(European emissaries kowtow before the Chinese Emperor c. 1800) Has Pope Francis too rashly kissed the proffered toe of President Xi Jinping ? When it comes to extravagant postural gestures from those seeking to treat with them, the Papacy and the Imperial Chinese Court have long histories replete with a perhaps surprising degree of symmetry. Chinese Emperors were honoured with the kowtow (kau tauin Cantonese or koutouin Mandarin) which was a form of prostration in which … [Read more...]
PBS News & Events
Our most recent major events have been our two Annual Conferences in February 2017 on
Anglicanism Catholic and Reformed 1517-2017, Revisiting the Reformation Legacy
and in January 2018 on
The Prayer Book, Doctrine Liturgy and Life
Both held at St. John's Episcopal Church Savannah,
In addition, we have continued our occasional series of one conferences and colloquia
With the most recent being on Apologetics, Science and Faith at the Church of St Francis Potomac near Washington DC. on 10th February, 2018
see also http://www.pbsusa.org/2017/05/22/science-and-faith-at-the-pbs-conference-and-two-panel-discussions/#read
Earlier colloquia included:
One in Dallas at the Church of the Incarnation, on the proposed "Comprehensive Revision" of the liturgy of the Episcopal Church of which there is an initial report in the current Advent 2017 Edition of the Anglican Way.
Board Members have also attended the Nashotah House Conference on the future of Anglicanism as well as the Theology Conference in November at the Church of the Advent, Boston.
Board members also been active overseas:
--as contributing participants in the recent Pusey House Conference in Oxford on Knowing and Loving the Triune God.
--Fr Edward Rix also visited Tanzania and spoke at the invitation of the Bishop of Western Tanganyika, to several thousand at a Youth Conference in Kasulu of which a full report is in the Advent 2017 edition of the Anglican Way
We have also launched further chapters of our volume for Catechesis by Society President Gavin Dunbar, I am His.
These chapters can be accessed via the links below
(and also our pbsusa.org website http://www.pbsusa.org/catechesis-project ) and we welcome feedback which can be taken into account in future editions of this work.
I am His Chapters now available :
I am His - Table of Contents & Introduction
I am His Part 1 - A Place To Belong
On the Three Legged Stool of the Anglican Via Media
The Anglican Via Media upholding a real Anglican continuity from Richard Hooker to Charles Gore and beyond…. A.M-R It is striking that Richard Hooker is so often spoken of by Anglicans even though there is often a want of attention to what exactly he actually said. The one thing almost always attributed to him illustrates this point: namely the image of Anglicanism’s “three legged stool” whereby Anglicanism is deemed to rest upon Scripture, Tradition and Reason. Charming as the image of … [Read more...]
The under reported story of militant Fulani attacks on Christians in Nigeria
Since 2001, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies has estimated that up to 60,000 Nigerian have been killed in violence between Fulani herdsmen and farmers. According to statistics provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace, 1,229 people were killed in 2014, up from 63 in 2013 and Benue State seems to be the hardest hit in recent times. Barely five days to the end of Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration in May 2015, over 100 farmers and their family members were … [Read more...]
A Labor Day divertissement…. the ecclesial feline phenomenon
Felix in fide An ecclesial feline, review….. (Far from obscure Jude of St John's Savannah with Fr. Dunbar) The subject and domain of the cat is dangerous, even though it be a common one in the life of churches. In large part this is consequent upon the very strong but deeply divergent views that the cat can arouse. Moreover, as Lynne Truss once pointed out (the sometime literary Editor of the BBC’s now defunct journal The Listener), in an article in The Guardianof London (7thDecember, … [Read more...]
Three Key Resolutions of the 2018 General Convention in Austin
Among the plethora of resolutions passed at the Convention, the following three stand out as being of particular note: A068 Plan for the Revision of the Book of Common Prayer which, despite its title, actually does NOT initiate a comprehensive revision but instead provides for the development of more alternative and trial liturgies. B012 Marriage Rites for the Whole Church, which extends the authorization of "continued trial use" of the liturgies for same-sex unions and that they be … [Read more...]
