Th ee Bi-MBi-Monthlyonthly MagMagazineazine ofof thethe PrPrayerayer BBookook SSocietyociety MVolume 27, Number 6 ANDATNovember / DecemberE 2004

IN THIS ISSUE

Where can I fi nd a church that uses the 928 BCP? Page 2 n Th e Have things changed for the better? Page 3

Super CD pdf for Prayer Book Enthusiasts Page 4 Festival n

Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols Pages 5 – 6 of n

What’s at Stake in the Anglican Way Pages 7 – 8 n Nine Common Prayer Tradition, Not a Corpse Pages 9 – 2

n

A Letter to a Young Deacon Lessons Pages 3 – 4

n

A Christmas Meditation Page 5 and n

Godly Competition Page 6 Carols all of their services, if from the 928, or the ishes that use the 928 BCP. An excellent Where can I fi nd a ones that use the 928 BCP. Th e Reformed reference is the Directory of Traditional Episcopal Church uses a Prayer Book Anglican and Episcopal Parishes, pub- church that which includes both the 662 (Church of lished by the Fellowship of Concerned uses the England) and much from the 928. Churchmen. Th is directory does not tell In the past I could assume that all of what prayer book is used. Please contact 928 Prayer the Continuing Churches would use the editor, Mrs. Jane Nones, 4800 Dupont Book? the 928 BCP fully, but it has come to Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55409 if my attention that parishes of one of the you would like to order a copy. For infor- larger ones have begun the use of the 3 mation call (62) 824 3933. year cycle Eucharistic Lectionary, which A number of readers have written to is a departure from the 928 BCP. Th e tell us of other parishes that use the 928 928 BCP includes the Collect, Epistle, Prayer Book. It makes us glad to know of and Gospel. Sadly, we will no longer list such places, and also that folks are read- parishes from that jurisdiction, unless we ing Mandate. Some have written to tell e List parishes that use the know for a fact that the parish in question us of parishes that use 928 that we have 928 BCP according to state or uses the Eucharistic Lectionary from the already listed. It might be a good idea to area, mentioning their ecclesi- 928 BCP. keep the issues of Mandate that have this Wastical jurisdiction (Episcopal Church or Our knowledge of these matters is lim- column to use for future reference. We one of the “Continuing Churches”), and ited, so we would be happy to hear of par- can only list a parish once. Wisconsin

Janesville Milwaukee Area All Saints Church Church of the Holy Apostles (Anglican Catholic Church) (Anglican Province of Christ the King) 69 South Academy Street 42 Lake Street Janesville, Wisconsin 53545 Pewaukee, Wisconsin 53072 608 752 7469 877 277 928 Sunday Morning Prayer 8:30 am Sunday Morning Prayer 8:00 am Holy Communion 9:00 am Holy Communion 9:30 am Th e Ven. Edward W. Ruhlander, Rector Th e Rev. Charles F. Slagle, Rector

Stevens Point St. John’s Church St. Matthew’s Church (Anglican Catholic Church) (Anglican Province of Christ the King) N-89 W-62 Main Street 429 County Road “K” Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 5305 Custer, Wisconsin 54423 262 255 9626 75 592 6387 Sunday Morning Prayer 9:30 am Monday Holy Communion 5:00 pm Holy Communion 0:00 am The Rev. Charles F. Slagle, Rector Th e Rev. Th omas B. Wirth, Rector Th e Rev. Paul R. Dicks, Assistant

Please write the Rev. Fr. David C. Kennedy, SSC, at 723 Hearth Stone Ave., Boynton Beach, FL 33437-2920 if you know of parishes that use the 928 BCP. Needless to say it will take a long time to list them all! Praise God for that!!!

THE MANDATE November / December 2004 Volume 27 , Number 6 Editor: Th e Rev’d Dr.. Peter Toon • Design/Layout: Boldface Graphics Th e Offi cers for the Year 2004 are: President: Th e Rev. David Kennedy, SSC, of Florida • Vice-President: Th e Rev. Dr. Peter Toon of Tennessee and England Treasurer: Dr. T. Herbert Guerry III of Georgia • Secretary: Mrs. Miriam K. Stauff of Wisconsin MANDATE is published six times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profi t organization serving the Church of God. All gifts to the P.B.S. are tax deductible. Recipients of Mandate are encouraged to send at least $28 each year to maintain the ministry. Editorial and all other correspondence: P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA 928. Phone -800-PBS-928. Postmaster: Please send address changes to the above address. AANDATNDAT Visit the websites of the Society: www.episcopalian.org/pbs928 & www.anglicanmarketplace.com. M PagePage 2 E Refl ections from the Editor’s Desk Have THINGS changed for the better in the churches?

