BCP Update/Revision

On the Faith and Life e-mail discussion board, which is for APA and REC clergy, there has been discussion recently about prayer book revision. Personally, I do not think we need a major revision of prayer book. That said, I would like to see a few little additions and changes here and there if possible. Here's a few I thought of over coffee this morning:

1) Expand the kalendar to include the saints days as found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts

2) Make certain parts of the mass optional under certain circumstances as the Decalogue is (e.g. the Summary of the Law, the Comfortable Words, etc.)

3) Allow the Gloria to be moved to the ante-communion if the celebrant so desires

4) Allow for more antiphons for use with the Venite in Morning Prayer

5) Allow for a private for of confession/absolution at Morning and Evening Prayer (similar to the confiteor) for when the person is saying it privately

6) Add the form of Absolution from the 1662 English BCP used in the Visitation for the Sick, and also add a form of private confession and absolution.

7) Expand the catechism

8) Add the Benedictus and Agnus Dei (everyone adds them already anyway)

9) Add the Athanasian Creed

10) Add compline from the Scottish 1929 BCP

Continuing Anglicans: Slammed in New Book

Here is a link I found on Virtuosity that is interesting. The new "Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer" slams continuing Anglicans in one part as being sectarian and schismatic. If it is "schismatic and sectarian" to follow "the faith once delivered to the saints", to believe in the divine inspiration and authority of the scriptures as interpreted by the ecumenical councils and mind of the undivided church, to believe in the catholic priesthood, and to believe in absolute truth - especially in the moral sphere, then I am proudly schismatic and sectarian!

Good Preachers

I love watching reruns of Archbishop Sheen's show "Life is Worth Living" on EWTN. He is such a good communicator, combining great insights with grandiose gestures and a few well-placed jokes here and there. In many ways he is my inspiration as I write my sermons. I hope that one day I can be as effective a communicator for the Lord Jesus Christ as he was. (except without the cape)

It seems to me that one of the things that many traditional Anglican churches lack these days are effective communicators. A priest or deacon might be very intelligent, and have a lot of good things to say, but many times they just don't communicate their ideas very well, so parishioners and others don't go away feeling inspired or challenged, and the church doesn't grow too much. Maybe it is a lack of seminary training in that area. Or maybe the sermon is just greatly downplayed in our tradition because good, meaty sermons are thought to be too "Protestant". But the sermon is a supremely important part of the liturgy as the fathers of the Reformation believed, and as the fathers of the liturgical movement and Vatican II believed. There is quite an art to good oratory. St. Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost led to three thousand people being baptized! That is good, spirit-filled communication, and that is what the church needs in this day and age.

Icon Writing and general Art Update

Well, it has been several months since I've started icon "writing" (painting), and I making good progress in some ways, and not so good progress in other ways. So far I have done five icons, and am working on my sixth. The most difficult parts about it for me are:

1) etching the image into the wood - it is hard to get precise lines at first... sometimes the awl gets away from you, and a line gets unintentionally lengthened, or goes in the wrong direction, or something

2) painting on such a small scale - it's quite difficult and laborious trying to paint small facial features so they look good

As someone with a broad background in fine art, and especially in painting, I have found the egg tempra medium to be really great to work in. The amount of detail, and subtle textures that one can acheive with it are really amazing. I can see why Andrew Wyeth uses that medium for his major works. I might try some other types of paintings in this medium at some point. One of the interesting things I have noticed in studying various types of icons is that the east and west had an almost identical artistic tradition up until the Italian Renaissance. The work of Duccio (proto-Renaissance Siennese painter), is very similar to that of his contemporary Byzantine/Greek counterparts.

Anyway, once I am done all of these (all the icons I've done so far are 9"x12") I will try some larger scale ones, and then maybe I will have a show of them sometime next year. In other artistic news, I recently sold my "Purgatory" painting, which I did while in seminary. It was part of a series I did on the "stages of death" - the others in the series being "Alienation", "Death", "Hell" (destroyed), "Purgatory" (sold), and "Salvation" (sold). NB: I just tried to make a link to it, but for some reason it's not working. I will try to get it up soon. Anyway, it was exciting to sell this piece, as I've come close to selling it a few times. It is an interesting painting and very near and dear to my heart. In some ways it foreshadows where I want to eventually go with my icon painting.

I will be having a show in Bel Air (Maryland) in August at the Liriodendron art gallery, which will consist of recent cityscapes. More information will be posted about it in the coming weeks. And the best news of all, my lovely wife is poised to have my updated art website up in a few more weeks, which, of course, I will link to from this blog.