Two Statements Issued before and after the TEC General Convention: from Communion Partners and Province IX Bishops
The first of the two statements made in regard to provisions for same-sex partnerships and the relation of these to the Anglican Communion was issued by the Communion Partners of the Episcopal Church following the 79th General Convention, meeting in Austin, TX, The second Statement below was issued earlier by the Province IX Bishops and in it they draw attention to their resolve to walk apart if need be in order to uphold their fidelity Scripture. (At the very end below will also be found the … [Read more...]
Options for Prayer Book Revision put forward by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to the General Convention
In response to the mandate from the previous General Convention to prepare a plan for the “Comprehensive Revision of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer , the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) first identified four options: (1) initiating the process of full Prayer Book revision at the 79th General Convention; (2) spending the upcoming triennium (2019-21) gathering and analyzing data so that the 80th General Convention could make an informed decision in 2021 regarding … [Read more...]
Dr Samuel Bray on one example of the perils of Liturgical Revision
The following is but a summary of a most commendable and thorough article exploring the dangers of revising a classic text (in this case the General Confession of the BCP dating back to 1552) by Professor Samuel L. Bray of UCLA and Notre Dame schools of Law. For the full text of the article go to http://northamanglican.com/and-apart-from-your-grace-there-is-no-health-in-us/ “AND (APART FROM YOUR GRACE) THERE IS NO HEALTH IN US” WEIGHING THE MERITS OF A LITURGICAL … [Read more...]
From Brexit to Nixit – and the deeper crisis beyond
A Letter from London..... (On a different note, it is hard to be in Europe at present and not see signs of a very wide crisis across issues that range from survival of the currency, to political legitimacy and on to immigration) Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff There was a curious period known as the “phoney war” of eight months after Britain declared hostilities on Germany in September 1939 when nothing much appeared to be happening. Something faintly similar, if happily less … [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 1:7 I 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...]
Elephants and Anglicans to the Sound of Church Bells – The Toon Memorial Lecture 2018
So, oft in theologic wars The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen!.... So concluded this year's Toon Memorial Lecture in Pusey House Oxford given on the 17th of May 2018 under the title Elephants and Anglicans to the sound of Church Bells: Just how central is the place of the Prayer Book for Anglicans and the future of the Communion? By The Revd. Canon Alistair … [Read more...]
St George’s Chapel Windsor
There is no one place more deeply connected to the monarchy in Britain, aside from Westminster Abbey, than Windsor Castle and the Chapel of St. George. Just how much of that history weighed upon Meghan Markel as she then was during her recent wedding to HRH Prince Harry now Duke of Sussex is unclear, but it could hardly be more profound. Kings Henry VIII and Charles I are buried beneath the Quire and elsewhere lie Edwards IV (1483), VI (1484) and VII (1910); George III (1820), … [Read more...]
Elephants and Anglicans to the Sound of Church Bells, The Toon Memorial Lecture 2018
Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff will give the Peter Toon Memorial Lecture for 2018 under the title: Elephants and Anglicans to the Sound of Church Bells: Just how central is the place of the Prayer Book for Anglicans and the Future of the Communion? at Pusey House, Oxford, on Thursday 17th May at 5.30 pm. The lecture will be preceded by Evensong at 4 pm and Afternoon Tea. http://www.puseyhouse.org.uk … [Read more...]
Snarks, Boojums and the Quest for the Anglican Way
Canon Macdonald-Radcliff will be exploring the challenges and importance of identifying what Anglicanism comprises and the role of the Prayer Book within this, both as a matter of history and as a source of what defines the tradition. Sunday 22nd April 6.30 p.m - 8 p.m. The address will be at the Church of the Advent in Boston (30 Brimmer St, Boston, MA 02108) and will be followed by discussion. It will be preceded by a light supper after Choral Evensong,which takes place at 5 p.m. and … [Read more...]
