund” has been opened with donations being tax deductible. Initially the aim will be to raise sufficient funds to restore the amber windows on either side of the nave.

12 Conduits of change and transformation

n his address to the 44th Synod of ago there were fewer newcomers in I the Diocese of Canberra and our churches. And over that period Goulburn on 1 September, the Bishop the percentage of people who invited of Canberra and Goulburn, Bishop someone to church declined from 44 Stuart Robinson, thanked parishioners per cent to 35 per cent. Research for being “conduits of change and had shown that as Christians get transformation”. older our friendship networks He spoke of the “glorious outside the church community Think locally and be inspired” assembly” of men and women, boys diminish. “ and girls who attend church and “We must not, however, lose sight of the positives. There are “shine for Christ in their homes, change us. To connect with the genuine strengths and signs of health neighbourhoods, places of work and community, God may call us to service.” we can build on. Compared to five change something about ourselves, He said that while a community years ago, more church members especially the many ways we than ever are involved in a whole transformed by Christ would be unintentionally put up barriers that range off community groups marked by a spirit of compassion and stop people from entering our associated with our churches.” generosity, it was important that it be churches and joining our community Bishop Stuart said he hoped that outward focused, demonstrating a of faith. culture of hospitality, gentleness and the Diocese’s 150th celebrations “I urge you to consider respect—features that defined the would help give further momentum undertaking a project for the to this trend as we use the year to church to outsiders. Diocese's 150th celebrations to build better community connections. The anchor point for the ideal of improve access to your ministries for The slogan for the celebrations was: the Diocesan dream that “the love of the growing population amongst us “be a pioneer, be local, be inspired”, Jesus transforms individuals and who are frail aged or have a communities " was St Peter’s to which he added “be prayerful”. disability. “We want you to think locally that encouraged his readers—those “One of the very great blessings and be given permission to take a set apart and made holy by the Spirit we can share with friends and risk,” he said. of God— to press on in their call, to neighbours,” he said, “is the gift of Bishop Robinson said: “When live as agents of transformation and hospitality and welcome from a local we pray that God will ‘change lives conduits of grace. community of faith.” In the language of St Peter, “new and transform communities’ sometimes God’s answer will be to birth” was intended to engender hope and wholeness, healing and life to the wider community, to live an exemplary life among the locals in Planning for the Diocese’s 150th harmony with each other, exercising compassion and humility, to use their celebrations gifts for the common good and to speak to others about the hope which ack to Church Sunday in the Bishop Stuart has invited is theirs. B Diocese of Canberra and Parishioners to join with him in Bishop Stuart outlined how Goulburn will be held on Sunday, 17 providing people with accurate changed lives were transforming March, 2013. It will start the information about Jesus and his work communities across the diocese Diocese’s 150th celebrations, with a by giving those who would receive through a range of practical initiatives focus on . The Bishop of them translations of the New at the local level and in a number of Canberra and Goulburn, Bishop Testament. ministry areas. Stuart Robinson, has suggested The Bible League is supplying Bishop Stuart said: “The way we Parishioners invite people to Back to 20,000 New Testaments to be printed speak to one another and to the Church and then to with the Canberra and Goulburn 150th outside world is to be marked by celebrations. ‘livery’. gentleness. Respect must be shown Among the special events planned “My dream,” Bishop Stuart said, to all people.” Public discussion of within the Diocese is a Gospel “is for each member of every complex matters could sometimes Heritage Day on Saturday, 20 April, congregation to pray for, and then lead to significant pastoral issues, 2013 at St Saviour’s Cathedral, invite, a friend or a neighbour or a better handled at the parish level. Goulburn with hundreds of people colleague to receive a NT gift”. Bishop Stuart said we were all converging on the See city in steam aware of the ageing on our trains and other heritage-type rolling congregations. Compared to a decade stock.

