New Chair of Praxis

New Chair of Praxis Issue 31 Autumn 2011 T HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED that the I hope Praxis (and Praxis News of £2.50 Inew Chair of Praxis is to be the Rev’d Dr Worship) can serve the worshipping life Jo Spreadbury, Vicar of Abbot’s Langley, in of the Church of England in some key In this issue Hertfordshire. She writes: respects in the next five years – and indeed I am delighted to have been appointed far longer than that, but my appointment is Chair of Praxis and I write to introduce just for the quinquennium. We are ten years New Chair of Praxis 1 myself. As a curate, I went on a number of into Common Worship and all the major Retiring Chair of Praxis 1,7 very useful Praxis courses, little imagining texts are now being used widely (we are From the General Synod 2 that I would end up one day in the position at present waiting only for the Additional News 3 of making the resources and opportunities Eucharistic Prayers and the supplementary Book reviews 4-5 of Praxis available to others. Having come Baptism resources to come from the IALC on Marriage 5 from a non-church background, I was Liturgical Commission at the request of Musical news 6-7 attracted first by the beauty of worship General Synod). So the opportunity is ripe Colin’s column 8 while still at school from the experience for sharing good practice and encouraging Praxis training events 8 of attending Choral Evensong in the city imaginative use of the rich texts of Common centre from time to time. Worship with space, movement, silence, I was then drawn to faith more deeply as music, gesture and symbol, order and What is Praxis? a student by the power of liturgy as well as spontaneity, reverence and joy. Praxis was formed in 1990, by the witness of friends, and I was baptised The Fresh Expressions initiative across sponsored by the Liturgical and confirmed in the college chapel. As the Church will provide additional incentive Commission, the Group for the well as being a member of the college to find ways of making the liturgy ‘live’ Renewal of Worship (GROW) and chapel at this time, I was a member of the in a variety of non-traditional contexts. I the Alcuin Club to provide and college Christian Union, so I have been hope, above all, that as dioceses work out support liturgical education in the formed across a wide range of the Anglican ways of implementing training reviews for Church of England. tradition. clergy and other ministers in line with the At theological college I became interested new Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Affiliation in the study of liturgy, and my Classics Measure, that liturgical review will have a The sponsoring organisations do background helped me with both Early high priority within this process. not fund Praxis financially. The work Church Greek texts and medieval Latin Praxis will work hard to provide easily that Praxis does is supported mainly ones. I have served as secretary on the St accessible training and effective resources by affiliation. If you are not an Albans Diocesan Liturgical Committee for so that laypeople and clergy alike have the affiliate, why not consider becoming a number of years, and have kept up with best support and provision as they plan and one? the latest liturgical developments through lead worship: worship that invites others Praxis News of Worship is edited attending the national day conferences for into an encounter with the reality of God, by Gill Ambrose and is copyright © Diocesan representatives and following the so that through the ministry of our churches Praxis 2011. deliberations of the Liturgical Commission. many people are able to know, and to make Material for inclusion should be sent I was pleased to be elected to General Synod known, the transforming power of the God to the editor, in 2009 (and re-elected in 2010). of Sinai and Calvary. [email protected] We reserve the right to edit material and make no guarantee to include material submitted. The views The retiring Chair of Praxis, David Kennedy expressed are not necessarily those of Praxis or the Praxis Council. T’S ALWAYS INTERESTING when you matters of doctrine, especially as this Imeet people you’ve read. As a baby in the chap was also rumoured to be an active For general enquiries, affiliation and liturgical world a couple of decades ago I parish priest. I can’t remember when we programme information, contact kept coming across David Kennedy’s name, met – probably at the Group for Renewal of Praxis, 19 The Close, Salisbury, Worship – and I’m glad that the person in the Wiltshire, SP1 2EB and rumours about an academic interest flesh was every bit as engaging as the person Phone 01722 424 858 in the Epiclesis. His Grove Booklets were [email protected] interesting and accessible, but I had to be on the page. impressed with PhD study on complicated Continued on Page 7 Page 