Th e Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon M.A., M.Th ., D.Phil (Oxon) his Commandments and Statutes. Now it is much t depends from where you make the evaluation more the content of modern Human Rights and and judgment! the Commandments of God as seen in the light of Anyone who is old enough and has a long these. One result is a dumbing-down of standards Ienough memory is aware of many changes that and of expectations of standards. have occurred in the customs and ways of western 7. A major change in the person and role of the churches since World War II and more especially priest/pastor. From being the godly and learned since the 960s. man who preaches the Word, Here are some of them described administers the sacraments and briefl y and not scientifi cally from a exercisesexercises ppastoralastoral ccare,are, tthehe momoderndern conservative viewpoint: Minister,Minister, femalefemale or male, isis now . A major change in attitude moremore tthehe ““manager”manager” of tthehe ccongre-ongre- towards the Lord’s Day. Once it gationgation and thethe “counsellor”“counsellor” of all was a day of rest and gladness; now who neneeded advadviceice or hehelp.lp. LLikewiseikewise it is church in the morning (or even BishopsBishops or superintendentsuperintendent Minis-Minis- Saturday evening) and then free tersters areare seenseen moremore asas chiefchief execu-execu- to pursue other things the rest of tive offi ccersers and c chiefhief lit liturgicalurgical Sunday. Th e sense of a day of rest offi ccersers ratherrather thanthan FFathersathers in GGod.od. and of being with the Lord has vir- CandidatesCandidates forfor ordinationordination tendtend toto tually disappeared and so has the leaveleave theirtheir coursescourses of training asas evening service in many places. jacksjacks of variousvarious tradestrades and mastersmasters 2. A major change in outward of none, not eveneven of thethe Bible or of dress for divine worship. Once itsits llanguages.anguages. it was wearing one’s formal best in order to meet 8. A major change in the understanding and with the King; now it is usually wearing comfort- presentation of Salvation & Redemption from able casuals to meet with the heavenly Friend. We God. From being primarily that which shall be in have gone from dressing-up to dressing-down. the age to come (heaven) and of which there is a 3. A major change in the way God is addressed foretaste now in this age, salvation is often now in prayer. Once it was always, “Th ou/Th ee” and interpreted with the help of psychotherapy and now it is nearly always “You”. With this also often sociology and tends to be as much in this age as in comes an informality to worship and perhaps a the age to come. seeming lack of reverence for the LORD. 9. A major change in the way in which the 4. A major change in the type of Bible used ethos & development of general western culture in church. Once it was the KJV or one of the ver- is regarded. Once there was a great concern not to sions in the tradition of this “English Bible”. Now be conformed to the world but to be in the world it is often one or several of the new types of ver- and for the world while not being of the spirit of sions which are more of a paraphrase than a formal the world. Now in a variety of ways the churches translation. Th is has led to a serious decrease in follow the spirit of the world because they believe Bible memorisation from any version. that God is revealing his nature and will through 5. A major change in the discipline with what is happening in the world at large. What once respect to sexual relations and marriage. Once was the domain of Satan is now regarded as the the marriage of a divorcee in church was rare, now sphere of God’s self-revealing and as such is to be it is very common. Once a divorced and remar- embraced. ried clergyman was extremely rare, now he is not 0. A major change in the way that the mis- rare. Further, the church turns a blind eye now to sion of the Church in the world is perceived & couples (of the opposite sex or the same sex) living executed. Once there was a certain commitment together. Physical contact between members of the to the uniqueness of Christ and of the need to pro- opposite sex is all too common and often done for claim him everywhere as the only Saviour and Way a religious purpose – “the passing of the peace”. to the Father – to be accompanied by the good 6. A major change in the actual basis for works of education, medical services etc. Now morality. Once it was clearly the Law of the Lord, Christ is usually presented as an inclusive Saviour ANDAT M Page 3 E rather than an exclusive one and much of the mes- and the Life in an exclusive sense, is these days out sage of the churches is about peace and justice in of step even with “conservative” and “orthodox” the world. opinion in the generality of evangelical and main- Th ese changes, with many others, have line churches. occurred in churches in Western Society as the To put all this in another way; he who conforms process of secularisation in the West has contin- to what was generally regarded in say 960 as the ued and as church attendance, especially in Europe basic requirements of being a Christian is today and Canada, has decreased rapidly. Some of the perceived as hopelessly out of touch and perhaps changes were made consciously to try to retain or weird – certainly irrelevant and probably “a fun- win back members by being relevant and credible damentalist”! in a changing world. Others were made to try to Interestingly, in Britain & Europe many young get rid of what were deemed to be bad or unsat- people, usually, but not always, born into Muslim isfactory attitudes, ways and customs. Yet others homes, are embracing Islam in its full traditional were made in order to make Christianity easier to form, or at least in as full a form as it is possible embrace and hold! to live it in the modern West rather than the Ara- bian desert. As Christians become more liberal In conclusion and casual in the practice of their Faith, so Muslim It would appear to be the case that anyone young people become more conservative in the today who keeps the Lord’s Day seriously going to practice of their Religion. church twice, who dresses formally for worship, Th ere is no possibility or purpose in seeking to who addresses God as “Th ee/Th ou”, who reads the go back to 960 for we live in 2004. However, we KJV or the R V or the A S V or the R S V. daily, who can learn from the past and use that understanding thinks that the churches should be graciously strict to evaluate where we are today, asking whether or concerning who is married in church, who believes not we have so lowered the standards of the Chris- that before God we have no rights but only duties tian Faith as to make It all too easy to embrace and and responsibilities, who holds that the pastor not worth dying for. should be a godly and learned man, who accepts Th e Revd Dr Peter Toon looks after two parishes that salvation is out of sin and this world into the in the northern part of the Diocese of Lichfi eld of the glorious world of the age to come, who thinks that Church of England and also edits Th e Mandate, the the church is to be in the world and for the world magazine of the Prayer Book Society of the U.S.A., but not of the world, and who believes, teaches and where he lived for  years. confesses that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth Super CD for Prayer Book Enthusiasts Th e Book of Common Prayer: Five Commentaries he Prayer Book Society is pleased to Evan Daniel, Alfred Barry, and Charles Neil with announce that it now has available a Com- J. M.Willoughby. Each of them is a major volume pact Disc on which are copied no less and so the three together (all from the period just thanT fi ve important commentaries on Th e Book of World War I) provide a veritable feast of doctrinal, Common Prayer. Th ree of these are on the classic historical, liturgical, legal and devotional informa- English edition of 662, still used in many English tion and guidance. Th ey have already educated and parishes, and two are on the American 928 edi- helped hundreds of thousands of people. tion, also still used in many Episcopal and Angli- Th e Commentaries on the American BCP of can churches in the U.S.A. 928 are by Edward L. Parsons with Bayard H Jones Most people are able to use the Prayer Book for (937) and Massey H Shepherd Jr. (950). Again daily and Sunday worship without any diffi culties, these provide a further feast for the zealous and apart from perhaps the odd word here or there or discriminating student. the strange ending of a verb occasionally. For ordi- At $20.00 post paid this CD must be the liturgi- nary practical purposes they do not need a com- cal bargain of the year, even of the decade. mentary to assist them. Send a check to the Prayer Book Society or However, not a few people who use this Liturgy, visit www.anglicanmarketplace.com and use be they clergy or laity, like to know the origins of your credit card there. the services and prayers found in the Prayer Book. Please also note that the Prayer Book Society has other CD’s Th ey also like to know their fuller meaning and containing Anglican Classics, each at $2.50: Blunt, Annotated purpose so that they can grow in knowledge and Book of Common Prayer; Hooker, Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity; be able to share it with others. Further, they feel More & Cross, Anglicanism. Also it has a large booklet, Th e Annotated Order for Holy Communion (928), which has the that the more they understand the better can they text of the service on the one side and a commentary/notes on worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. the other side of the page. Th is is $7.00, with a special price for ANDAT Th e Commentaries on the BCP of 662 are by bulk orders. M Page 4 E Th e Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Th e background of this Christmas event By Iain Hicks-Mudd fourth and followed, very appropriately by For s soon as anyone mentions the service of unto us a Child is born from Handel’s Messiah. Th e Nine Lessons and Carols the names of Fifth lesson was from Micah (as in CFC) Th e sixth King’s College, Cambridge and Eric Milner- lesson, Luke 2: 8–6 was followed by another Mes- AWhite spring to mind. Not without reason, for it is siah extract, the recitative “Th ere were shepherds this august academic establishment that has done abiding in the fi elds…” leading to the chorus Glory more to establish to God in the high- this service as a est. Th e seventh Christmas favou- lesson was the rite than any other. beginning of the It was fi rst sung at St John’s Gospel— King’s on Tuesday which is the ninth 24 December 98, lesson in CFC— a mere seven weeks followed by Adeste and one day after Fidelis (in Eng- the Armistice was lish). Th e eighth signed on Lune- lesson came from berg Heath. Galatians 4: 4–8 But the service and the ninth from was not the inven- I. John –5. Th is tion of Eric Milner- was followed by White; it was sung the third Messiah fi rst at Truro extract—Th e Hal- C a t h e d r a l — 3 8 lelujah Chorus. years earlier, at 0 And then they p.m. on Christmas sang the Magni- Eve 880. It is said Th e original wooden building that comprised the fi rst Truro Cathedral fi cat which was that this time was in which the fi rst service of “Nine Lessons, with Carols” in 880 ended its followed by the days in the town of Redruth where it was used as some sort of ware- chosen in order house. Sadly it eventually was destroyed by fi re. Collect for Christ- to, “get the men mas Day and the out of the pubs early so they would not be drunk Blessing. Th e service continued to be celebrated for the midnight service”! Th e originator was the each year, and when Bishop Benson was appointed fi rst bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd Edward White to the See of Canterbury he took it with him and Benson—he became Archbishop of Canterbury in several churches in the diocese took it up. It was 883—who described it as a “simple service of nine not until after the end of World War I that the ser- carols and nine tiny lessons”. Th e original sugges- vice went to Cambridge. tion had come from G. H. S. Walpole, who became Eric Milner-White had spent the Great War as bishop of Edinburgh thirty years later. In 880 the an army chaplain, and his experience during that service was sung in the wooden church that served time was that the Church of England needed more as the fi rst Truro Cathedral. imaginative worship (although I am absolutely sure Th e Truro service started with the Lord’s Prayer, that the Prayer Book Society, had it existed in 1918, versicles and responses and the Gloria Patri, and would not have approved of these sentiments!). Fol- the Bishop saying “With perpetual benediction lowing the end of hostilities, Eric Milner-White was may the FATHER everlasting bless us.” Th en came appointed Dean of King’s and in the short time, he the fi rst lesson followed by the fi rst Carol, Th e Lord set the whole Nine Lessons and Carols ball rolling. at fi rst had Adam made. I will not detail the full The music was directed by Arthur Henry Mann, service, but only highlight some of the diff erences organist from 1876 to 1929 and sung by sixteen tre- to the service that we know today as laid out in bles—as laid down by King Henry VI’s statutes—the Carols for Choirs  (Oxford University Press). Th e men’s voices, alto, tenor and bass, being provided by third lesson came from Numbers, chapter 24:5– choral scholars and older lay-clerks. Today the lower 8, and today’s third lesson from Isaiah was placed voices are all sung by choral scholars. ANDAT M Page 5 E The fi rst service at King’s College, Cambridge, by Adeste Fidelis. The seventh and eighth lessons followed closely the structure laid down in the origi- were also as we know them today and the ninth was nal Truro service with some musical changes and the reading from Galatians that was number eight additions. Gone were the Messiah extracts and most in the Truro service. This was followed by the First of the carols were different—only Adeste Fidelis, Nowell and the Magnifi cat—the 16th century Metri- and The First Nowell, were repeated. The bulk of the cal Version of Sternhold & Hopkins set to music for carols were taken King’s College, from The Cowley Cambridge by Dr. Carol Book, Charles Wood. fi rst published The service fi n- in 1902 by A. R. ished as today, Mowbray & Co with the Collect Ltd., of London for Christmas and Oxford, with Day, the Blessing one from The and the Reces- English Carol sional Hymn, Book (1913) also Hark! the Herald published by Angels sing. Mowbray’s. The It was obvi- service started ously well with an “Invita- received as the tory Carol”—Up service was Good Christen repeated again Men and Listen in 1919, but in a and then the slightly revised P r o c e s s i o n a l form; this was the Hymn, Once in fi rst time that the Royal David’s service began with City. Then came the hymn Once Eric Milner- in Royal David’s White’s Bid- City with a solo ding Prayer and treble singing the the Our Father. fi rst verse. This Then there was has remained the a the Hymn same ever since, A Great and but other carols mighty wonder, have changed after which the All the Congregation are requested to stand during the from time to time Dean said the reading of the Lesson from the Gospel of S. John, the Hymns, with new ones fi rst Benediction, the Chorus, Glory to God, the Hallelujah Chorus, and being introduced “With perpetual Magnificat. and many, in benediction may latter years, writ- the Father Ever- ten specially for lasting bless us” the service. to which the congregation replied Amen. Then came So if anyone tells you that the Festival of Nine the fi rst lesson with the reader (a chorister) giving the Lessons and Carols was invented by King’s College, announcement that we all know from CFC1—“God Cambridge, you can put them right and give Truro announceth in the Garden of Eden that the seed of Cathedral its due. woman shall bruise the serpent’s head.” The second, [Mr. Hicks-Mudd was for several years the Editor third, fourth and fi fth lessons were as we know of the Journal of the Prayer Book Society of England them today, but the sixth lesson was the beginning and he remains deeply involved in the musical pre- of St John’s Gospel followed, as in Truro in 1880 sentations of the Oxford Branch.]