13 A Pilgrimage to Israel

Catherine and Les Bohm and Mary pondered on the Pollard travelled to Israel in April life of Jesus. with the Rev’d Michael Armstrong, These were the formerly Priest in Charge, St very steps he Luke's, Deakin. Catherine and used to enter the Mary share their experience. Hulda Gate on the southern side of the city and where he was pilgrimage to the Holy Lands known to have Les, Catherine and Mary celebrate Eucharist on the Sea leaves you with much to taught. Here he A of Galilee contemplate. It is, indeed, an told stories and incredible land. parables about things and events. where we were shown a 6th century One of the remarkable places we We climbed up to the Dome of the visited was the Garden of Rock, now a Muslim mosque on top mosaic, the Medeba map, showing the streets as they were in ancient times. Gethsemane in Jerusalem at the base of the Temple Mount. Other highlights included a of the Mount of Olives. Here the Of interest was the ancient Cardo centuries old olives communion service on a fishing boat trees, gnarled and on the Sea of Galilee, prayers and a twisted, are still time for reflection on the Mount of growing, showing Beatitudes with marvellous views of their old age. Galilee, a visit to Qumran, site of the Gethsemane Dead Sea Scrolls, and a most means 'olive press' astonishing desolate landscape, a and simultaneously swim in the Dead Sea and a visit to captures the idea of the extraordinary fortress of Masada. the pain that Jesus The communion service held in suffered that last the beautiful and peaceful setting of night before his the Garden Tomb was a wonderful crucifixion, while ending to our pilgrimage and gave us praying there. Here the opportunity to reflect on all that Michael conducted a service at the Garden Tomb also now is the we had seen and heard. beautiful Church of It was a memorable journey and All Nations, built by the Italian our heartfelt thanks to Michael for his architect Antonio Barluzzi between guidance in all things and for sharing 1919 and 1924. his passion for this incredible land. It In Jerusalem our group also was a privilege and a joy to journey walked and prayed at with him as our leader and spiritual each of the Stations of guide. the Cross along the Via Doloroso. This drama re- Catherine Bohm and Mary Pollard enacts the as he stumbles or is Photos: Catherine Bohm assisted while carrying his cross to Golgotha. The final stations of the crucifixion and burial are within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre traditionally thought to be on the site of Golgotha. We prayed at these sacred places. We contemplated the vast city of Jerusalem and its history as we sat A highlight was to attend two services at St Pilgrims on the Sea of Galilee on the Hulda steps on George’s Anglican Cathedral in Temple Mount. We Jerusalem