After the God Science & Humanity Conference
(Above - left to right- Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff, Dr. William Phillips, Fr. Mark Michaels, Dr. Paul Julienne, Mr. Daniel Dorman) This conference in Potomac was a great success and we wish to thank Fr Mark Michael, the Vestry and members of the Congregation of St Francis for so kindly hosting us, and even adding a full choral Evensong at the end of the Conference! Gratitude is also extended to the many who attended and to our speakers in particular, to Dr. William … [Read more...]
Updated speaker list as Additional Speakers Added to the program
Updated Speaker List for THE PBS CONFERENCE 2018 24-26th January The Prayer Book: Doctrine Liturgy and Life St John's Church, Savannah GA Wednesday 24th January (Noon start) The Revd. Fr. Gavin Dunbar, President of the Prayer Book Society “The Ancient Catholic Lectionary at the heart of a Reformed Liturgy”, The Rt. Revd. C. Fitzsimons Allison, D.Phil. Retired Bishop of South Carolina "Justification in Anglicanism and the Prayer Book" Thursday 25th … [Read more...]
God Science and Humanity Colloquium on 10th February in Potomac
This one day conference will run from 10 a.m. till about 4 p.m. when Evening Prayer will follow and it will include a boxed luncheon of good quality. It will be held at the Church of St Francis Potomac near Washington DC, and will bring together several notable experts including Dr. William Phillips Nobel Laureate in Physics and recipient of the Albert A. Michelson Medal from The Franklin Institute, based at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) & … [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 and The Doctrine of the Church Authority, Truth and … [Read more...]
Revising the Liturgy of the Episcopal Church: Can a thousand flowers bloom ? – A PBS Colloquium in Dallas on 20th October
A One Day Colloquium of the Prayer Book Society USA at the Church of the Incarnation Dallas 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday 20th October, 2017 Tickets available via the following links: http://liturgyrevisionpbs.bpt.me http://liturgyrevisionpbs.brownpapertickets.com Exploring the proposals for a “Comprehensive Revision” of the liturgy of the Episcopal Church to be considered by the General Convention in 2018 This Colloquium will explore the implications of the mandate from … [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...]
Trinity IX
Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (St. Luke xvi. 9) In last week’s Gospel we prayed that God’s never failing providence that ruleth all things both in heaven and in earth [might] put away from us all hurtful things and [might] give to us those things which are profitable (Collect: Trin. VIII) for our salvation. And this week Jesus illustrates how we might apply what we know of God’s providence to … [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_Web Contents: “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...]
The Society Mourns the Passing of Bishop Geoffrey Rowell
BISHOP GEOFFREY ROWELL Requiem aeternam dona eis.... It is with the deepest sadness that the Society has learned of the passing of Bishop Geoffrey who was, only months ago, to have given a paper at the Society's recent conference Anglicanism Catholic and Reformed. This would have been on the theme of the distinctive Anglican understandings of holiness and it was only with great reluctance that he withdraw, on account of the then early, but already acute, stages of the illness … [Read more...]
Audio of two further Sessions including Dr Arnold Klukas opening the Session on Liturgy Now at the PBS 2017 Conference
Recordings of two further sessions of the PBS Conference can be accessed below. In the first, Dr. Arnold Klukas, the recently retired Professor of Liturgy at Nashotah House, gives the lead presentation. He opened a discussion of the challenges facing the Anglican liturgical heritage if it is to preserve authentic continuity. He was joined in reflecting upon the different contexts of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom by Fr Gavin Dunbar, Dr Jesse Billet and Fr. … [Read more...]
Audio of the Session on Science and Faith at the PBS Conference 2017
A recording of the Conference Session on Apologetics, Science and Faith addressed by Dr. Paul Julienne, the distinguished Physicist and the Society's lead blogger in this field, can be accessed below. He addressed the question: How should science and faith relate to one another? Dr. Paul S. Julienne … [Read more...]