Please remember to be generous to the Prayer Book Society in your ANDAT Christian giving and also to mention it in your will. M Page 6 E What’s at Stake? Th e Windsor Report and the Anglican Way . Th e media in the West have shown more continue for some months throughout the world, interest in Episcopalians and Anglicans in the and quick comment on it is probably not advis- last year than for a very long time. Th is is because able. Whether its proposals and recommendations within certain Anglican Provinces the agenda of will be accepted and whether they will, if accepted, the LesBiGay cause has gained such approval that keep the Anglican Communion together, only time homosexual unions are seen by many as being will tell. candidates for the blessing of God, while in other 4. It is better to see the homosexual issue as Provinces they have being a (not the) been seen as a form presenting problem of depraved human within the western behaviour, off ensive Provinces of the to God. Th e ECUSA The Lambeth Commission on Anglican Commu- is as much divided Communion nion. Th at is, the on this issue as is the fact of its presence USA itself as a civil within the life of society, the basic dif- The the churches is the ference is that “God” Windsor Report sign and evidence is attached to the 2004 of something that is activity and debate below the surface, in the churches. and which is respon- 2. Not a few sible for it, what we Episcopalians and may call the root of Anglicans, who call this problem. What themselves “ortho- the root is we shall dox” regard the note later. homosexual issue 5. If the homosex- as being the line ual issue is a present- that separates an ing problem, then orthodox diocese what are the others, or church from an those things that we apostate diocese or may also see as the Published by church. Th is atti- The Anglican Communion Office, London, UK fruit of this root? We tude has been seen Copyright © 2004 The Anglican Consultative Council may identify them in the activities and as some – but not broadsheets of some all -- of the innova- of the Evangeli- tions adopted by the cals & Charismat- ECUSA and other ics belonging to the Anglican provinces American Anglican in the last fi fty years Council, Th e Network, and related groups. Th ey or so. Th ey are those innovations that are obviously seem to be saying that if the clock could be put and clearly departures from the received worship, back a few years and the LesBiGay agenda were doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Way as it wholly removed from the ECUSA then this Prov- has been known through the centuries. Th ey are ince and church would be orthodox. Further, a lot those innovations which have paved the way for, of the discussion over the last year surrounding the and prepared the ground for, the centrality of the Lambeth Commission [Eames Commission] has homosexual issue. also given the impression that the great problem 6. A survey of the history and life of the ECUSA facing the Anglican Communion is the issue of the during the second half of the 20th century provides blessing of gay unions and ordaining persons in us with knowledge of these innovations. Here we such unions. shall only note the major ones. First of all, there 3. Th e Report of the Commission, entitled Th e is the obvious relaxing , and then removing alto- Windsor Report, is now published and can be gether, of what used to be called marriage disci- read in printed form from SPCK for £4.95 or on pline. Remarriage after divorce was once rare in line at http://www.anglicancommunion.org/wind- the Episcopal Church and now it is very common. sor2004/index.cfm No doubt the debate on it will Serial monogamy is part of the social reality of ANDAT M Page 7 E modern America and it is also part of the life of generally connected to all this has been the devel- the Episcopal Church as it is of other American opment of the role of a Presiding Bishop without a Churches. diocese and a centralizing based on bureaucracy. In the second place, there is since the 970s and Th ese fi ve examples are suffi cient to illustrate 980s the placing of women into the order of dea- the ripe, bitter fruit that has grown from the root. cons, the order of presbyters and the order of bish- 7. So what then is the root. It is the root of apos- ops; and further, after this, there is the making of tasy. It is an erroneous form of belief, an improper this innovation into a necessary article of faith for attitude towards God, a despising of the Holy Episcopalians who wish to hold any offi ce in the Scriptures and sacred Tradition, and an impiety ECUSA. Hereby order has become dis-order. that add up to the rejection of the Revelation of Both of these innovations belonged to the great the living God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. surge within western society from the 960s for Further it adds up to a refusal to bow down before full civil and human rights for all persons and also him in worship that is in spirit and in truth and is to the sense that each person deserves the right in the beauty of holiness. to personal happiness and fulfi lment. Privation at Th is root is certainly religious and it certainly the personal level should be avoided as far as this believes in God, but a God who is less than the is possible. Obviously such an atmosphere also Lord our God who is made known in the Holy proved congenial for the later development of the Scriptures. He (perhaps She or It) is less than the LesBiGay agenda and political activity. true GOD because this new God’s nature, charac- In the third place, there is the decision in 976 & ter, attributes and will are made to accommodate 979 not only to abandon the received Formularies to the supposed best insights of modern secular – Th e Book of Common Prayer, Th e Ordinal and culture. So the religion that arises is weak on sin Th e Articles of Religion – but also to transfer the and high on human celebration. It is weak on holi- title of the historic Prayer Book to what everywhere ness and sanctifi cation and high on self-worth and else in the Anglican Provinces was being called “A self- realization. It forgets the commandments and Book of Alternative Services”. Th e ECUSA com- responsibilities in order to embrace human rights. mitted the crime of piracy in stealing a title and at It affi rms continuing human experience as a source the same time by so doing incorporated within its of revelation and reinterprets the content of Holy life & worship a permanent lie. Scripture to fi t into this knowledge. Further, within this new “BCP of 979 there It sets aside not only the central and true con- were other “lies”. One example will suffi ce here. tent of the historic, orthodox Anglican Way but Th e method used to translate the ancient texts of also the confession of the Blessed, Holy and Undi- Scripture and of the liturgy from the Early Church vided Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy is a method which is designed to avoid the literal Ghost. sense of the original in favour of what is called “the 8. While there are some dioceses, parishes and dynamic equivalent”. Th us Psalm : literally states, clergy whose life is virtually totally dependent on “Blessed is the man…” and the dynamic equiva- this root of apostasy and thus who display the full lent is “Happy are they”. In the desire not to off end fruit of it in their worship, doctrine and liturgy, women, this novel way of translation has been there are others, who seem to be connected to widely used and lies are proclaimed. In the case this root of apostasy only in part. Th us their own if the Psalter the removal of “the Man” eff ectively life is a mixture of the presence and evidence of removes “the Man, Christ Jesus” from his Prayer both genuine worship, doctrine and discipline and Book! false worship, doctrine and discipline. (Th is is not In the fourth place, there is the gradual adoption new for we see it in the description of the seven of what has been called “inclusive language” (to churches which are addressed in Revelation  – 3.) include women) not only for human beings (e.g., 9. Th e present crisis in the Anglican Commu- “brethren” becomes “sisters and brothers”) but also nion of Churches as perceived by the major media for God (“Father” becomes “Mother-Father” or is certainly focused in the innovation by certain “Parent”) in its trial liturgies from 980 onwards. western provinces of blessing homosexual part- Th is kind of language eff ectively places a barrier nerships. However, the true crisis, which has been between the language of Bible and tradition and emerging for the last fi fty years or so and which we the language of the modern church. are reluctant to face, is the forsaking of the Revela- In the fi fth place, there is the general change of tion, Worship, Faith and Commandments of the role of clergy from being pastors, celebrants and God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in favour teachers to being managers and counsellors. With of a secularised, comfortable religion. What’s at this has come the change