14 (Continued from page 5) famous writings about the variety of spiritual gifts. The The Unique Stamp of Anglicanism main implication of those is that one can only discover Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of England who what spiritual gifts one has within the broader fellowship was a Congregationalist, determined to eliminate the of the Church and the world which it is there to serve. hated Prayer Book. It was, however, re-instated after And these gifts are for the building up of the Kingdom. Cromwell’s death in 1658 with the Restoration of the Jesus was emphatic that He was engaged in a project Stuart monarchy in 1660. that meant the establishment of the Kingdom of God on I am sure all this is very familiar to you from school earth. But remember what He said to Pilate when he was days when we had to know about the history of the being interrogated prior to the Crucifixion: “My Reformation. But we do need a background to Kingdom is not of this world.” He was misunderstood by understand our present situation, in particular because as the Jews, too, who wanted a different kind of Messiah, Bishop Tom Frame pointed out the Book of Common namely a political leader that would liberate them from Prayer has contributed so much to the culture not only of Roman oppression. England but also of the Empire overseas. In fact as Certainly, Jesus was a revolutionary, but not a Bishop Frame observed, “…the BCP has been highly Danton, Robespierre or a Lenin. Certainly, He is about successful in helping to civilise Australia and was breaking down barriers between classes and between incredibly effective in determining the shape of [our] nations, but never in a military kind of way. civilisation”. In a word, our Australian identity was very It is very important to ponder these things so that our strongly influenced by the widespread use in both Christianity might be balanced in accordance with what Church and State of the BCP, and we should be aware of Jesus really taught. A systematic investigation of the that. short life of the Jew, Jesus of Nazareth, such as most The second conference on the BCP I attended, in recently published by the Swiss-German theologian, which our Rector played a central role, was at St Mark’s. Hans Küng, sets out in a series of perceptive This, too, was most instructive because there were those observations precisely what the implications of Jesus’ champions of the Diocese of Sydney who have a life and witness are. Having made the point that Jesus different take on the legacy of the BCP from those of us preached the coming of the Kingdom of God, something who have a more Catholic and Ecumenical approach to that is among us right now and which determines our Church History. It was very useful to have these two future we ask ourselves what precisely does that mean? sides of the history of Prayer Book reception down One thing for certain that it does not mean is for us to through the centuries ventilated side by side as it huddle together like the latter day Puritans in an illustrated just how passionately divisive still are the exclusive ‘little flock”, completely at odds with the descendants of the Puritans. world. Let us remember that the production of the BCP The distinguishing and most positive thing about our was for the benefit of all in the English nation. Neither Church is the way by which it has steered a course the Puritans nor the Papists endorsed this agenda for between the Popery of the Middle Ages which has lasted obvious reasons with the result that the BCP has been a until the present time on the one hand, and Puritan contested document ever since. biblical fundamentalism on the other. This is called the But its central message is that we are to prepare via media, the middle way, and it has been characterised, ourselves for the Kingdom of God, and this is an especially since the beginning of the eminently political challenge. It cannot be done by which did more to wake the church out of its torpor than retreating into the fortress of the “little flock”. It means say the Evangelical revival which preceded it. Why? that we are to work with our fellow Anglicans peacefully Because it was more able to meet both the spiritual and alongside people of other Christian traditions, hence the intellectual needs of the modern world. Ecumenical priority, and we are to engage as intensively Evangelicalism leads to an inward-looking as possible in the inter-faith dialogue. sectarianism dismissing, as it does, the hierarchical Inter-faith dialogue means talking to Moslems, Jews discipline of the Church. And this is the essential point: and Buddhists. And that is infinitely harder. But if we Christianity is not just about personal conversion, but study the Ecumenical movement in which our Church also about national communities under God, about the has been the world leader for well over a hundred years, human community as a whole. It is not about the indeed since 1867 with the inauguration of the Lambeth formation of sealed-off so-called ‘little flocks’ but about conferences, we see that our Church has been true to the outreach to the wider world. Consequently, our Church Gospel in seeking to eliminate all forms of alienation emphasises the need to prioritise the extension of the among Christians as a first step to eliminating alienation Kingdom of God, to be a “Church without walls”, to be from among peoples of all other faiths. There is a way to open and welcoming to all comers, and to be above all a go until the Kingdom of Heaven is realised. mission Church. We are embarked on a militant pilgrimage of faith: The ‘little flock’ mentality, on the other hand, is militant in the sense that we are energetically pursuing a closed off, saying in effect, you can only come in if you non-violent agenda, indeed God’s agenda, as Jesus believe everything we tell you. Now, it seems to me that prayed in His high-priestly prayer, recorded in chapter 14 this is a denial of the Gospel which as Jesus emphatically of the fourth Gospel, “that we all may be one”. taught is for the entire world, not just for one tribe. We need to ponder the full implications of the parable of the Evensong, St Paul’s Manuka, 9 September 2012 Good Samaritan, for example, as well as St Paul’s

