Is the historic Prayer Book an evangelistic liturgy? Can a church that uses one of the classical Prayer Books (England 1662, USA 1928, Canada 1962) fulfill the Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations”? By the Rev. Gavin Dunbar It is a mark of our time that many Anglican and Episcopalian Christians would answer these questions in the negative. The Prayer Book may be good for some things - but not evangelism. So runs the current wisdom. So prevalent is this view, … [Read more...]
A New Prayer Book Emerges:
It is not just TEC that has been looking at Prayer Book revision: ACNA is about to launch a completely new Prayer Book of its own. A.M-R Recent months have seen much attention focused on the plan for a “comprehensive revision” of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer in the Episcopal Church, although in the end, the General Convention of this summer – to the relief of many who feared just how radical the results might have been-- decided not to pursue this option but instead to develop a range … [Read more...]
Why have so few Middle East Christians been accepted as refugees?
It is a startling fact that not a single Christian has been accepted by the United Kingdom among the 1,112 refugees from Syria resettled in the country in the first three months of 2018. This prompts some wider questions and reflections . But in regard to this particular statistic, it seems that just four Christians were even put forward by United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for consideration by the UK where in the end only Muslims were accepted.This data only … [Read more...]
Two Responses to the TEC Marriage Task Force proposals
The Revd. Canon Jordan Hylden of the Diocese of Dallas and a member of the Marriage Task Force has written his own powerful response to the latest proposals and this is set out below.The Task Force records that it had sought input from all thirty nine Provinces of the Anglican Communion over a period of five weeks and evidently was able to obtain seven of which it recorded only one as positive (from the Episcopal Church of Scotland, though it was stressed that in regard to that … [Read more...]
Proposals from the Task Force on Marriage to the coming TEC General Convention
TASK FORCE ON THE STUDY OF MARRIAGEproposals to the TEC General Convention 2018 It is important to note that the first proposed resolution from this Task Force (A085) if approved would constitute a first reading of a set of amendments to the 1979 Prayer Book itself, which means that if the General Convention approves a second reading in 2021, the changes will change the Prayer Book, and this will be so quite aside from anything undertaken or proposed by way of the … [Read more...]
After GAFCON III – Whither Lambeth 2020 & Whither the Communion?
A further personal reflectionon some of the implications flowing from GAFCON III in JerusalemA M-RThe GAFCON conference was a thoroughly upbeat and joyful event of unprecedented scale that demonstrated most powerfully the rising organizational capacity of the movement ---and the consequent importance for Anglicanism of whether or not it is enabled to see its future, in the long-term, within the Communion. There was a deeply positive atmosphere with huge goodwill among those … [Read more...]
Anglicanism’s costly vocation and the fight to belong.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre From Jerusalem: A Personal Reflection on GAFCON 2018and its Strategic Challenges If anyone were to read the headline “2000 aesthetes gather to consider their emotional attraction to Anglicanism” it is unlikely any of those at GAFCON would recognise themselves. Surely this would describe some other more High Church congress of priestly types adorned with quantities of lace and such gorgeous robes as to be in breach of the cautionary … [Read more...]
A Letter from Bishop Mark Lawrence after the Supreme Court Decision Re: South Carolina
Feast of St. Basil June 14, 2018 Dear People of God,“Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:7I leave tomorrow for the Global Anglicans Future Conference in Jerusalem. It is a gathering of global leaders—Primates, Bishops, Priests and lay leaders—from around the Anglican Communion. I will be attending not only as a bishop of the Anglican Church in North America, but, more importantly, … [Read more...]
From Clubs to Communion: in a Different League ?
It is said that the Metropolitan Club in New York founded in 1891 –with J.P. Morgan as its first President –was launched in consequence of outrage that a certain other Club had failed to elect particular gentlemen to membership. In the world of gentlemen’s social clubs it is clear thus that, in the case of difficulty, one answer is simply to set up a new one, even if the more recent clubs tend to be looked down upon by the older or more exclusive ones. (A mischievous … [Read more...]
Jerusalem and GAFCON III
St George's Cathedral Jerusalem: A view looking towards the Nave from the Quire A Special Evensong was held today in the Cathedral for those coming to Jerusalem to attend GAFCON with Archbishop Suheil Dawani the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem and Bishop Michael Lewis of Cyprus and the Gulf as well as the GAFCON Bishops This coming week sees the convening of the Third Global Anglican Futures Conference which for the second time is being held in Jerusalem ten years after the first … [Read more...]
Uganda Martyrs Observance in Uganda 2018
Thousands of Christians from Uganda and neighbouring countries are arriving this weekend in Namugongo for special services to commemorate the Ugandan Martyrs.This speaks to the astonishing history of Christian Martyrdom in the country extending fromthose beheaded or burned alive in his court by Mwanga II, King of Buganda, who also had killed Bishop James Hannington (3 September 1847 – 29 October 1885) an English Anglican missionary who was the first Anglican bishop of East Africa; … [Read more...]
Drawing a line: From Gallicanist Anglicans to an Anglicanist Pope?
For the Anglican eWay of June 2nd 2018 Manifestly, through most of its existence, the Church of England both before and after the Reformation has been shaped and influenced by developments in the Continental Christianity of the West and thus Catholicism and the Reformers. In recent times both Anglican and Catholic liturgical approaches have been influenced by parallel intellectual currents, as the post-Vatican II Eucharistic texts amply demonstrate.But looked at … [Read more...]
What is Common Prayer? – From the Archives – by the late Dr Peter Toon
What is Common Prayer? The word “common” is used in all kinds of ways, and so what do Anglicans mean by the word “common” when it is associated with public prayer and worship? Since we are referring to the worship of our Creator and Redeemer, Almighty God, we can dismiss quickly the popular meaning of “common” as that which is ordinary, undistinguished or even of inferior quality. The texts of the services and rites used before God to address him are surely intended to be of high not low … [Read more...]
