« | Back to main page | »
March 14, 2008
Bishop ponders in his heart about some liturgical trends in America
... These highlight the fact that the divisions we are experiencing in the Anglican Communion are not simply to do with sexuality ... there really is the beginning of a new kind of religion in parts of The Episcopal Church - a religion which not only re-interprets the traditional central tenets of the Christian faith, but which in fact has the potential to jettison many of them altogether.
Bishop ponders in his heart about some liturgical trends in America
Friday 14 September 2007
The United Diocese of Down & Dromore
The following article by Bishop Harold Miller was published in The church of Ireland Gazette on Friday 7 September 2007:
Pondering in my heart: Reflections on personal experiences of ECUSA, six years ago.
I should probably have said all of this six years ago, when I had just returned from being in the United States on Sabbatical, but it all seemed very subjective. What I noticed then were several trends in the Episcopal Church in the USA which have probably become more pronounced over the intervening years. Some, if not all, of these first-hand but subjective observations bring into focus key issues which are at the heart of the new ways of understanding the faith in The Episcopal Church today. These highlight the fact that the divisions we are experiencing in the Anglican Communion are not simply to do with sexuality. I write about these because it is important to note that there really is the beginning of a new kind of religion in parts of The Episcopal Church - a religion which not only re-interprets the traditional central tenets of the Christian faith, but which in fact has the potential to jettison many of them altogether.
My first observation six years ago was the gradual replacement of the word ‘Lord’ in reference to Jesus Christ. There was a perceptible change as I travelled across from the east coast to the west, from the traditional: ‘The Lord be with you’ in the liturgy, to the revised version, ‘God be with you’, and eventually, on the west coast ‘God is in you….and also in you’! The reason for the change is relatively obvious: ‘Lord’ is not only male, it is also perceived as authoritarian. But there is a great seriousness about a simplistic removal of the word, which would eventually preclude rather than necessitating the basic early Christian declaration of faith ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ – the very declaration which all will make when every knee bows and every tongue confesses him.
Secondly, and aligned to the last point, is the removal or weakening of the title ‘Father’ in relation to the first person of the Trinity. This has led to an uncomfortableness for some with the basic baptismal formula: ‘In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ and to replacement ‘blessings’ such as ‘The blessing of God - Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer’ where God is described by function rather than in personal names. Last year at the General Convention a series of prayers were introduced for every situation from a child coming out of nappies to a person passing a driving test, and including, of course, a ‘coming out’ prayer. When I asked myself why it was necessary to provide liturgical prayers for such occasions, the answer immediately stared me in the face: All the prayers were devoid of the words, ‘Father’, ‘Son’ and ‘Lord’, and clearly were enabling people to pray in this new way! But the removal of ‘Father’ (a revealed name of God) would be a disastrous move, since it is the name by which Jesus taught us to address God in the Lord’s Prayer, and it is also central to the first tenet of the Apostles’ Creed: ‘I believe in God, the Father Almighty…’.
My third observation was an emerging new theology of baptism. This was clarified for me when I was taken with members of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation to a radical Episcopal church in San Francisco. When we entered into the liturgical space, I could see the table, which was unbounded by rails and clearly open to all. But I could not see the place of baptism. When I asked where it was, I was taken out the back, and told that it had been placed there so that baptism would not be a stumbling-block to newcomers. In other words, the idea goes, all people are welcome to the table no matter what their belief or lifestyle, as Jesus had table-fellowship with prostitutes and sinners. Baptism can be looked into later when there is time to think things through. This is, of course, a reversal of the biblical model, where baptism was the sacrament freely and always available for all who come to repentance and faith, and communion, the table fellowship of the baptized for which self-examination was necessary.