Ordination

This weekend a good friend of mine from my seminary days will be ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood. My wife and I hope to attend his ordination. He is being ordained in a pretty liberal diocese, but they have a new bishop who is trying to clean things up, so I think he will prosper. He is that rare cleric who is both committed to his principles and to what the RC Church teaches, but is also pastoral and can see "the big picture". I hope and pray that he will have a great ministry.

I have seen so many men prepare for holy orders, both in the Roman Catholic Church and in the continuing Anglican Churches who have "not made it". With many of them the craziest stuff seems to happen to thwart them on their way. It is as though Satan is working overtime specifically on them to prevent them from being ordained, and so from helping others draw near to Jesus Christ. The icon to the left always reminded me of this. Imagine the men as "aspirants and postulants" who are climbing up the ladder, seeking to be ordained, but devils are trying to pluck them off. And sadly, many men are plucked off.

Whenever we try to do anything good for God, and for His kingdom, we can be sure that Satan will try to stop us at every step of the way. How much more when a man is preparing for ordination, and preparing to become the "icon of Christ" - a priest.

No Kneeling in Orange County

Here is an interesting article from the New Oxford Review about how the Catholic bishop of Orange has banned kneeling during the Agnus Dei throughout his diocese. Traditionalist Roman Catholics are revolting, as one would expect. One person asks: "It's hard to understand why any bishop would prohibit his people from expressing reverence in the way they have done for centuries," said Helen Hull Hitchcock, a founder of the conservative Adoremus Society for the Renewal of Sacred Liturgy in St. Louis." A big stink developed when the pastor of one parish, who offered a popular Latin mass completee with lots of kneeling, retired, and was replaced by a guy who did the regular mass, and followed the bishop's order, and banned kneeling during the Agnus Dei. He promptly canned some servers and council members who refused to comply with this directive. It seems like a bad situation.

But I have to ask: who are these people to blatantly defy the order of their bishop, who was appointed by the supreme pontiff? And who are they to defy their priest, who represents the bishop? The Roman Catholic Church is not a democracy. I sympathize with them for wanting to kneel, but they simply must obey their bishop in mattters like this. And this raises a larger issue. Everyone who enters the Roman Catholic Church must be prepared to acccept whatever the supreme pontiff teaches and declares as truth. In the Archdioces of Baltimore, people entering the Roman Church are required to say: "I believe and profess all that the Holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God." So, should the Catholic Church ever allow priests to marry, or ordain women, the laity better be prepared to accept that. Granted, those are different issues than kneeling or not kneeling, but that's not the point. The point is obedience; will the laity obey those whom the Lord has set over them not matter what they say or do?

Other Interesting Anglican/Church-Related Music

In the spirit of the previous post, I thought I would highlight two other recordings that I have found fun and interesting to listen to.

The first is the Vince Guaraldi at Grace Cathedral (Live). This was a jazz eucharist done at Grace Cathedral featuring the musician who composed the music for the Charlie Brown cartoons. It was done in the late 1960's (big surprise), and so uses the 1928 BCP for the liturgy. They do the fourth communion service, which is an old plainsong melody, to jazz, and have a choir singing the Veni Creator Spiritus and more. One of the biggest highlights, though, is that the infamous James A. Pike is featured on the recording - giving an introduction to the service. You'll notice that he refers to the "Ground of Our Being" (Tillich) to refer to God, which is rather interesting. Overall, it is very well-done, and lots of fun to listen to.

The other recording that I enjoy is the Missa Flamenca, which was composed by the flamenco guitarist Paco Pena. All of the music is flamenco, of course, and the singing is done in the flamenco manner by a specially trained choir. I studied classical guitar in college (under Mario Abril and Julian Gray), so I have a special interest in this type of music. This composition is full of energy.

Now, I would never advocate using this type of music in a "public" traditional Anglican liturgy, not because I think it is morally wrong, but because I don't think the style matches the language and solemnity of the BCP. Guitars and drums, and instruments like them, being used in worship is more a sin against good taste than a sin against God. Music like this fine, however, to listen to at home in a relaxed atmosphere. It may be enjoyed privately in order to help cultivate deeper devotion to God if that is what it does for an individual.