of bishops from being stake is authentic Christianity and the orthodox “Fathers in God” to being Chief Executive Offi cers Anglican Way. and Chief Liturgical Offi cers of their dioceses. And ANDAT M Page 8 E Common Prayer Tradition, not a corpse body without breath is a corpse. A local Where it is the case that in a parish church there church/congregation without the Breath of is the committed and faithful use of the BCP for the God, the Holy Ghost, is a spiritual corpse. Daily Offi ces; for the Litany on Wednesday, Friday ALikewise, a received, historical printed tradi- and Sunday; and for the Order for Holy Commu- tion of worship and prayer is as a corpse within a nion on Sundays and Holy Days; and where the parish church, college chapel or cathedral when Christian Year is being carefully observed, where it is totally neglected. In the case of the Anglican the Holy Trinity is being worshipped in the beauty Common Prayer Tradition, it is as a corpse when of holiness, where there is suitable uplifting music copies of Th e Book of and singing/chanting and Common Prayer [BCP] most importantly the are not in use, stacked Psalter is prayed daily away in some cupboard and the Old and New or chest. Or, in terms Testaments read daily, of a home, it is when the then it may be claimed BCP is on the bookshelf that the Common Prayer and never removed for Tradition is alive and use! well corporately (though We know from obser- of course this judgment vation of human life, that allows for diff erent there is a variety of intensities of being alive forms of being alive, and well, a variety physically and of churchman- mentally. So there ship and cultural are obvious diff er- forms/expres- ences in vibrancy sion and diff erent and intensity of intensities of out- the presence of the reach/mission). Common Prayer Tradi- Now let us seek to tion in parishes, cathedrals enter into an appreciation and chapels, as well as family of the Common Prayer Tra- homes and in human lives. dition by means of the anal- Let us look at these varied ogy of two circles expressions of liturgical & devo- Th e Anglican Way, in its tional life historic and classic form based Where it is the case that the upon the Bible and Formularies BCP is brought out solely for the (BCP, Ordinal & Articles), and occasional service, say a funeral worshipping and serving God or a baptism, then we may say the Father through God the that the Common Prayer Tradi- Son by/with the Holy Ghost, tion, though not yet a corpse, is in a may be explained by means of the use of two coma or asleep most of the time. concentric circles. Where it is the case that the BCP is brought Th e outer circle is created by the Church Year out only for the brief early Sunday service of Holy of 365 days. On each day the Church, universal Communion (and then hastily put away) then and local, off ers (as its basic worship & sacrifi ce of we may say that the Common Prayer Tradition, praise) the Daily Offi ces of Morning and Evening though far from being a corpse, is rather limited in Prayer. In these it reads through the whole Scrip- vitality, scope and quality. ture and prays the Psalter and does so knowing However, where it is the case that the congrega- that Jesus Christ has fulfi lled the Scriptures and tion which attends this early Sunday service also that he is the “Man” of the Psalter (Psalm :), in – on a personal and/or family basis – daily reads union with whom the Church prays. At the same and prays the Daily Offi ce ( Morning or Evening time it also off ers praise, thanksgiving, confession, Prayer or both & Litany) then the vitality, scope petition and intercession through Christ Jesus. and quality are greater and better, but still mini- Th e Creed is recited to be the doctrinal founda- mized because not corporate. tion and structure of the whole exercise of prayer, ANDAT M Page 9 E a kind of summary off ered to God of what he has ity that refl ects the biblical basis of the Tradition. revealed to mankind. And from this daily off ering, Th is is, of course, of paramount importance and the people of God are energised to live and work before God is crucial for “without holiness no man for the glory of God and the good of mankind in shall see God”! Anyone who reads the Scriptures their various vocations. regularly and seriously is very aware of the strong Th e inner circle is also created by the Church words of the Lord Jesus Christ against hypocrisy Year; but, here it consists only of each Lord’s Day – “this people honoureth me with their lips but and the festivals. On these days the Church assem- their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6) & “Woe unto bles for the Eucharist as it uses “Th e Order for you…ye outwardly appear righteous unto men, Holy Communion” for the ministry of the Word but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” & prayer and the ministry of the Sacrament. Th is (Matthew 23:28). Th ere is always a danger that an circle is the inner cohesive one because (a) by it the outward appearance of piety in the recital of the people of God are lifted up into heaven to feast at text and the observance of the rubrics of the Prayer the heavenly, Messianic Banquet as they remem- Book will mask an inward impiety and ungodli- ber the atoning sacrifi cial death of the exalted Lord ness. Th e Common Prayer Tradition, following Jesus; and (b) through its carefully selected and the Bible, looks for consistency between the words ancient Lectionary, they are given a theological & spoken and the state of the soul. doctrinal structure by which to receive the Chris- Another sign of commitment is the holding to tian Faith and to live their Christian lives. (More the doctrinal standard of Th e Book of Common on the Eucharistic Lectionary below.) Prayer, as this is understood in relation to and By using Th e Book of Common Prayer accord- alongside the Ordinal and Articles of Religion, ing to its own internal principles (as set out above) and under the authority of Holy Scripture. Th e Anglican Christians learn to walk with the Lord Prayer Book certainly contains memorable and each day throughout the whole year. Th e Collects moving forms of English prayer and devotion. Yet that belong to the Sundays and Festivals in the its words, phrases and sentences exist not merely Eucharistic Lectionary are also prayed simultane- to be excellent vehicles of piety but also as expres- ously daily in Morning and Evening Prayer. Th ey sions of doctrines concerning God, man, sin, salva- serve to bind together the two circles and make the tion, sanctifi cation and so on. To receive the words whole corporate and personal discipline and habit and sentences is also to receive the meaning of of prayer wholesome and consistent. the words. And the content of the three Formu- Regrettably, as already noted, too many Angli- laries, in the context of the supreme authority of cans who use Th e Book of Common Prayer only Holy Scripture, suggests – requires – commitment do so for one service a week, a Sunday morning to certain doctrines and rejection of others (e.g., service of Holy Communion. Th is minimalism is it requires the rejection of Pelagianism and the better than nothing but it could be so much richer acceptance of salvation by grace through faith and and fuller if it were united to the use of the Daily not by works). Th e Law of Praying is the Law of Offi ces. Believing and vice versa. Regrettably, also, too many other Anglicans, Yet another sign of commitment to the who have been persuaded by bishops and priests Common Prayer Tradition is the use, alongside the not to use Th e Book of Common Prayer but to B.C.P., of prayers, collects and hymns, which have make a choice from the massive variety off ered by the same basic doctrine and language as the BCP the modern service books do not experience (even itself. (One can hardly be committed to the BCP where they are most devout) a consistent ethos, if one prays and sings to the “You-God”.) As we doctrine, language, style and piety in God’s pres- all know, the BCP does not provide prayers for all ence, simply because the rites and services being needs and occasions, especially modern situations used do not themselves contain any such con- (e.g., prayers on a cruise ship or on an aircraft), and sistency. Th ey are “a mixed bag” and so stand in for a very long time there have been collections of stark contrast to the solid consistency of the B.C.P.! additional prayers made available regularly in print What this mixture is doing to devotion is probably for use by Ministers and teachers and parents. If disastrous. these dry up in any given period, and cease to be printed and distributed, then that is a sure indica- Further points to consider in terms of tion that the Common Prayer Tradition is becom- the Presence of the Common Prayer ing weak or sick, even if it is still alive. Likewise, Tradition when the writing of hymns and the composition Alongside the wholesome public and personal of tunes to go with them begins to dry up, then the use of the BCP by a congregation of faithful Angli- same may be