'The warmest language of gratitude and praise': the Benedictus at Matins

Continuing with extracts from John Shepherd's A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Morning and Evening Prayer of the Church of England (1796), we turn to the Benedictus, used after the second lesson. Shepherd provides a richly Christological explanation of its placing after the New Testament reading, echoing Hooker's defence of the Gospel canticles:

For the redemption of the world by the incarnation of the Son of God, of whom John was the forerunner, it breathes the warmest language of gratitude and praise. It is therefore properly placed after the second Lesson, which being always selected either from the Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles, necessarily exhibits some portion of the history of our redemption.

That said, Shepherd - like Secker in the mid-18th century - defends the more common usage of the Jubilate, regarding the Benedictus (as did Hooker's opponents!) as addressing particular circumstances and therefore not entirely appropriate for general use:

The whole of the hymn, however, having been uttered upon a peculiar occasion, and under extraordinary circumstances, and the latter part being addressed to the infant Baptist in particular, and referring solely to his immediate office, it may be fairly considered as less adapted to general use than some others, and on this account probably, it is seldom read after the second Lesson. In its place therefore with the greatest propriety, we generally use the hundredth psalm.

As a response to this, we might note that person and ministry of John the Baptist is an integral part of the mystery of our redemption, as set forth in the Gospels and the apostolic witness. The canticle's reference to the Baptist, therefore, rather than making it less appropriate for general use, actually suggests the opposite: it is a means of consistently reminding the church of the role of John the Baptist in salvation history.

What is more, however, Shepherd also provides an account of the liturgical use of the Benedictus as reflecting the pattern of the evangelical proclamation of the Incarnation:

The angel, who first published the good tidings of great joy to all people, was suddenly joined by "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men." Thus, when the minister has recited a part of these good tidings from the Gospel, we receive them with joy and thankfulness, and unite with him in praising God. We adopt the words of Zacharias and say, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for the hath visited and redeemed his people."

Taken alongside his Christological explanation of the placing the canticle after the second lesson, this points to the theological and liturgical rationale for regular use of the Benedictus at Matins. It draws the church to the Christological centre, and there shapes and gives voice to our praise for the redemption wrought for us in and by "the dayspring from on high".

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...

1928 practices and the 1979 book: unthinking conservatism or popular piety?

Those responsible for Earth & Altar - a new blog emanating from a group within TEC - are to be congratulated for an excellent contribution to wider Anglican discussion and debate. The commitment to "an expansively conceived credal orthodoxy as fully compatible with LGBTQ inclusion, gender equality, and racial justice" is an important part of a wider retrieval of creedal orthodoxy within what we might call the post-liberal generation. It is in this spirit that I want to respond to a recent post on the site by Andrew McGowan , Dean of the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and Professor of Anglican Studies at Yale Divinity School. Against the background of another round of "ill-defined" liturgical revision in TEC, he understandably urges that a fuller reception of the 1979 BCP should occur before further reforms. In doing so, however, he takes aim at what he describes as "clinging to the ritual structures of 1928" while using the text of 1979. We ...

laudable Practice

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