Healey Willan

Although I am incredibly sick and tired of hearing the Healey Willan mass setting (the second communion service in the 1940 hymnal), Willan has some other incredible pieces of music that deserve to be listened to. I happen to have the CD on the left, as well as Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts. If you are looking for some great Anglican choral music, I highly recommend these two CDs. I think they can be purchased through St. Mary Magdalene church in Toronto (where he served as choir master and organist for years).

Life as a Newly Ordained Priest

People often ask me what it is like being newly ordained, and if any weird or unusual happens to me more than before I was ordained. Well, yes... once in a while something out of the ordinary does happen. People are afraid to curse around me when I am in my collar; some people are even afraid to curse around my wife; random people wave to me; Latinos tip their caps to you as you walk by; people just come up to me and start telling me about their problems; people ask relationship questions as well as theological questions; I do not have to pay for parking many times at garages and such; non-church going casual acquaintences ask me to do their weddings (actually, that happened even when I was in seminary); I get asked about doing baptisms and such for people not in my parish; and I could go on. It is quite interesting, and a real blessing when these random encounters or experiences open the door for a serious conversation about Jesus Christ, sin and repentance.

By far, though, the craziest thing was when I was in Shreveport once at a business meeting, and a colleague found out that I was preparing for ordination (this was while I was still a postulant, obviously). So he asked me what he should about a localized recurrent apparition (a ghost) of an old lady that was haunting his house. He described the situation to me in great detail - it seemed to be a a completely benign ghost that didn't do too much except "appear" here and there, freaking people out when it did so. As he is telling me this I am saying to myself, "Uhhh, here's what you should do: MOVE!" But I figured he didn't want to hear that, so instead I advised him, as it was apparently not malevalent or causing any real problems, to completely ignore it as much as possible, and under no circumstances ever try to communicate or make contact with it as that is forbidden in the scriptures. I then told him that if he was still freaked out about the whole thing he could call a priest over to bless his home. So far I have not had anything top that.

New Alb

I just received from Wippells in England this gorgeous traditional alb that I bought with some ordination gift money... just imagine me wearing it as opposed to a broad. The picture really doesn't do it justice - it is quite extrodinary. The amount of lace is just right. It seems to me that every Anglican cleric should have at least one item of vesture from Wippells.

Collegial Episocpate: The Anglican Way

My in-laws were asked by a Roman Catholic friend what some of the differences between RCs and Anglicans were, and specifically if we Anglicans "followed the pope." I explained to them that the one of the major differences between the two traditions is that, while we acknowledge the Bishop of Rome as being a true bishop, and as having perhaps a position of special honor among the bishops of the world, we do not acknowledge him to have universal jurisdiction over the other bishops of the world and the whole church. The Roman Catholic episcopate is "top down", whereas in the Orthodox and Anglican tradition it is collegial. This developed historically, as there was only one patriarchal see in the west (Rome), and the rest were in the east. So one can naturally see how a top-down system developed in the west.

In recent years we have seen some of the problems seemingly associated with a collegial episcopate - especially within Anglicanism. Some bishops and bishops' conferences, instead of acting "collegially", and considering how their acts and decisions affect the larger church, have acted unilaterally, promoting in some cases heresy and schism (as in ECUSA). During these times many orthodox Anglicans lament that they do not have a central authority figure like the pope to keep the wackos in line, or get rid of them when they promote heresy.

If we think this way, we would do well to realize that just because a few bishops have been promoting heresy and sin in recent decades, and have not been disciplined for this, that does not mean that the teaching of a truly the collegial episcopate is wrong. It means that the bishops are not living up to the true meaning of collegiality, not following their vows, and so on. It is like saying, as many people do, that mandatory priestly celibacy in the RC tradition is "wrong" because vocations are low right now, or because there was a pedophilia scandal. Well, even if there was some connection to these current problems within the RC world and mandatory priestly celibacy, that does not mean that the teaching of the church in that area is necessarily wrong. Correlation does not imply causlity. The same is true for the teaching of the collegial episcopate. The collegial episcopate is supported by both scripture and tradition, and it is one of the great marks of our tradition and that of the eastern orthodox.

Lower than...

I love it when I hear a new phrase used to describe how low a particular parish is. Some of my favorites have to do with snakes: "That place is lower than snakes' hips." Or, "That place is lower than a snake's belly." Or, "It's snake-belly low." Those are pretty good. But my favorite so far was used by the rector of my home parish to describe some church he had visited once way back when... I asked him about the churchmanship at this place and he growled, "That place is so low you have to crawl in."

