laudable Practice

I noticed a recent discussion on Anglican 'X' between a 1662 appreciator in the United States and a priest of the Reformed Episcopal Church who uses the PECUSA 1928 BCP. The 1662 appreciator pointed to BCP 1662 as "the standard for global Anglicanism". The Reformed Episcopal priest responded by saying that Anglicanism is "primarily expressed locally" rather than "globally" and that this therefore entails a nationally authorised liturgy, as opposed to any universal claim for 1662. As readers of laudable Practice will be aware, I have a great love of 1662. I had, however, no hesitation in agreeing with the "primarily expressed locally" view. Perhaps it is the Burkean in me, deeply sceptical of abstract claims for universal human authorities, removed from particular circumstances and polities. And then there is the voice of Jewel , affirming the rights and liberties of a national church: Yet truly, we do not despise councils, assemblies, an...

Members of the General Synod heard a debate brought by Burnley vicar Father Alex Frost, calling on the Church of England to be 'bold and ambitious' in its work to attract people from working class backgrounds to lay and ordained vocations ... He said ... "On the ground, in working class communities, there is some wonderful and outstanding work going on, that is fighting injustice, that is saving lives through foodbanks and community projects, that is educating children and standing up for the most vulnerable people in our society." Backing the debate brought by Fr Frost, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said there were many 'inbuilt prejudices and barriers' to welcoming people from outside the Church ... "There are so many – in our system – inbuilt prejudices and barriers and cultural difficulties," he said ... Bishop Mark Tanner, Chair of the Church of England’s Ministry Development Board, welcoming the debate, emphasised that vocations wer...

There can also be issues of a cultural mismatch between those exploring ministry and the expectations of the Church. While being interviewed at a selection  conference Lee was asked by an interviewer who his favourite artist was. He  answered “Eminem”. The interviewer corrected him, saying he meant an artist such as a painter, not a rap singer. It is clear that the expectations of the interviewer did not take into account someone from Lee’s background. These words are from the Church of England General Synod briefing paper accompanying a Private Member’s Motion calling for a 'Strategy for encouraging the ministry of people from working class backgrounds'. It is rather amusing to think of progressive, bourgeois members of the General Synod now doing Google searches for Eminem, seeking to demonstrate their openness to the working class by integrating his lyrics into the their sermons and future General Synod speeches. They bite off of this 'cause they like my sh*t (Yeah) No ...