laudable Practice

In March 1900, the US publication Literary Digest provided a fascinating glimpse of life in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Noting the "marked demarcation in matters of doctrine and worship" within PECUSA, the article provided a breakdown of "the relative strength of the High-, Low-, and Broad-Church parties". High Church is defined as "not elaborate ritual alone" but also "the importance of the sacraments" and a belief "in the place of the church, as preceding the Bible, not founded upon it". Low Church is taken to mean "attach[ing] less importance to the sacraments", being "evangelical in method, and sometimes "employ[ing] extempore prayer". As for Broad Church, it refers to "the liberal constructionists, sometimes of the Bible, oftener of church practises". Perhaps what is most significant about these introductory comments is that a Low Church, evangelical tradition...

In an 1851 sermon preached in Westminster Abbey on the feast of the Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin, ' On a Recent Proposal of the Church of Rome to make a New Article of Faith ', Christopher Wordsworth - a leading figure in the Old High tradition, Bishop of Lincoln 1869-85 - addressed the process which led to the Bishop of Rome promulgating the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. In this extract, Wordsworth expounds how refusal to accept this doctrine is rooted in the Scriptural proclamation and creedal confession of the Incarnation. Not only is the mystery of the Incarnation not aided by the doctrine Immaculate Conception. In fact, as Wordsworth emphasises, the mystery and grace of the Incarnation is more faithfully acknowledged by a recognition that the Blessed Virgin is, with us, entirely dependent upon the Redeemer. This also points to the grounds for what Wordsworth terms "the true honour of the Blessed Virgin", her overshadowing by the Holy Spi...

When he turns to 'The Two Prayers after the Lord's Prayer' in the post-Communion of the 1662 rite, John Shepherd, in his A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, Volume II (1801), immediately identifies the scriptural reference which shapes the first prayer, the Prayer of Oblation: A part of the first is principally designed for the practice of the advice given by St. Paul, who "beseeches us by the mercies of God, that we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service."  The fact that the Prayer of Oblation, following our partaking of the Sacrament, is rooted in the apostolic exhortation, rightly identifies the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist. As Cranmer stated in his True and Catholic Doctrine : Another kind of sacrifice there is, which doth not reconcile us to God, but is made of them that be reconciled by Christ, to testify our duties unto God, and to show ourselves thankful unto...

Bright the vision that delighted  once the sight of Judah's seer;  sweet the countless tongues united  to entrance the prophet's ear. It is a Church of Ireland favourite on Trinity Sunday (hymn 316 in our Church Hymnal). This, no doubt, has something to do with the author, Richard Mant, from 1820 to 1848 a bishop in two Irish sees. Mant stood solidly within the Old High tradition, evident from his anti-Enthusiast 1812 Bampton Lectures , his rejection of Ritualism , and his affection for Anglicanism's native piety . His hymn, then, is another expression of Old High piety: such hymns will now be the subject of an occasional series  on  laudable Practice . What particularly connects the hymn to Trinity Sunday? It does, after all, make no specific mention of the Holy Trinity or of the Three Persons of the Godhead. The answer lies in the scriptural passage contemplated by the hymn, the vision of the prophet Isaiah in the Temple (Isaiah 6). While not appointed as a le...

Having expounded the theological and spiritual significance of the post-Communion portion of the 1662 rite, John Shepherd, his A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, Volume II (1801), considers the first aspect of the post-Communion, the Lord's Prayer: The Post-communion, like the Ante-communion, begins with the Lord's Prayer, and we can at no time repeat this form more properly, or more effectually, than when we have just commemorated the meritorious sufferings and death of its divine Author.  It is a short but very insightful and powerful comment. That the very first words uttered in prayer by communicants, after receiving the holy Sacrament, are 'Our Father', profoundly embodies the grace given to us in the Supper of the Lord. This significantly echoes the opening words of the Prayer of Consecration:  Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy ... As the Prayer of Consecration sets before us the Lord's saving Passion a...

On a recent Sunday without duty, I attended Morning Prayer in a nearby parish. It was a fine example of low church Anglicanism: unfussy Morning Prayer Two (1662 structure, contemporary language), metrical canticles (the parish does not have a choral tradition), and a very good sermon from a lay reader, quoting Augustine and George Herbert.  What particularly captured my thoughts and feelings regarding the service was hymn 343 from the Church of Ireland's Church Hymnal , sung after the sermon: ' We love the place, O God '. As we were singing the hymn, I reflected on how it wonderfully captured an Old High piety that was at home in this low church context (remember, Old High can be the New Low ): Prayer Book, surplice and tippet, a relatively plain church building (stained glass, but no candles, no icons, no statues), said service with hymns, a solid expository sermon.  As the hymn gathers up in thanksgiving the various ministrations experienced in the parish church - prayers...

From the 1872 primary visitation charge of William Connor Magee, Bishop of Peterborough, a classic Old High account of the heart of the Reformation of the Church of England - the restoration of the rights and liberties of a national church: As a Church National, moreover, our Church of England has her inherent and inalienable rights and powers, as distinguished from those of the Church Catholic of which she is a part. The visible Catholic Church is not a despotism, it is a Confederation of independent States, "a republic," as it has been called, "composed of many monarchies," in which each State, that is to say, each National Church, has, if we may so speak, its own distinct and independent State rights. What these rights are, as defined by our own Church, we shall presently have occasion to consider: enough if I observe at present that it was the assertion of these, far more than of any particular doctrines, which was of the essence of the Reformation. Doctrinally...