1 from the General Synod New Liturgical New Eucharistic exegetical contortions to demonstrate that the ‘Samaritan Episode’ in Acts 8.14-17 Commission Prayers in which, in a kind of emergency, the he Liturgical Commission for the he Additional Eucharistic Prayers two apostles laid hands upon the already Tnext five year lifetime of the Church Twere debated at the July meeting of baptized Samaritans and the Samaritans of England’s General Synod has been the General Synod and committed to the received the Spirit, was in fact the apostolic appointed. Its membership is carefully next synodical step in their development, ‘norm’; and not only so, but that the Early constituted so as to resource diverse needs further scrutiny at a Revision Committee. Church followed this example so faithfully across the breadth of tradition and practice The prayers were again widely welcomed that Anglican confirmation is in clear of the Church and it is supplemented by and several speakers offered suggestions descent from it, that this rite completes the appointment of a number of expert about the ways in which celebrations baptism, and that the Anglican formularies consultants. of the Eucharist with children can be support and entrench this position. From the General Synod improved. It is clear that these prayers The Rt Revd Stephen Platten, Bishop have the potential to be the focus of ..they dismiss ‘Baptism of Wakefield, Chairman; The Rt Revd further thought and development. Among as complete sacramental Robert Paterson, Bishop of Sodor & Man, those called to speak in the debate were Vice-Chairman; The Revd Dr Rosemarie several people with significant expertise initiation’ as erroneous and Mallett, Southwark Diocese; The Revd and experience in supporting worship regressive... Philip North, London Diocese; Canon with children, who commented on ways Andrew Nunn (co-opted, Synod Chaplain) in which the language and length of the So confident are they of being able Southwark Diocese; The Revd Dr Tim prayers might still be improved. to balance a great edifice upon the Stratford, Liverpool Diocese; Mrs Sarah three verses in the Acts that they merely Finch, London Diocese; Canon Christine A twist on the dismiss BACSI as erroneous and wrong- McMullen, Derby Diocese; The Revd Dr Jo headed; and thus they do not attempt to Spreadbury (co-opted, Chair of Praxis), St Initiation front confront the literature of the last 40 years Albans Diocese. Colin Buchanan writes... which support and develop the wholly Other members biblical position that water-baptism is the The Revd Dr Anders Bergquist, Rector of t General Synod in July there was a Bradford diocesan motion, seeking universally used, single sacramental rite St John’s Wood; Canon Dr Anne Dawtry, A for the incorporation of new believers into Archdeacon of Halifax; Canon Perran Gay to expand the Synod Regulations to the body of Christ.So we have to confront (co-opted), Precentor of Truro Cathedral; provide for baptized adults to be admitted a retrogressive and damaging sectional The Revd Mark Earey, Tutor in Liturgy at to communion even if not ‘ready and position advocated on a one-sided and Queen’s Birmingham); Canon Christopher desirous’ of being confirmed. The newly Irvine, Canon Librarian of Canterbury formed Faith and Order Commission highly selective basis. Cathedral; The Revd Dr Simon Jones, (FAOC) was asked for a preparatory But this is not a private publication: Chaplain of Merton College, Oxford; The document to outline the present position it is virtually published as the official Revd Tim Lomax, Vicar of Christ Church, and reasons for defending it. They did position of the Church of England. I wrote Bayston Hill, Shropshire; Dr Bridget this, and their document (GS 1840B) to Martin Davie, and he informed me that Nichols, Chaplain to the Bishop of Ely; The clearly relied heavily on a book they the position is indeed ‘the agreed position Revd Paul Thomas, Rector of St James, had published only a few weeks before: of the Faith and Order Commission’. Paddington and Deputy Chair of the Prayer The Journey of Christian Initiation At this stage, I only ask: did the whole Book Society; The Revd Gary Waddington, (edited by Paul Avis and published by Commission agree this without debate? Rector of St Wilfrid’s, Harrogate. SPCK). Recourse to the book exposed an Or is there any hint still to be found in Consultants extraordinary position – here was the new the Commission or, say, in the House of The Revd Dr Paul Bradshaw; Dr Juliette Commission of the Church of England, Bishops that someone among our leaders Day; Mr Lindsay Gray (Director, RSCM); charged with responsibility for doctrine, thinks the ‘agreed position’ is at least Dr John Muddiman; Canon Dr David reinventing a long-abandoned position debatable? Scott; Canon Angela Tilby (Christ Church, on confirmation.

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