New Faces, Old Religion

Today I had the distinict pleasure of being treated to lunch by my spiritual director, the Rev'd Fr. Charles McClean, SSC. Also joining us was a friend who is in the aspirant program for the ECUSA, and the Rev'd Fr. Jason Catania, SSC, who is the new rector of Mt. Calvary Church, Baltimore, MD. As my spiritual director put it, Fr. Catania is "...of the old school." A true anglo-catholic, devoted to the "faith once delivered to the saints." He is bringing about liturgical change to Mt. Calvary. As he put it, "the last vestiges of the new religion are being swept away." The missal is back on all of the altars. The altar cards up. The traditional positions of the sacred ministers have been restored as prescribed in Ritual Notes. The preparation and the Last Gospel have been restored. And soon, the sub-deacon will be in a humeral veil, and so forth. It is wonderful to see. Mt. Calvary definitely went through a phase of liturgical revision, not as bad as some historically anglo-catholic parishes, but it was there. Now all of that will be gone. What will be left of it? (NOTE: I am into liturgical revision, by the way... as long as it is revising the crappy "novus ordo" liturgy... revising it back to the way it should be - to the missal.) Fr. Catania is also a trained, and degreed musician, so I am sure that the already great music at Mt. Calvary will only get better under his leadership. It was also nice to be able to connect my friend with him and Fr. McClean, as they will be able to help him navigate through the process of being ordained in the ECUSA. So all in all, it was a great day. Clergy lunches , by the way, are one of the best parts about being ordained. Sitting around and talking "shop talk" is absolutely wonderful. In closing, I exhort us to say a prayer for Fr. Catania's ministry at Mt. Calvary, Baltimore - one of the great, flagship anglo-catholic parishes in America; to pray for the ministry of my spiritual director, a great man of God and a holy, devout priest; to pray for my friend as he explores a priestly vocation; and lastly, to pray for me and my humble ministry as a priest of the APA (bringing traditional anglo-catholicism to the 'burbs).

Altar Cards & Fiddlebacks

A clergy colleague made an interesting point about why priests should consider wearing fiddleback chasubles and keeping altar cards on the altar. They send an immediate message about what your parish is all about: the orthodox, traditional Christian faith. Plus, one never sees women "priests" in fiddleback chasubles.

The Very Right Reverend

The APA has absorbed a number of smaller continuing Anglican jurisdictions over the years, each one coming with a bishop or two. The deal is that the bishop gets to keep his title and dress, but not function as a bishop by doing confirmations, ordinations, etc. unless, of course, previous arrangements have been made. Overall the policy seems to work very well. But sometimes it can make for some unusual titles. For example, Bp. Grundorf recently announced the formation of a deanery in this region of the country. I believe it consists of MD, DE, and DC. And the "dean" in charge of it is a bishop from a jurisdiction that merged with us a couple of years back. So that makes him "The Very Rt. Rev." A.B. He gave me a call the other day and we were joking about it. He'll make a good dean in part because he has a great sense of humor!

Motorcycle for Sale - BMW R1100R

I am selling my 1999 BMW R1100R motorcycle (my dream bike). The mileage is about 39K. Motorcycling is a great hobby, and this is a fantastic bike. It really makes heads turn. It has a really smooth ride, and it is very stable and roadworthy. If anyone out there happens to be interested in it please let me know. Here's what it comes with:

1100 CCs
BMW Saddlebags
BMW Aeroflow Windshield
New Metzler Tires
Two Piece Adjustable Saddle
Throttle Lock
Heated Grips
Full Heated Body Suit (socks, pants, jacket, and gloves)
Techllusion Fuel Injection Kit (fixes surging problem)
Maintainence Free Battery
Torque Wrench
Oil Filter Change Tool
BMW Tool Kit

I suppose as an Anglican I should be riding a Triumph, or and old BSA or Norton, but alas, I wanted a bike that was reliable!

A Couple More Pics

Here's one of me and Fr. Chad Jones, SSC, sub-dean of the cathedral in Oviedo, and longtime friend and mentor. Also one of me and Fr. Ray Unterburger, the rector of St. Alban's, Joppa - also an important mentor and friend. And one of me and my wife after my first mass on Low Sunday. I am vested in red because Bp. Grundorf was doing confirmations that day and receiving new members.