15 History and the Christian faith Robert Willson

ecently I was reading the book of ruins. I wondered how any claim victory over the local tribes. R of Acts, the second part of archaeologist could make sense of That would have been a sight to see! Luke’s Gospel, and I came to the it. The place is still a mess. On the The novel and television series “I story of St Paul’s first visit to the right are seven doric columns, all Claudius” tells his story. Greek city of Corinth (Acts: 18: 1- that remains of the 38 columns The historian Suetonius records 17). It reminded me that twice my forming the great Temple of that there were Jewish riots in Rome, wife and I visited ancient Corinth Apollo. related to someone named “Christus”, while on tourist trips around parts of and this appears to be a vague Greece. I have always loved Roman JEWS IN CORINTH reference to Christ. So Claudius history and this story from the Paul arrived at a very expelled the Jews from Rome and adventures of Paul has some significant moment. There had Aquila and Priscilla arrived in Corinth. fascinating links to the wider Roman been a colony of Jews in the city Acts 18 confirms the Roman historian. Empire. and they were cosmopolitan and As they were tentmakers, the same In Acts 18 we have a brief multicultural. But then, as luck trade as Paul, he soon teamed up with account of 18 months that Paul spent would have it, he met a couple of them and they became firm friends. in Corinth. The story includes a roll Jewish refugees from Rome. They were all partners in Christian call of most interesting characters Acts tells us that the Emperor evangelism and later accompanied and I want to say something about Claudius had decided to expel the Paul to Ephesus. them. Jews from Rome in 49AD. We are So Paul devoted himself to not sure why, but a Jewish couple, preaching the Gospel and each PAUL ARRIVES IN CORINTH Aquila and his wife Priscilla, Sabbath he debated in the Synagogue. First of all there is Paul himself. arrived in Corinth from Rome. Timothy and Silas turned up to assist He arrived in Corinth just after At that time Corinth had a most him. Paul apparently had a having spent rather a frustrating time evil reputation. My dictionary considerable impact even if the Jews in Athens where he appears to have gives one meaning of the word opposed him and accused him of made little impact in proclaiming the “Corinthian” as a man about town, blasphemy. He was strengthened and risen Christ. one given to dissolute and immoral reassured by God in a vision. Barclay So he set out for Corinth, not in a behaviour. So the reputation of in his New Daily Study Bible has some tourist coach but on foot, a long Corinth has survived the centuries. valuable notes on this story in the walk! He would have approached the volume on Acts. city along the paved stones of the CLAUDIUS Lechaion Road. As I write I have beside me a GALLIO, ROMAN PROCONSUL Corinth sat astride the Isthmus coin from my collection with an IN ACHAIA between the Corinthian gulf and the image of the Roman Emperor In verse 12 we meet another Saronic gulf. On each side there was Claudius. It is a bronze coin and fascinating Roman official, named a harbour. The city was wealthy such coins circulated in millions at Gallio. He is one of four such because it was able to charge for that time. governors mentioned in the New boats and cargo hauled across the The Emperor Claudius, Testament. isthmus on a paved road called a mentioned in the story, is an Paul had succeeded in getting “Diolkos”. No doubt they dreamed of interesting character. He suffered under the skin of the local people and the day when a canal might be cut. from what may have been cerebral his Jewish accusers arrested him and The Emperor Nero, a few years palsy and was dismissed as a dragged him before the local Roman after Paul’s visit, came to Corinth harmless idiot by his family. This Proconsul. Clearly they were hoping and with much imperial fanfare, fact probably saved his life in the to have him silenced by Rome. But commenced construction of a canal brutal power struggles of Rome. they picked the wrong man. and even turned the first sod. But he He was not worth assassination. Gallio was born in Cordova in was murdered soon after and that But he was in fact a very smart Spain but came to Rome as a young was that. The canal was finally man and a scholar. He wrote a man. He was the son of Seneca and the th opened at the end of the 19 century history of Rome and how we wish brother of another Seneca who was a and I remember driving across it. we still had it! The legions hailed famous philosopher. His brother is on As Paul approached Corinth he him as emperor after the murder of record as saying that Gallio had a would have seen lots of piles of rock, Caligula, possibly as a joke, but he particularly affable nature and was a ruins of the ancient city walls, did a reasonable job and reigned kindly man. destroyed by the Romans about two for 14 years. When the Jews brought Paul before hundred years before. Seeking military credibility in him the Proconsul was not impressed. Later Julius Caesar re-founded 43AD he had ordered the invasion He contemptuously dismissed