Aligned to that, I have also observed, and have seen particularly in the West Coast, an uncomfortableness with repentance and confession of sin. The theory, as I understand it goes something like this: The archetypal Eucharistic rite is focussed around the gathering, the word, the intercessions, the table and the going out. Confession is an optional extra. This was almost encouraged by the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation document on the eucharist, and by the pattern where the confession in the middle section was displaced when there was, for example a baptism, marriage, or an ordination. There has been a reclaiming of penitence in some of these rites recently, especially in the Church of England, by placing the penitential section at the beginning of the service. It is one thing to omit penitence in a church which has the expectation of personal auricular confession, but quite another to omit it in a church of the Reformation which enjoins General Confession. There is, in my view, behind this, a serious underplaying of personal sin and personal salvation.
The next element of the liturgy to be ‘downplayed’ was historic Creeds. Again, we are told that the Eucharistic prayer is creedal (a part-truth), or that Creeds are not a necessary part of worship (another part-truth), but the eventual reality which I observed was the omitting of the historic creeds altogether in the main Sunday liturgy. I was sensitized to expect something of this sort several years ago when I met a very radical Presbyterian minister from Albuquerque. I asked him did they have the historic creeds in the worship of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. His answer was this: ‘Yes. We have fourteen declarations of faith at the back of the book and they all interplay with each other’! There is a real reaction to and distancing from propositional statements of faith, even the historic ecumenical creeds - and in some cases from their central tenets and beliefs.
Sixth, and following on from the last point, there is an inclination to try to find ways of holding all faiths together as believing in a common god. This is seen, for example in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, where there is an interfaith labyrinth and an interfaith chapel, in which the symbols of all the major world faiths are displayed. This makes its way into the liturgy, where, when the Eucharistic bread is broken, I heard words similar to the following used: ‘We break this bread for our ancestors in the Jewish faith, our brothers and sisters in Islam, our friends who are Buddhists etc……’ – and this at a key Christocentic part of the liturgy.
And last, though in fact there are many other observations I could also make, there is, in my personal subjective view, a dawning realization that the heart of the central act of worship (the bread and wine of communion) is the doctrine of the atonement – a doctrine increasingly disliked in the new religion. I noticed an increasing emphasis on the eucharist as ‘community meal’, a reduced emphasis on the sacrificial death of Christ in some newer eucharistic prayers, and the preference in some places to distribute the elements with words such as ‘the bread’ and ‘the cup’ rather than ‘the body’ and ‘the blood’. Alongside this, the issue has been raised as to whether the Words of Institution (‘this is my body’… ‘this is my blood’) are required for a eucharistic prayer. Whatever disagreements on eucharistic doctrine there may have been between ‘catholics’ and ‘evangelicals’ in the past, there was always an agreement that the heart of the matter was the sacrificial, atoning death of Christ.
I write all this because we need to be aware that change is incremental. It is only noticed after a period of time. I do not say this to ‘damn’ the Episcopal Church. Indeed, my own diocese is in a very happy link relationship with a diocese of the Episcopal Church. But changes are happening, and changes which are not peripheral, but central to our identity as Anglicans and indeed as Christians. The issue which we face, as has so often been pointed out, is not essentially one of sexuality but one of authority and doctrine. In so many ways, parts of the Episcopal Church have been losing deep aspects of their identity. If God is not Father, Jesus is not Lord, the Son is not unique, baptism is not necessary, the creeds are optional, repentance and sin are dated concepts and the atonement is marginalized or even rejected, where do we go from here? The faith remaining will be a very different faith from the Christian faith once delivered to the saints – and I, for one, am not going there!
Harold Miller
August 2007
Posted by latimer at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)
October 16, 2007
Canada diocese backs gay blessing
A diocese of the Anglican Church in Canada has voted for the blessing of same-sex relationships in church. BBC News 15.10.07
"Bit by bit, we're going to end up having it without any of us knowing how it came about," he said. "By the time of the next national synod, it will be a fait accompli." The Star.com
Canada diocese backs gay blessing
By Robert Pigott
Religious affairs correspondent, BBC News
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7044569.stm
A diocese of the Anglican Church in Canada has voted for the blessing of same-sex relationships in church.
The vote, by a wide majority, sets back efforts to stem the disintegration of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The Ottawa diocese was the first in Canada to consider the issue of gay blessing since June.