said. If the churches are relying only cans, there are other indications of real commit- on hymns written in previous centuries and not ment to the Common Prayer Tradition. producing hymns themselves for today then most One sign is obviously an aspiring towards, and probably it may be said that the Common Prayer ANDAT striving for, a standard of godliness and moral- Tradition is not healthy. Th e fact of the matter is M Page 0 E that where the Common Prayer Tradition is alive of Holy Scripture, God’s word to us, is set before us and well, really alive and well, then there is pres- in an orderly and logical way. Th us, as we read and ent a creativity (from the Breath of God) and thus meditate upon the Epistle and Gospel appointed there is the production of suitable collects, prayers for the Sundays and the great festivals, our minds and hymns comes naturally and these supplement and hearts are enabled by divine assistance to and confi rm the presence of the Common Prayer understand the pattern and meaning of them. Tradition. Th us we are led gradually, by the Holy Ghost, into A further sign is the production of books of an ever deeper and clearer perception of the basic explanation of the Catechism, on the art of medi- truth of the Faith and essentials of Christian life, tating on Scripture and during the Liturgy, on the which provides the living fl esh for the skeleton praying of the Psalter and on Family Prayers. provided by the Creed. Finally, the point may be made that when a When one examines the Eucharistic Lectionary person living within the Common Prayer Tradi- in Th e Book of Common Prayer one notices sev- tion is asked to pray he naturally prays within the eral things. First of all, it is printed in full inside the language and doctrines of the Tradition. Th at is, Prayer Book; that is the Epistle and the Gospel are he does not address a “You-God” in public prayers there to be followed as they are read by Deacon and after “the Th ird Collect” in Morning & Evening Priest. Th us these Readings are to be taken most Prayer or in extempore prayer at a Vestry Meeting, seriously as they comprise nearly one third of the after addressing the “Th ou-God” in the Common whole Book. Secondly, the Lectionary is ancient, Prayer. having existed for a millennium And now a couple of gen- and having its origins in the eral comments. First, if the practice and order of the Early Common Prayer Tradition Church. And thirdly, there is a is judged to be the authentic defi nite, doctrinal and spiritual Anglican way of public worship logic to it. and personal prayer, then the From Advent to Trinity more centers there are where Sunday the leading events in the use of the BCP is positive our Lord’s life are commemo- and complete for all services, rated in order to remind us of the better. In fact, one purpose the great benefi t that we receive of a national Prayer Book Soci- from God the Father through ety could be to seek to ensure the mediation and atonement that there is such a centre of of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ excellence in each part of the and through the ministration country, so that, anyone in a of God the Holy Ghost. Th is car who will drive for one hour comes to its glorious close with should be able to attend one. the commemoration and ado- Secondly, while a voluntary Society such as a ration of the Blessed, Holy and Undivided Trinity. Prayer Book Society may promote Th e Book of From Trinity to Advent, the emphasis is upon Common Prayer as a fi ne example of literature, as the practical application of the basic doctrine com- the best prayer book for public worship and as a municated in the fi rst half of the year, so that God’s model of doctrinal purity, a church that uses the people both rightly believe and faithfully live the same Prayer Book faithfully has a much greater Christian religion. vocation. It is committed, through its being a Th erefore, during the whole Year the mind/ part the Body of Christ and under the authority soul is formed in both doctrinal truth and truth- of Christ and his written Word, to the vocation of ful living by the Word of God and thus the same exemplifying the religion of the prayer book (itself mind/soul is enabled in the Daily Offi ce, with its a summary of biblical teaching) in its corporate life Bible Reading and Psalter praying, to grow coher- and that of each of its members. It is to be a micro- ently in the way of holiness and grace. Th e results cosm of the catholic church where there is worship will be consistent living wherein slowly and grace- in spirit and in truth and in the beauty of holiness fully the fruit of the Spirit will begin to grow and to and where this worship leads to holiness of life and abound. At the same time, the sinful works of the to consecrated service of the Lord. fl esh will be mortifi ed (see Galatians 5:6ff .). Let us now look at that which takes up the great- A further comment on the Lectionary is in est number of pages in the BCP. We may identify order. Th e character of this ancient Eucharistic lec- the Eucharistic Lectionary as “the heart of the tionary is often misunderstood and misconstrued. Common Prayer Tradition”. Th e ancient Lection- It is not, and was never intended to be a substi- ary is that cycle of Epistle and Gospel lessons for tute for Bible reading and Bible study; that can be the Church Year which has served the Church for done much more completely and thoroughly in well over a millennium. In it the essential message other contexts: in the Daily Offi ces, in Bible study ANDAT M Page  E groups, in private study, with the help of commen- Is there a viable alternative to the Common taries, and so on. Th e Eucharistic lectionary off ers, Prayer Tradition? instead, a systematic, doctrinal, moral and spiritual For over thirty years the Church of England and teaching, by way of Biblical texts; and none of the the Churches of the Anglican Communion have many recent alternative lectionaries even begin to been experimenting with new forms of liturgy, serve that purpose. It is an important, and really a addressed to the “You-God.” However, there has basic, part of our Christian heritage, ancient and not yet emerged one recognizable, genuine, stable ecumenical, which we should receive thankfully, Anglican alternative to the Common Prayer Tra- cherish devoutly, and ponder in our minds and dition. In fact, diversity and variety have become hearts week by week. so common at the parish level, that the present A fi nal word about the Eucharistic Lectionary. Liturgical Commission of the Church of England Th e version of Scripture that it is found in the BCP spends much of its time and energy seeking to gain is the King James Version, which is an essentially control of this variety and choice. Its fl ow of pub- literal translation, whose rhythm is pleasing to the lications add to the library of volumes that make ear. If another version is to be substituted it must up “Common Worship” and the only thing that be a version that is also literal (e.g., RV, RSV) so is “Common” to them, amidst all the variety and that the doctrinal content of the Lectionary is pre- choice, is the evidence of dumbing-down. Th ere is served. not yet a “Common Worship Tradition” but there is what we may call a growing varied “congrega- Some further observations on the tional tradition” and behind this there are various Common Prayer Tradition international movements and causes from which It is important to state that there is no one form the local parish gains the ideas and momentum to of churchmanship that belongs exclusively to the create its own local liturgy. Th is situation is dupli- Common Prayer Tradition. In terms of clergy dress cated in other places such as the U.S.A. and ceremonial this Form of Worship & Prayer A major question is: Whether a congregation may be off ered in public worship with minimal or and individuals within it need and require a basic, maximum outward display, as long as this display common, stable pattern of sound words and doc- or lack of it do not suggest a doctrinal position that trine in order to grow in holiness and knowledge it at odds with the clear doctrine of the BCP – e.g., of God. certain extra devotions with respect to the Sacra- Th e modern answer from liturgical experts and ment may deny the basic doctrine of the Sacra- bishops would seem to be in the negative. A variety ment itself. of rites and prayers is seen as good for a person In terms of music, the possibilities for singing for, in the experience of such diversity, there is, it and chanting the service range from the simple is suggested, real growth in spiritual and moral vir- Merbecke, through Anglican Plainsong and spe- tues. After all, is not this context of choice the real- cialized music for choirs only, to a dignifi ed kind of ity of the world in which modern Christians think, modern folk music – and accompanied by orches- feel and act? “If it is good for the market place then tra, organ, piano or guitar. [In commending folk it is good for the church.” music I am not referring to existing