their the city as a Roman colony. Modern and conquest of Britain. He charges against Paul without even tourists still stare at the vast jumble personally arrived in Colchester in (Continued on page 17) Essex, riding on an elephant, to 16 (Continued from page 16) ST PAUL’S PARISH COUNCIL hearing his defence. He ordered that the court be cleared. Plan to restore St Paul’s nave The visitor to old Corinth can still see the Bema, a kind of public windows speaking platform where Paul would have been brought before Gallio. For t the July meeting of St Paul’s a Christian, with Bible in hand, A Parish Council I reported on the seeing it is most moving. These negotiations to finalise a Trust Deed stones are a direct link to the apostle between the Parish, the Diocesan to the gentiles. Anglican Property Trust and the National Trust of Australia (ACT). AN EXCITING DISCOVERY Since then, events have moved Gallio is very important to this rapidly. All parties have now signed story. A most exciting discovery was the deed. This means that the way made about 100 years ago in Delphi has been cleared to establish a which mentioned the Proconsul special fund to which tax-deductible Gallio and we discover that the date donations may be made for the of his year of office in Corinth was maintenance of the church property. about the year 52 AD. This fact, The urgent need is to undertake coupled with the date of expulsion the restoration of the nave windows. of Jews from Rome, enables us to Anderson reported that he felt that On 23 August the ACT Heritage performance for the year to date had firmly date Paul’s first visit to Council approved the work, subject Corinth. Such firm dates are improved and that the Parish is now to certain conditions. operating “not much below budget”. uncommon in the life of Paul. It is The Parish, therefore, is now able rare to find people in the New He also detailed the responses to the to begin planning the launch of an Planned Giving Campaign. Testament story being mentioned in appeal to restore the windows. The inscriptions as Gallio was. work will take some time, but we are  Application for a grant from the Sadly his later life ended with his now able to make a start on tackling Pelican Foundation. The Rev’d suicide. His brother Seneca had been work that has been too long delayed. Susan Bridge reported on the in the service of Emperor Nero but In the meantime, the possibility of application to the Pelican Foundation eventually retired. However a plot to obtaining a Heritage Grant is being seeking funding for the Church to kill the Emperor was uncovered and explored. extend its mission into the Manuka both Seneca and his brother were Other matters have included : business community and so engage forced to take their own lives, even new communities of faith. Council Work on the rectory patio. though many think them innocent.  gave its approval to this innovative Nero himself was forced to commit Approval was given for Robert project. Deane to arrange for the erection of a suicide not long after.  150 years of the Diocese. Ingrid Shortly after his “trial” before fence in front of the New Rectory; this will give Jane and the Rector Moses suggested that St Paul’s might Gallio Paul and his friends, Aquila consider playing a role in the and Priscilla, took a ship bound for much needed privacy (should they ever find time to sit and relax!). celebration of 150 years of the Ephesus. Apparently he left behind Diocese. Council agreed that the Wedding and funeral fees. The the fruits of his evangelism for  Parish should explore possible means Christ in Corinth, a city once famed Parish has reviewed the fees charged of participating. for debauchery, but now with a for weddings and funerals. growing Christian congregation.  Inclusions in the Pew Bulletin. A John Seymour Later Paul was to write his famous policy for determining the types of Chair. letters to them. matters which may be included in the The lesson of these links to the Bulletin was approved. The general wider world in the book of Acts is principle is that such notices should Dr Seymour has announced his that the New Testament is firmly have a specific Parish focus or a resignation from St Paul’s Parish linked to the world of the first wider church connection. Council. The Rector, the Rev’d Dr century. Christianity is a historical  Rector’s Report. The Rector Brian Douglas, will act as chair faith. It stands on the unshakeable reported on a number of matters until the next annual general conviction that at a certain time and including: the planning of the work meeting of the Parish. Dr Seymour place Almighty God came among us undertaken at Morling Lodge and was thanked for his meticulous and and that our job, like Paul, is to other aged care facilities; the CMDC disciplined approach to the task of share that news. Planned Giving Campaign; the chairing Parish Council. Dr popularity of the Choral Evensong Seymour has been appointed chair Services and the heavy load being of the Trustees of the “National borne by the pastoral care team. Trust of Australia (ACT) St Paul’s  Treasurer’s Report. Duncan Church, Manuka” . 17 St David’s “Garage Sale” ANYTHING BUT A “GARAGE SALE”