Persecution of Christians: Recent Overview Reports detail a deteriorating picture
“In terms of the numbers of people involved, the gravity of the crimes committed and their impact, it is clear that the persecution of Christians is today worse than at any time in history.” So began the presentation by Aid to the Church in Needof their most recent global overview report on Christian persecution Persecuted & Forgotten? – A Report on Christians Oppressed for their Faith.This report went on to point out that not only are Christians more persecuted … [Read more...]
Simnel: the (considerable) history behind a cake.
Easter and Simnel: The history behind a cakeThe history of the Simnel cake is much controverted, but what is clear is that it has come to have a close association with Easter and the Season that follows Easter Day itself as well as Mothers DayThis cake certainly contains an abundance of things that people have often given up during Lent and is a very fine cake indeed, replete with almond paste covering and eleven balls of the same almond paste on top (representing the Apostles other … [Read more...]
God Science & Humanity Conference Program details
Having just concluded our three day Annual Conference for 2018 in Savannahwe were delighted to announce the program for our next event: God Science and Humanity10th February 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Hosted in partnership with the Church of St. Francis, PotomacFollowed by Evening Prayer(With a Sandwich lunch included for those who registered)Program9.30- 10.00 Arrivals and registrationIntroductions and overview of the dayThe Revd. Fr Mark … [Read more...]
2018 Conference Programme in Outline
PROGRAM Wednesday 24th January OPENING DAY 12.00 noon onwards arrivals and registration 12.45 Introductions and overview of the conference To register for the conference please go to https://bpt.me/3131588 or call Brown Paper Tickets at 1 (800) 838-3006 and be ready to quote the event number 3131588 Please contact us in the event of any difficulty or if the registration fee is a financial problemStudents and Seminarians may … [Read more...]
PBS Conference 2018 – topics and speakers
This year we shall be looking in our main sessions at themes relating to the Prayer Book andThe Doctrine of the Church "Knit together in one communion and fellowship: Anglicanism, communion and conversion". "The Lambeth Conference and the Councils of the Church" “The Twentieth-Century Baptismal Revolution: Is the Classical Prayer Book Really Obsolete?” "The Offertory & Pelagius: Did the Prayer Book Tradition protect us from … [Read more...]
Science and faith — some links and resources
The relationship between science and faith is one to which Anglicans have made notable contributions in recent times, while in addition, Anglican clergy have historically been prominent both as scientists and among those reflecting philosophically upon the issues arising.As part of the Prayer Book Society's engagement with apologetics we have featured presentations on this theme on this website by Dr Paul Julienne and in our 2017 Conference, and we are also holding a one day Colloquium, in … [Read more...]
Advent 2017: To arrive at the beginning
The end is where we start from. … And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot, The Four Quartets, Little Gidding As we come to the opening of Advent, 2017, the liturgical readings remind us of both the "last things," the Last Judgment and the new heavens and new earth, and our anticipation of "new things" in the coming of the Christ Child. The end and the beginning somehow belong together. For the … [Read more...]
Advent Edition of the Anglican Way is now out – get an early look ahead of the print edition !
The Advent edition of the Society's journal, The Anglican Way, is being made available to read online ahead of the print version -- so do send us your e-mail address (to [email protected]) if you would like to get e-mail notifications of future editions and Society news more generally.IN THIS EDITION: The Articles of Religion (Part ii) The Reverend Gavin Dunbar, Society PresidentThe Reformation: Evangelical and Catholic Dr Roberta BayerThe Society's Continuing Mission in East … [Read more...]
The 2018 Conference is over but the date for 2019 is coming soon!
The Prayer Book: Doctrine, Liturgy and Life. Registration for the coming conference in Savannah from 24-26th January 2018 has now closed but the dates of next year's conference will be announced soon: FURTHER INFORMATION The proceedings built on the success of the 2017 Conference, Anglicanism Catholic and Reformed.This year the themes looked at in our main sessions related to the Prayer Book andThe Doctrine of the Church Authority, Truth and … [Read more...]
The PBS Annual Conference: 24-26th January 2018 – (hotel offer)
The 2018 PBS Conference will be held on the theme: The Prayer Book: Doctrine, Liturgy and Life It will take place in Savannah with conference sessions being held in both St John's Church and the DeSoto Hotel just across the Square from the ChurchA special rate of $159 per night, for those attending, has been made available at the nearby Courtyard Marriott (Downtown/Historic District) 415 West Liberty St. Savannah Georgia 31401 USA +1 912 790 … [Read more...]
News of Coming Events and the 2018 Conference
After the great success of our conference last January we are delighted to announce the dates for the PBS ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2018 on The Prayer Book: Doctrine, Liturgy and Life in St. John’s Church and the DeSoto Hotel* Savannah, Georgia Wednesday 24th - 26th January 2018 NB some rooms are available this week at a special rate at the DeSoto hotel until 22nd September _____________ And happening even sooner! :Can a thousand flowers bloom? The Proposed Revision of … [Read more...]
New Print Edition of the Anglican Way now out
We are pleased to announce that the latest edition of the Society's Journal is now available in print and online -Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff THE ANGLICAN WAY Vol 40, No. 2 Summer 2017 For the full text please go to https://anglicanway.org/print-edition/ AW-vol40no2_WebContents: “Prevent Us O Lord”, Dwelling, Walking And Serving In The Book Of Common Prayer, by Rowan Williams, Master oF Magdalene College, Cambridge, Former Archbishop of Canterbury (Article … [Read more...]