"Simplicity, decency, and suitableness": Mant on Old High/New Low ceremonial

To continue the 'Old High/New Low' theme, words from Richard Mant's 1845 Charge, Horae Ecclesiasticae; The Position of the Church with Regard to Romish Error, a critique of Tractarianism. Amongst the Tractarian errors challenged by Mant was the desire restore "ceremonies which our Church has abolished or disused in her reformed Liturgy". He provides examples of such ceremonies:

the innumerable and reiterated gesticulations of the officiating priests, and the variety and continual changes of the sacerdotal vestments: of the exorcisms and chrisms, and the mixing of oil and balsam with the water used in holy baptism: of the reserving, carrying about, lifting up, and worshipping of the consecrated bread and wine in the holy communion: of the creepings to the cross: of the multitudinous bowings and crossings of the person: of the sprinkling of holy water: of the ringing of little hand bells, and the lighting of numerous candles, and the burning of incense during divine service: of the worshipping and adoration of images and relicks as well as of saints: of the dressing of images and pictures: and of the superfluous and excessive decking of churches.

Mant contrasts these ceremonies with the simplicity and decency of those retained, particularly pointing to the surplice and the Holy Communion:

Of her prudence in the choice of the ceremonies which she has retained, examples appear, in the few and appropriate postures which she appoints for her ministers, as well as for her people, during divine service, and the simplicity, decency, and suitableness of the garment, the only garment prescribed for her ministers during their ministrations, such as was in use with the early Christians many ages before the Popish corruptions, and such as has no necessary or natural connection, any more than kneeling and the Lord's Prayer, with the superstitions and idolatry of Rome.

This simplicity and decency finds a particular focus in the Prayer Book's order for the ministration of the Communion:

In the simple and purified, but most solemn and impressive, order for the ministration of the holy Communion also, the prudence of the Church is manifested; "the bread," and not a wafer after the Romish manner, being ordered to be delivered severally to every one of the communicants, "into their hands, and not after the Romish manner into their mouths; the cup also, being not, after the Romish manner, "denied," but "delivered to every one," with no other ceremony than the posture of "meekly kneeling," "well meant," as she assigns her reason, "for a signification of our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ, therein given to all worthy receivers, and for the avoiding of such profanation and disorder in the holy communion as might otherwise ensue."

The "simplicity, decency, and suitableness" which Mant identifies as the appropriate and traditional ceremonial of "our Reformed National Church" is a reminder that what may now appear 'Low' is actually a traditional High Church piety, an authentically Reformed Catholic expression.

Why I support the ordination of women: a High Church reflection

A number of commenters on this blog have asked about my occasional expressions of support for the ordination of women to all three orders. With some hesitation, I have decided to post a summary of my own views on this matter. The hesitation is because I have sought on this blog to focus on issues and themes which can unify those who identify with or have respect (grudging or otherwise!) for what we might term 'classical' Anglicanism (the Anglicanism of the Formularies and - yes - of the Old High Church tradition). Some oppose the ordination of women (and I have friends and colleagues who do so, Anglo-Catholic, High Church, and Reformed Evangelical). Some of us support it (again, friends and colleagues covering a wide range of theological traditions). Below, I have organised my thinking around 5 points (needless to say, no reference to Dort is implied). 1. The Declaration for Subscription required of clergy in the Church of Ireland states: (6) I promise to submit ...

How the Old High tradition continued

Charles Gore's 1914 letter to the clergy of his diocese, ' The Basis of Anglican Fellowship ', can be regarded as a classical expression of the Prayer Book Catholic tradition. A key part of the letter - entitled 'Romanizing in the Church of England' - addressed the "Catholic movement", questioning beliefs and practices within it which tended to "a position which makes it very difficult for its extremer representatives to give an intelligible reason why they are not Roman Catholics". Gore provides the outlines of an alternative account and experience of catholicity within Anglicanism, defined by three characteristics. What is particularly interesting about these characteristics is their continuity with the older High Church tradition. Indeed, the central characteristic as set out by Gore was integral to High Church claims over centuries: To accept the Anglican position as valid, in any sense, is to appeal behind the Pope and the authority of t...

Pride, progressive sectarianism, and TEC on Facebook

Let me begin this post with an assumption that will be rejected by some readers of laudable Practice , but affirmed by other readers. Observing Pride is an understandable aspect of the public ministry of TEC. On previous occasions , I have rather robustly called for TEC to be much more aware and respectful of the social conservatism of the Red states and regions in which it ministers. A failure to do so risks TEC declining yet further into the irrelevance of progressive sectarianism. At the same time, TEC also obviously ministers in deep Blue states and metropolitan areas - and is the only Mainline Protestant tradition in which a majority of its members vote Democrat .* With Pride now an established civic commemoration, particularly in such contexts, there is a case for TEC affirming those aspects of Pride - the dignity of gay men and lesbian women, their contribution to civic life, and their place in the church's life - which cohere with a Christian moral vision. (I will n...

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