Convenor of the St David’s garage sale, Joan Chynoweth (right), helps assess the items for sale. The event raised more than $10,000.

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New Archbishop of Canterbury nominated

56-year old former oil A executive, the Rt. Rev’d Justin Welby, who was made a Bishop just over a year ago, is to be enthroned as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. He becomes leader of the Church of England and the world wide communion of 77 million Anglicans. He will be the 105th person to sit on the throne of Saint Augustine, succeeding Archbishop Rowan Williams. He will be enthroned in Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. "To be nominated to this post,” he said, “is both astonishing and exciting. It is exciting because we are at one of those rare points where the tide of events is turning, and the Come Holy Spirit to the hearts of your people church nationally, including the “ and kindle in them the fire of your love.” Church of England, has great opportunities to match its very great but often hidden strengths.” He said: "I feel a massive sense of privilege at being one of those responsible for the leadership of the church in a time of spiritual hunger, when our network of parishes and churches and schools and above all people means that we are facing the toughest issues in the toughest place." Welcoming the appointment, Archbishop Williams said: “I have had the privilege of working closely with Bishop Welby and have always been enriched and encouraged by the experience. He has an extraordinary range of skills and is a person of grace, patience, wisdom and humour. He will bring to this office both a rich pastoral experience and a keen sense of international priorities, for church and world.” The Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, whose office formally announced the appointment, said that Bishop Welby had been the "overwhelming choice" of the Crown Nominations Commission, a body of clergy and lay people. Bishop Welby was born in 1956 in London and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. With a degree in law and history he worked in the oil industry for eleven years as part of the senior management team of a large British exploration and production company, responsible for its financing operations. He trained for ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall in Durham, where he took a degree in theology, being ordained in 1992. In November 2011, he became Bishop of Durham, one of the most senior posts in the Church of England. In his statement at the Lambeth press conference, Bishop Welby said that learning from traditions other than the one to which he had come as a Christian had led him into the riches of Benedictine and Ignatian spirituality, the treasures of contemplative prayer and adoration, and confronted him with the rich and challenging social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. “Our task as part of God’s church,” he said, “is to worship Him in Christ and to overflow with the Good News of His love for us, of the transformation that He alone can bring which enables human flourishing and joy. The tasks before us are worship and generous sharing of the Good News of Christ in word and deed. How we do those things if, of course, much more complicated. The churches where hundreds of thousands of people get on with the job they have always done of loving neighbour, loving each other and giving more than 22 million hours of voluntary service outside the church a month are the front line, and those who worship in them, lead them, minister in them are the unknown heroes of the church. Because of the vast company of serving Anglicans I am utterly optimistic about the future of the church.”

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COMBINED MINISTRY DISTRICT COUNCIL OUR EDITORIAL PURPOSE

Members of the Combined Ministry District Council Community aims to connect people with are: The Rev’d Dr Brian Douglas (Chair), The Rev’d God, with each other and with our community Kevin Stone (Associate Priest), Dr John Seymour (St by sharing experiences through reflective Paul’s Parish Council Chair), Robert Deane, Peter dialogue. McDermott (St Paul’s Parish), Tim Hurst (St Luke’s Community seeks to create a sense of Parish), Duncan Anderson and Yvonne Webber (Rector’s encounter and belonging, to build relationships appointments). The council will also have a Secretary and within the church and beyond, to recognise the Treasurer. capacity of religion to nourish individual lives, and to reflect the unique position of St Paul’s, St David’s and St Luke’s in the life of the Diocese and the nation. Community seeks to promote the Combined Ministry District’s vision of “three churches: one community”. It will do this through stories of the district, the Parishes and the wider Anglican community in ways relevant to its ST PAUL’S PARISH COUNCIL readers. Community needs your engagement as Members of St Paul’s Parish Council are: The Rev’d readers and contributors to reflect the richness Dr Brian Douglas (acting chair), the Rev’d Susan Bridge, and diversity of the district and to honour and the Rev’d Kevin Stone, Dr Ingrid Moses (Rector’s proclaim an expression of faith in our life Warden), Robert Deane, Peter McDermott (People’s together. Wardens), Catherine Bohm, Robert Bailey, Rebecca Meyers, Celia Acworth (Parish Councillors), George Menham, Mary Pollard (Rector’s appointments), Suzanne Curtis, Bill Thorn, Lorraine Lister (St. David’s Wardens), and Duncan Anderson (Treasurer). The minute taker is Community Helen Raymond. Produced by: St Paul’s Parish Council, Manuka, Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn Serving: St Paul’s Manuka St David’s Red Hill St Luke’s Deakin Telephone: 02 62396148 Fax 02 62394079 Website: http://www.stpaulsmanuka.org.au E-mail: [email protected] Rector: The Rev’d Dr Brian Douglas Assistant Priest The Rev’d Susan Bridge Associate Priest The Venerable John Gibson Pastor at St ST LUKE’S PARISH COUNCIL David’s Associate Priest, Members of St Luke’s Parish Council are: The Rev’d Priest in charge Kevin Stone (Chair), Wardens: Edna Sturman, John St Luke’s The Rev’d Kevin Stone Pilbeam, Jacqui Marsden (Secretary). Parish Councillors: Web site: www.deakinanglican.com.au Julie Hirst, Alison Heath, Perry Wiles Publication: Community is available in print and electronic form on the St Paul’s Parish web site or by e- mail. Printed by: MBE, Manuka Editor: George Menham E-mail: [email protected] Requests: Please contact St Paul’s Parish Office. © 2012 All rights reserved

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