charismatic In contrast, the traditional answer is positive. choruses and songs but to a form of music that is Th e formation of good habits and disciplines, well established.] together with the use of sound forms of words, are With respect to service time, while there is a seen as necessary for the formation of the mind, long tradition of the major service of the Lord’s Day heart and will in the ways of godliness. Here the being in the morning, and evensong in late after- Common Prayer Tradition is one in intention with noon, it may be that in some places a major service the basic and ancient traditions of prayer within on Saturday evening and/or on Sunday evening the Religious Orders of historic Christianity in is in order. Th e people of God should meet when East and West. they are free to meet and certainly their outreach Th us from the standpoint of the Common services to seekers should be at times appropriate Prayer Tradition, there is and there ought to be and convenient for them. In what is now a virtual a commitment to a fi xed shape and content, with 24 hour working day in the West, the church needs of course variability in the daily use of Psalms to be fl exible on service times. and readings from the Old and New Testament. Further, concerning how people dress, what is Further, there is commitment to the one style of regarded as acceptable in terms of how we dress language, where the second person singular is in changes as the years go by and so while people the traditional form – thou/thee/thy/thine. Any are certainly to be encouraged to dress modestly mixing of so called traditional with contemporary and be clean of body, it must never be forgotten is not good for mind or heart. By God’s providence that what is required for worship is primarily “a and mercy, good habits with sound patterns pro- clean heart and a right spirit” for God is to be wor- duce godliness and good order. ANDAT shipped “in spirit and in truth.” M Page 2 E Letter to a Young Deacon ou’ve asked which is better in ministry, parishes with a strong Morning Prayer tradition an Evangelical stress on the Gospel or an (which I consider a good thing, but only one good Anglo-Catholic emphasis on the sacra- thing among others), it is simple enough to have an ments,Y but I must confess that I believe the major- early service of Holy Communion, especially if the ity of today’s opposition between the Evangelical addition is approached as giving honor to Christ and the Anglo-Catholic views of almost anything and as making his sacrament available weekly for is very late and rather artifi cial. Evangelicalism and those faithful who feel themselves called to the Anglo-Catholicism are 8th and 9th century move- Holy Table. ments, and much of what happened in Anglican Anglican Evangelicalism and Anglo-Catholi- history and practice in the preceding centuries cism were responses to perceived needs in the doesn’t quite fi t into either mode. Church. Th e Evangelicals believed that better Th e religion that came out of the English Refor- preaching and personal discipline would increase mation might best be called a “reformed catholi- the Church’s eff ectiveness in obeying the Great cism.” Its roots are in the Scriptures and the Commission and spreading the Gospel. It was the undivided apostolic Church of the fi rst fi ve cen- Anglican Evangelicals, after all, putting faith into turies. What changed in the Reformation was not practice, who gained the victory for Christ in the the connection to these roots (although I would abolition of slavery for the fi rst time in human argue they were made stronger, not weaker) but history. Th e Anglo-Catholics were responding to a re-evaluation of various additions that had built what they saw as the secularization of the Church, up in Western Christianity in the years between making her only a department of government, and the Fathers and the Reformation, with an eye to so they stressed the immense sacramental grace removing anything that was contrary to Scripture and authority that Christ had given his Church, or to the faith of the undivided Church. along with the Church’s history. Th e place to look for a mature summary of But I’ll tell you a secret. Both groups began the reformed Anglican Way is a classic edition simply as loyal churchmen with a reforming of the BCP, either the English 662 or the Ameri- emphasis. Th e great Evangelical Augustus Top- can 928. In it you will fi nd neither sectarianism lady writes in his famous hymn “Rock of Ages” nor denominationalism (in the current American of “the water and the blood,” the outward signs of sense), but rather the best expression in the Eng- the sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Commu- lish language of what is truly common to the entire nion. Anglo-Catholic clergymen died in droves, biblical and apostolic Church throughout history. bringing the Gospel to Africa, just as their Evan- Local devotions and customs are permitted, but no gelical brethren did. Th e modern party diff erences, one is required to believe what is not the common based on secular political parties and the pursuit inheritance of the whole Church. Th is commonal- of power, are degenerate inventions piled onto the ity is the essence of a real “catholicism,” as defi ned reforms of much greater men who simply loved by St. Vincent of Lerins, who stated that the catho- Christ and his Church. lic faith consists of that which has been believed If you can dig up a copy of E. Clowes Chorley’s “everywhere, always, and by all.” “Men and Movements in the American Episco- In terms of worship, the Book of Common pal Church,” published in 945, take a look at the Prayer establishes certain offi ces and adminis- excerpts from various sermons before the devel- trations as the “regular” services (the rule) of the opment of today’s silly partisanship. Th e sermons Church. Th ese are Daily Morning and Evening of the Evangelicals are catholic, and the sermons Prayer, the Litany, and the Lord’s Supper or Holy of the High Churchmen and early Anglo-Catho- Communion. Th e Prayer Book ideal would be to lics are evangelical. Reformed catholicism is both off er Morning Prayer, the Litany, and the Holy evangelical and catholic, and when we remain Communion every Sunday morning. At the same loyal to it, as we should since it is the original faith time, circumstances (and the customs that get of the historic Church, we cannot help but be both built on circumstances) have not been everywhere evangelical and catholic. ideal or the same. As to the Holy Communion, what does the While the best case would be, then, what the Church Catechism in the BCP say? It says that the Prayer Book envisions: all of the regular services inward grace of the Holy Communion is “Th e Body of the Church off ered on the Lord’s Day, variations and Blood of Christ, which are spiritually taken and on this discipline are mostly not violations of good received by the faithful in the Lord’s Supper.” Th is is order, but rather permissible adjustments to real- exactly what the Scriptures teach (see for example, life situations (many of which continue out of sanc- St. Paul in  Cor.). Th is is exactly what Aelfric, an tifi ed habit, rather than laxity or laziness). Even in ancient English churchman, taught in his Anglo- ANDAT M Page 3 E Saxon homilies, written around the year 000. Th is Practice of the Church permit. is basic Christian doctrine, not the property of any Whatever kind of Anglican parish or jurisdic- religious party or movement, and demanding that tion that you might serve, as long as that parish any Christian believe more or less than this is mor- or jurisdiction is loyal to Christ, to the Scripture, ally and doctrinally wrong. We receive our Lord’s and to the Anglican formularies, you can be the Body and Blood, according to his Word and by same sort of loyal, decent, catholic, and evangeli- the power of God the Blessed Trinity. Philosophi- cal Anglican Christian that you could be anywhere cal debates about how God accomplishes this fact else, even if the ceremonial or the vestments change may be interesting to some folks, but they are not a bit from place to place. Except as a part of your relevant to a saving faith and a loyal Christianity. general pastoral knowledge, you can let the various Anglican comprehensiveness isn’t license or parties go, and you can concentrate your eff orts on a catch-all. It is, rather, a principled belief in the knowing Christ and bringing him to those in your truth revealed in Scripture and applied in the care in the fullness of the Anglican Way. Th en you formularies, principally the Book of Common can serve with honor wherever it pleases God to Prayer, that allows a certain patience with others. place you. Th at patience permits what is permissible within Yours in Christ, the Faith and Practice of the Church, even if we wouldn’t do things exactly that way. Th at patience Louis Tarsitano also requires the calm, charitable eff ort to correct Fr. Tarsitano is the Rector of St. Andrew’s Church, those who have gone beyond what the Faith and Savannah, Georgia.