Then the governing body of the Canadian church decided to refuse dioceses the authority to offer such blessings for the sake of preserving church unity.
Even before the American Anglican church controversially ordained an openly gay bishop in 2003, a Canadian diocese, Vancouver, had sparked a crisis in the Communion by allowing church blessings for homosexual couples.
Since then the Communion has begun painfully to split apart, as traditionalists, who believe active homosexuality to be sinful, have tried to expel liberal churches.
Now the Ottawa diocese has voted to approve same-sex blessings, by 177 to 97 votes.
The decision is not binding, but it is further evidence that the liberal North American churches will not fundamentally change their approach to homosexuality, even if that were necessary to keep the Communion intact.
Synod Backs Gay Rights
Anglican church leaders in Ottawa vote to allow clergy to bless same-sex marriage, inflaming debate
Oct 14, 2007 04:30 AM
Stuart Laidlaw
Faith and Ethics Reporter
www.thestar.com/News/article/266657
The Ottawa diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada yesterday approved same-sex marriage blessings in a move sure to inflame a debate over gay rights that has pushed the communion to the brink of schism.
By a margin of 177 to 97, delegates to the diocese's annual synod in Cornwall approved a motion asking the local bishop to allow clergy "whose conscience permits" to bless same-sex unions.
Conservative church leaders immediately condemned the move.
"It goes to the very opposite direction to what the international church is calling for," retired Newfoundland bishop Donald Harvey, moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada, told the Star.
The worldwide Anglican Communion has been bitterly divided on the issue of same-sex marriage blessings since the appointment of the openly gay Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2004.
The majority of Anglicans worldwide belong to conservative churches in developing countries, which have been pushing for a more orthodox approach to policy.
Harvey said yesterday's vote makes it more likely the Anglican Network will go ahead with a plan to join forces with several conservative U.S. Anglican groups trying to set up a new church along orthodox theological lines. The Anglican Network meets next month in Burlington to discuss the plan.
"This is a far deeper dispute than same-sex blessings," Harvey said.
Ron Chaplin, who introduced the motion at yesterday's vote, said he hopes the move does not inflame the debate around the issue.
"We in Canada and the United States need to do a better job of explaining what we are doing and why we are doing it," said Chaplin, people's warden at Ottawa's St. John the Evangelist Church.
At a press conference after the vote, Ottawa Bishop John Chapman said the final decision on whether to bless same-sex marriages rests with him. Chapman said he plans to consult with other bishops across Canada and internationally before deciding what to do.
The Ottawa diocese covers most of eastern Ontario and western Quebec, and has 142 congregations.
The Montreal diocese is scheduled to vote on a motion similar to Ottawa's next weekend. The actions of both dioceses will then be discussed at a meeting of the Canadian House of Bishops later this month in London, Ont.
Chaplin said he expects to see several dioceses across the country introduce similar motions at their annual synods over the coming year, and he expects most to pass.
Such votes, however, fly in the face of a vote at the national church's synod last June, where delegates voted down a plan to let local churches decide for themselves whether to bless same-sex marriages, Harvey said.
Despite that vote, he said, the Canadian church is clearly moving toward blessing same-sex marriages.
"Bit by bit, we're going to end up having it without any of us knowing how it came about," he said. "By the time of the next national synod, it will be a fait accompli."
Posted by latimer at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)
June 26, 2007
Canada Resolution from General Synod
The motion read: ...
... Same-sex blessings not in conflict with core doctrine ...
Resolutions from the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada
Blessing of same-sex unions defeated
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada has narrowly defeated a resolution that would have allowed dioceses to decide for themselves whether or not to bless same-sex unions.
Lay delegates voted 78 to 59 in favour of the motion and clergy voted 63 to 53 in favour But the House of Bishops voted 21-19 against it. As a result the motion was defeated, since it required approval by each of the three orders to pass.
