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Session #5 - Prayer Books and Worship |
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Does it really matter? |
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| For the most part, debate in the Anglican Church of Canada over the usage of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and Book of Alternative Services (BAS) has run its course. Looking back, it is tempting to ask ourselves, 'What was that all about?' Many dioceses have not only accepted the regular usage of the BAS, but it has become a standard form of Sunday worship in many parishes. So, what were we arguing about? Does it matter at all how we worship, or is it merely a matter of personal preference? |
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Anglican Worship and Uniformity |
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| It has been noted that a distinctive feature of the Church of England was the role of the Prayer Book as a tool of uniformity. Prior to the first version of the BCP in 1549, there were many Latin Rites in existence, some more popular than others, but with variety throughout the Roman Catholic Church. This variety of worship books continued in Henry VIII's Church of England. Under Henry VIII, uniformity was based on the acknowledgement of the King as the 'Head of the Church.' From Edward VI onward however, this uniformity was primarily centred upon the exclusive use of a single Parliamentary approved Prayer Book - The Book of Common Prayer. Previously, in our exploration of what holds the Anglican Church together we looked at different structures, organizations and positions of authority. Before the breakdown of English colonization however, the easy answer to what held the Church together would have been 'The Prayer Book.' |
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Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi |
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| This Latin phrase, which means 'the law of praying is the law of belief,' is a very important theme in Anglicanism. As we have discovered already, there is no definitive statement of Anglican beliefs. We have no 'encyclicals' provided by a Pope, nor do we have a particular 'confession' of faith such as the Augsburg Confession to which Lutherans and Calvinists subscribe. According to the principle of 'lex orandi, lex credendi,' in order to discover what Anglicans believe one must look at how they worship. For the first 300 years of the Church of England's history its worship was almost completely defined by the Book of Common Prayer in all its revisions. Though we often refer to Richard Hooker as the first Anglican theologian, indirectly, Thomas Cramner (the author of the BCP) has been the primary shaper of what Anglicans believe. Every revision of the BCP has been a signpost of the evolution of Anglican theology. The introduction of the BAS was more than a revision however, it was a wholesale presentation of modern theological ideas in the context of a new liturgy. For this reason alone, changes in liturgies from the BCP to BAS was destined to have been controversial. |
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Versions and Revisions |
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| Worship in the Anglican Church has gone through a number of formats since the first BCP in 1549. Following is a brief history of the evolution of Anglican Worship through to our modern Canadian rites. (Note: throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion there are many more different directions of revision and alternative service books.) |
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| 1549 - (Creation of the BCP) - A cross between a translation of the Sarum Rite (a popular Latin rite in England) but including many Reformation themes: written by Thomas Cramner. |
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| 1552 - (Revision of the BCP) - A major revision, much more Protestant in language, with a clear bias against Roman Catholic rituals. |
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| 1604 - (Revision of the BCP) - A minor revision in response to Puritan pressures, including the instruction that private baptisms may only be performed by qualified ministers. |
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| 1645 - (Outlawing the BCP) - The Puritan-controlled Parliament introduced a Directory of Worship to replace the BCP. It was more a set of guidelines than a set liturgy, clearly denouncing practices such as godparents, the use of a ring in marriage, and the use of any vestments in worship. |
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| 1662 - (Reinstatement and revision of the BCP) - Upon the restoration of the BCP some minor changes were made, including the blessing of Baptismal water and an instruction to have the bread and wine presented at the offertory, before the "Prayer of Consecration." This is the official version of the BCP in the Church of England to this day. |
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| 1918 - (Canadian Revision of the BCP) - A minor revision taking into account the book's usage in the Anglican Church of Canada. |
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| 1962 - (Canadian Revision of the BCP) - Another minor revision to update some of the archaic language from the 17th to the 20th century. |
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| 1985 - (The publication of The Book of Alternative Services) - While not officially a new BCP, it has achieved enough popularity in some parts of Canada to fill the role as the source of common prayer in many dioceses, including our own. |
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| Scholars have pointed out that Prayer Book revision (despite political influences and purposes) has been guided by four basic principles: |
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1. That liturgies be grounded in Holy Scriptures. |
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2. That liturgies be agreeable to the order of the ancient Church. |
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3. That liturgies unify the Church. |
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4. That liturgies edify the people. |
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The Value of Our Liturgies |
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| Along with the works of William Shakespeare and the King James Bible, the Book of Common Prayer is one of the most influential works in the evolution of the English language. Some now common phrases it has given us are: 'Speak now or forever hold your peace'; 'Till death do us part'; and, 'Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.' Anglican Liturgy, as expressed in the BCP has not only formed the theology of the Anglican Church, but the language of the English-speaking world. Disagreements over liturgies and liturgical revision within the Anglican Church are not minor matters. As we gather for worship, Sunday by Sunday, we not only give God glory and honour, we state our beliefs and who we are as a people of God. |
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Questions for reflection and discussion: |
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1. Take the time to read the original Preface to The Book of Common Prayer, p. 715-719. Is there anything here you find interesting or surprising?
2. Take the time to read the Introduction to The Book of Alternative Services, p. 7-13. Is there anything here you find interesting or surprising?
3. What do you believe are the strengths of the BCP and BAS? What do you believe are their weaknesses?
4. It has been argued that if any two people are in a committed, loving relationship and are active a contributing members of the church, there is no reason not to bless that relationship. This should especially be true in a church that also blesses books, boats, golf-clubs, and animals. What do you believe?
5. The development of alternative forms of worship throughout the Anglican Communion has come in response to the criticism that lex orandi, lex credendi no longer properly describes our relationship to the BCP; the BCP has become 'out of date' with the theology of today's church. What do you believe?
6. The future of worship in the Anglican Church, specifically in Canada, will not be found in new revisions of old books or even in the publication of new books. With the relative ease of desktop publishing, more and more liturgists (clergy and lay) will gather a variety of worship resources and compose liturgies with the guidance of Anglican principles and beliefs. How do you feel about this modern devel |
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