Yes, you read the title right. But fear not, you stalwart devotees of the 'High and Dry' way, you staunch 'Two Bottle Orthodox' sort. Let me assure you that laudable Practice has not been hijacked by dastardly Puseyites. The old English surplice will continue to be worn, and there will be absolutely no lace on this site. So what is today's post about? It has its origin in two quite different moments. One was Maundy Thursday this year, when I was preaching for a dear friend, an Anglo-catholic. For a brief moment in the eucharistic prayer, I became aware of our different traditions: he was vested in a chasuble and elevated the consecrated elements. What immediately popped into my head was the phrase "how Lutheran". Much more of which shortly. I then returned to my prayers and received from my friend the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Body and Blood. The second moment was reading an aggressive, and dislikeable, Roman Catholic commentator respond to a post ...

When all have communicated, the minister shall return to the Lord's table, and reverently place upon it what remaineth of the consecrated elements, covering the same with a fair linen cloth. This Rubric, taken from the Scottish Liturgy, was likewise added in 1661; the ceremony which it prescribes, was probably observed before.  When John Shepherd, in his A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, Volume II (1801), turns to the rubric following the administration of the holy Sacrament, we yet again see a significant example of how a rich eucharistic piety is found in the pre-1833 Church of England. Shepherd - again - turns to patristic sources to explore the meaning of a provision of the Prayer Book rite: This cloth, by the Latin ecclesiastical writers is called the corporal, because it was wrapped round the body of Christ in the Eucharist. It was in use in the time of Isidore Peleusiota, who wrote A.D. 412, and says, "the fine linen cloth, which is str...

In his 1872 primary visitation charge , William Connor Magee, Bishop of Peterborough, had - as previous posts explored - robustly critiqued Anglo-papalism, neo-Puritan evangelicalism, and advanced liberalism. He goes on, however, to provide a significant and powerful account of what we might term 'Deep Anglicanism', in which the three streams - High, Low, and Broad - mutually enrich each other, all part of "the deep mid-channel of the Church's course": In truth, each of these parties, little as it might be disposed to own it, has learned, is learning, much from the other two. There is more of Evangelicalism in the High Churchman, more of High Church principle in the Evangelical, more of Dogma in the Broad Churchman than would flow from their own avowed principles but which comes for each from the influence of those to whom he is most opposed. Candid and earnest men of all parties are learning to recognize this more and more; are coming to understand that it is not...

The people are to receive the Communion all meekly kneeling. When, in his A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, Volume II (1801), John Shepherd addresses the Prayer Book rubric directing that the Sacrament is to be received "meekly kneeling", he immediately draws a parallel between this and the practice of the patristic and Eastern churches: In the ancient Church the people appear to have more generally received the Communion standing. Yet they "stood with fear and trembling, with silence and downcast eyes." Cyril directs the communicant "to draw near, bowing his body in the posture of worship and adoration." In the modern Greek Church the communicant does not kneel, but inclines his body, and is instructed to exercise at the time this act of faith: "I believe and I acknowledge that thou art Jesus Christ the Son of the living God, who camest into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."  While it may seem coun...

We saw last week how E.H. Browne - then Bishop of Winchester - in his An Exposition of the Thirty Nine Articles: Historical and Doctrinal (1874), set forth an Old High understanding in which the Prayer Book's provision for private confession and absolution followed " the same wise and moderate view " of the Continental Reformers regarding this ministry. In this week's extract, Browne repeats the wisdom of ensuring that this ministry is available, but robustly warns against it becoming the normal and routine form of confession and repentance, which is to be "confession to God": There can be no doubt, that a distressed conscience may be soothed and guided by confidence in a spiritual adviser. Most people, much in earnest, and much oppressed with a sense of sin, have yearned for such confidence. Hence the Church should always afford to the sin-stricken soul the power of unburdening itself. But, on the other hand, whatever tends to lead people to substitute con...

In Tract 71  (published in 1836), John Henry Newman addressed "the Mode of Conducting the Controversy with Rome", articulating what he described as "intelligent opposition" to "Romanism". Amongst the "practical grievances" raised by Newman was the requirement of auricular confession: By the Council of Trent, every member of the Church must confess himself to a priest once a year at least. This confession extends to all mortal sins, that is, to all sins which are done deliberately and are of any magnitude. Without this confession, (which of course must be accompanied by hearty sorrow for the things confessed), no one can be partaker of the Holy Communion.  Newman highlighted as particularly objectionable that such auricular confession was required to be understood as "a point of faith": That there is no such impediment sanctioned in Scripture, is plain, yet to believe in it is a point of faith with the Roman Catholic. The practice is gri...

On this Saint Patrick's Day, words from an 1829 sermon by Richard Mant, Bishop of Down and Connor, entitled ' The Visible Church of Christ: the United Church of England and Ireland a True and Sound Part of it '. In this extract, Mant - a noted Old High divine - sets forth a defence of sola scriptura  as patristic and catholic. And so, "no article of faith, which was not plainly laid down in Scripture" could be proclaimed by the Church or required of Christians: as affirmed by Article VI of the Articles of Religion, Scripture is "the full and perfect rule for the Church of Christ".  Agreeable to this was the universal testimony of the primitive Christians, both in the Apostolical times, and in those which immediately, and afterwards for many ages uninterruptedly succeeded. The Scriptures, which the Apostles had acknowledged or delivered, the Churches constantly received for their own direction, and regularly transmitted to their posterity. Upon these scri...