The motion read:
"That this General Synod affirms the authority and jurisdiction of any diocesan synod, with the concurrence of the diocesan bishop, and in a manner which respects the conscience of the incumbent and the will of the parish, to authorize the blessing of committed same-sex unions."
Same-sex blessings not in conflict with core doctrine
Members of the Anglican Church of Canada's General Synod in Winnipeg agreed Sunday that the blessing of same-sex unions is not in conflict with the church's core doctrine, in the sense of being credal.
Debate resumed Sunday morning after being suspended late Saturday.
The motion carried reads: "That this General Synod resolves that the blessing of same-sex unions is not in conflict with the core doctrine (in the sense of being credal) of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The motion was carried by a vote of 152 for, 97 against in the house of clergy and laity and by a vote of 21 for and 19 against in the house of bishops.
__________________________________________________________________
ACNSlist, published by Anglican Communion News Service, London
Posted by latimer at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)
Canada's bishops veto synod on gay blessings
The incoming primate of the Canadian church, Archbishop-elect Fred Hiltz, who had voted in favour of the move, said: "We have a very divided church. There will be many people who are very disappointed."
Canada's bishops veto synod on gay blessings
www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,2110618,00.html
· Lay Anglicans and clergy agree but yes motion falls
· World communion hears primate admit divisions
Stephen Bates in Winnipeg
Monday June 25, 2007
The Guardian
Canadian Anglicans failed by the narrowest of margins last night to agree to allow their churches to bless the committed relationships of same-sex couples.
In a tense vote after nearly two days of debate at the church's synod in Winnipeg, lay and clergy members voted in favour of a motion that would have allowed dioceses in Canada officially to authorise blessings. But the church's bishops voted against the move by 21 votes to 19, meaning that the motion failed, because it needed to be passed by all three groups.
There were warnings last night that some dioceses might press ahead anyway to authorise such services. Canada is one of the few countries that allows gay couples to marry.
The incoming primate of the Canadian church, Archbishop-elect Fred Hiltz, who had voted in favour of the move, said: "We have a very divided church. There will be many people who are very disappointed."
The vote came hours after the 300 delegates attending the church's three-yearly synod earlier took a significant step towards endorsing gay partnerships by saying they did not believe that they were in conflict with core church doctrine.
The debates saw repeated attempts by Canadian conservatives to delay such moves, or to change the size of the majority required under church rules to pass the motions, which were headed off.
The bishops last night nevertheless reissued a statement saying: "While not all bishops can conceive of condoning or blessing same-sex unions, we believe it is not only appropriate but a Gospel imperative to pray with the whole people of God, no matter their circumstances ... to refuse to pray with any person is to suggest God is not with them."
The outcome of the blessings vote, despite its close margin, will be welcomed at Lambeth Palace, where the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has been struggling to hold the communion together in the face of opposition particularly among developing world church leaders to any accommodation with same-sex partnerships. They and many evangelicals in western churches hold that gay partnerships are sinful, unbiblical and, therefore, will always be against church doctrine.
The sister US Episcopal Church is already facing a deadline of the end of September to comply with communion demands that it should not authorise same-sex blessings or elect gay clergy and bishops and that it should set up a separate church structure for conservative parishes. It has so far refused to do so.
At the Canadian synod, speakers from both sides argued passionately either that the church would be condoning sin if it recognised gay partnerships, or that it was time to affirm them.
Some clergy in Canada's cities, such as Toronto, where the demand has been strongest, may defy the church and conduct such services clandestinely anyway, as many clergy already do in Britain and the US. One Canadian diocese, New Westminster in Vancouver, authorised gay blessings services four years ago, the first in the world to do so.
A Toronto priest, Andrew Asbil, who said 30% of his congregation were gay, urged the synod to vote in favour: "God is calling us to move. The time is coming and it is now. We don't need more time."
Posted by latimer at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2005
Where Are the Men?
Overseas humanitarian groups target women, and for good reason. But it isn't enough. by Tim Stafford of Christianity Today
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/008/23.41.html
Posted by latimer at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)