A Christmas Meditation continued from page 5 long bandage strip attached to it. Th e child was Th ere is more in the manger than meets the eye. wrapped in the cloth then bound with the strip of What child is this who lay to rest on Mary’s lap is cloth attached to it. Th e picture observed is that sleeping? He is the Word of God Incarnate. He of the Son of God not loosely wrapped but bound is the Lamb of God. It is not a coincidence that hand and feet, foreshadowing his future binding at the shepherds were given the announcement of the the time of his crucifi xion. birth of the Savior. Th ese men who watched over Th is boy, upon his birth, was not taken toa the sheep in their fi elds were not watching just any warming table or a comfortable nursery but placed sheep. Th ey were watching sheep that held a spe- in a trough that was used for the feeding of animals. cial place in the life of Israel. Th e shepherds were Th e Son of Man had no place of his own to lay his in charge of those sheep that would give their lives head and there was no room for him in the inn. as a sacrifi ce. Th ese were the Temple sheep and Later in his life it was told to those who wished to they were bred for one purpose only – to die. So follow him that foxes had holes and birds of the air it is no coincidence that these very shepherds were had nests but the Son of Man had no place to lay the ones to whom the announcement was made his head. Th e only place for him at his birth was a and that they were directed to the very Lamb of trough and the only place for his burial was a bor- God, without blemish or fl aw, who also was born rowed grave. for the single purpose of dying. Th ere is so much When we look beyond what lies in front of more than meets the eye in the manger this night. us we see much more for there is more in the What appears and is presented in a very simple, manger than meets the eye. We see the fullness almost too simple, manner carries with it meaning of God’s grace in the fullness of the Incarnation. that is beyond understanding. God in his wisdom St. Chrysostom, a fi fth century bishop, theologian has chosen the weak to be strong. He has chosen and preacher wrote in his Christmas Day sermon, the frail to conquer sin and death. Here before “Th e Ancient of days has become an infant.” us lays the Word of God interceding for us in his St. Cyril of Alexandria, picking up on St. Chrys- silence. Who is this on Mary’s lap? Dix reminds us ostom’s theme wrote, in this hymn that on her lap lay the King of Kings “He who sits upon the sublime and heavenly and what he brings is salvation. He has come for throne, now lies in a manger. He who cannot all mankind and it is to us that he brings the gift be touched, who is simple, without complexity of salvation. We can, with the angels and archan- and incorporeal now lies subject to the hands of gels and all the company of heaven, sing the glories men. He who has broken the bonds of sinners is of his birth. What greater gift is there and what now bound in infants bands.” greater gift can we off er than to give our lives to Finally, another great theologian of the fourth Him? century, St. Ambrose, wrote, May our Lord Jesus bless you and your family “Do not measure by what thy eyes see but this Christmas and help you always to know that acknowledge this - you are redeemed. Unless there is more in the manger than meets the eye. man were redeemed it would avail him nothing Th e Rev’d Wayland Coe, Rector of St Th omas ANDAT to have been born.” Church, Houston, TX M Page 4 E A Christmas Meditation

ith great joy and great gladness we join fi rst stanza is the focus for this meditation, “What together with the angels, the archan- child is this who laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is gels, the Cherubim and Seraphim as sleeping?” Wwe sing the great songs proclaiming the Savior’s For many the sight before us on Christmas Eve birth on the Feast of the Nativity. Singing the great night is that of a infant boy, recently born, who lies hymns of the Church aff ords us the opportunity in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes with his to experience something beyond that which comes mother and father close at hand. Th e animals are with simple verbal expression. Music fi lls our lives milling about and shepherds are on their way to and we are visit. It is a surrounded picture that by it. It is has been a powerful painted for medium of centuries by expression. great and It can change not-so-great our moods artists. It is and emotions a picture we almost in an see at every instant: from crèche we sadness or have set up de pre ssion in our house to happiness and every and joy; from live manger uninspired to scene that being fi lled dots the with energy countryside. and vigor. But what lies Singing the beneath that hymns of warm pic- the Church ture? Who can bring is it that lays back great asleep upon and wonder- Mary’s lap? ful memo- As we ries from our look upon c h i l d h o o d this scene or from days so clearly gone by. set forth for Music speaks us by the to us at the e vangelist depth of our Luke, we souls and the see a very hymns and serene pic- carols are some of the grandest parts of the Christ- ture but what lies beneath the surface is the fullest mas season. of God’s revelation. Th e child born that night was One of the great hymns sung at Christmas, born not in a sterile hospital with nurses and doc- written by William Chatterton Dix , is entitled tors attending the needs of mother and child, but Manger Th rone and from which the three stanzas in a place hardly fi t for human occupation. He was of hymn 36 (Episcopal 940 hymnal) are taken. born not among friends but among strangers in a Th e 940 hymnal was the fi rst hymnal in which strange place. these words appeared. Th e words are quite chal- Upon the birth of this boy, he was not wrapped lenging and force us to think far beyond what we in comfortable warm hospital clothes but was often times allow ourselves to think about this wrapped in what is termed “swaddling cloths’ Blessed Event. Th e words are tied closely with the - nothing more than a large piece of cloth with a gospel for Christmas and the question asked in the Continued on page 4 ANDAT M Page 5 E A Godly Competition Th e Common Prayer Tradition in Living Use he Board of the Prayer Book Society of the U.S.A. nected with modern life and may be general or specifi c fi rmly believes that in the new millennium there in content. is need to help our contemporaries, especially the Hymns: a minimum of two of the kind of length of young,T to understand and use with ease the traditional the hymns found in the Episcopal Hymnal of 940 or language of Common Prayer. It also believes it right to the English Hymnal of 933. Th ey must be rooted in a encourage the creation of prayers and hymns as part biblical or Christian festival theme and connected with of a larger determination to encourage and experience modern life. It will be necessary to indicate what tune Anglican Common Prayer as a tradition in living use. To each one is to be sung to or to provide new music. If this end, it has decided to sponsor a godly competition the latter, two persons may co-operate to produce words to encourage the revival of the production and provision and music. of contemporary prayers and hymns in the traditional A Liturgy: the outline of a form of service for an religious language found in Th e Book of Common Prayer important occasion not provided for in Th e Book of and the hymnody of Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley and Common Prayer (e.g., Service on Cruise Ship, Service John Keble (to name but three). at a Youth Camp, & Graduating Service at a College or Until the 970s, there were constantly being printed School), with any special prayers, litany, versicles and books of prayers, collects and litanies for use alongside responses given in full. Th e Book of Common Prayer, especially for use at the Homilies: a minimum of one sermon of not more end of Morning and Evening Prayer, at mid-week meet- than ,500 words on a theme of current personal, Chris- ings, in family prayers and for private devotions. Also tian, moral concern (e.g., the use of money, the nature of there was a continual appearance of hymns to be used in temperance, the place of discipline & relations with per- association with the services within the Prayer Book or sons of other religions). Biblical quotations to be from for communal hymn-singing. the KJV. With the advent of modern liturgies and the insis- Entries must be submitted to the Prayer Book Soci- tence that God be addressed as “you” and that the second ety Offi ce in Philadelphia no later than January , 2005. person singular (thou/thee) for God and man be no Godly Competition, Prayer Book Society, P.O. Box 35220, longer used, the publication of books of prayers and new Philadelphia, PA 928-0220. hymns in the traditional English style of prayer gradually Th ere will be three judges who will make their report ceased. Since the 970s very few have appeared. by March, 2005. Th e Godly Competition Th e best entries will be published in Th e Mandate in Th ere will besix categories — collects, prayers, lita- mid 2005 or, if there are suffi cient of good quality, they nies, hymns, liturgies and homilies. And there will be will be published in a booklet. two age-groups — those who have not yet reached their If the judges believe that a contestant reveals a spe- eighteenth birthday and those over eighteen years. All cial gift for this kind of creative, godly writing, they will entries must be in English and may be submitted from prepare a special note for that person off ering encour- any part of the world with British or American spelling. agement and advice. Each entrant shall make a statement to the eff ect that the Contestants are advised to read, Neither Archaic submission is his own work. Nor Obsolete. Th e Language of Common Prayer (2003) Collects: a minimum of three in the style and of by Peter Toon & Louis R. Tarsitano [Edgeways Books, the length found in the Collects for Sundays and Holy UK, & Prayer Book Society, USA]. Further, the follow- Days in the Prayer Book. Th ey must be connected with ing books may be found helpful in terms of indicating a season or festival of the Church Year, with a strong the kind of collects and prayers produced in the recent biblical theme, related to the Eucharistic Lectionary in past. the BCP 662-928. To supplement not replace the BCP J.W.Suter, Th e Book of English Collects, 940. Collects. F.B.McNutt, Th e Prayer Manual, 95. Prayers: a minimum of two in the style and of the length of the General Confession and the General Eric Milner-White, After the Th ird Collect, 955. Th anksgiving, or of the Prayers at the end of Morn- E Milner-White & G.W.Briggs, Daily Prayer, 959. ing and Evening Prayer. Th ey must be connected with Frank Colquhoun, Parish Prayers, 967 modern life and be in the form of petition, intercession, Church of South India, Book of Common Worship (963). confession, praise or thanksgiving, or a combination of Society of St John the Evangelist, A Manual for Priests, 944. two or three of these themes. Litanies: a minimum of one about 2/3 of the length Loren Gavitt, Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book, revised edition of the Litany in the Prayer Book. It/they must be con- 967.

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