Ordination Pictures

Here are some pictures from after my ordination. Unlike many modernistic, novus ordo churches, we do not permit photography during the liturgy, so I don't have any of the "holy huddle", or anything like that. The chasuble I am wearing was purchased in Rome on me and my wife's honeymoon back in October. The custom fiddleback ones that I am having made are not ready yet (won't be ready till July). There are more photos, but I won't flood the internet with them. The first one is of me giving my first blessing to Bp. Grundorf. The group photo consists the clergy of the parish, as well as clergy from various APA and REC parishes. Also represented were clergy from FiFNA. All in all it was a great time. Like other newly ordained priests, I find that the most amazing part about it is offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is a truly profound, and beautiful experience. To think that God uses me, a sinful mortal, to make the one, "...full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world..." present on the altar for the salvation of the world is awesome and humbling. I pray that God will help me to be a faithful priest, and dedicated servant for Him and for His people.

Ordination Charge

If you go to the Philorthodox blog you can read the charge I was given at my ordination by the Rev'd Fr. Chandler Holder Jones, SSC, who is sub-dean of our cathedral in Oviedo, Florida. I hope to have some pictures and thoughts posted soon!

Hip Hop Prayer Book

I found this Hip Hop prayer book while looking up 1940 Hymnals on the Church Publishing website. Looks pretty goofy to me. Here is how it translates Psalm 23:

Psalm 23 as adapted by Ryan Kearse
The Lord is all that, I need for nothing.
He allows me to chill.
He keeps me from being heated
and allows me to breathe easy.
He guides my life so that
I can represent and give
shouts out in his Name.
And even though I walk through
the Hood of death,
I don't back down
for you have my back.
The fact that you have me covered
allows me to chill.
He provides me with back-up
in front of my player-haters
and I know that I am a baller
and life will be phat.
I fall back in the Lord's crib
for the rest of my life.

God or the Girl?

There is a really interesting new mini-series on the A & E Network called God or the Girl about four men considering entering Roman Catholic seminary to become priests. As a graduate from a Roman Catholic seminary I find this series quite fascinating. They played two episodes last night, and have two more on tonight. Its just a two-day thing from what the website says, so try to catch it tonight if you can. It is very respectable, doesn't make a mockery of the Roman Church by any strech of the imagination, and is entertaining and educational. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops screened the episodes and have okayed it (of course, this is the same body whose film review arm said the movie Brokeback Mountain was a good film, but I digress). Anyway, I highly recommend this series.

There are so many things to say about the programs I saw last night. Here's a few general observations: Only one of the guys actually has a girlfriend. All but one are rather young.... too young and inexperienced to be making this kind of decision, in my judgment. They are all from pretty conservative dioceses/areas (Arlington, Scranton, etc.). Two, I think, went right out of high school to the minor seminary, so they already have some "seminary" experience.

If you have seen the show, here is my take on the guys. The two that I think should not be priests are Joe, who has major commitment issues and still hasn't found himself despite being 28 years old, and Steve, who seems to be exceedingly vain. The other two guys, I think, could be good priests. Dan is hyped about serving God and the church and already lives in a community of devoutly Roman Catholic religious men, and Mike (the one with the girlfriend) is very level-headed and sensitive... though his spiritual director seems to have some sort of Vulcan mind control over him. Of the four, Dan and Steve seem to have the worst case of "Messiah Complex" (i.e. I will be the savior of the Catholic Church and tell everyone what to believe and how to live). I suppose that is due to their age, though. Hearing it reminded me of an admonition given by one of my seminary professors (a very holy man): he said to make sure that we worked out our own salvation in fear and trembling, and thought about our vocation that way, before worrying about trying to save everyone else.

It is really sad that their denomination makes them have to choose between God and "the girl". Fr. Taylor Marshall asked a while back on his blog what good things Anglicanism has to offer the rest of christendom. One of those good things, though I don't know if it was mentioned, was the option for clergy to marry. The natural desire for men to be with women, both physically, emotionally, and spiritually, should not be denied, or set in opposition to serving in the ordained ministry. That opposition is neither biblical nor patristic. Anyway, this should be an interesting show to follow over the next few days, or for however long it stays on.

U2 Masses

Here is a link to an AP story on U2 masses that some ECUSA parishes are having. These are services where they use music by the rock group U2 for the liturgy. I think some churches have a cover band play the music, while others just spin the CD. U2 has granted there permission for churches to use their music in this way. Many of their songs have a Christian, or generalized religious, or other socially redeeming theme to them. There are even books out on using U2 songs to help write sermons. Now, I like U2, and I even have a few of their CDs on my I-Pod, but I don't think their music is suitable for the corporate worship of the church. The rock and roll medium is too simplistic, market-driven, and transitory to be used for the public worship of the eternal, Triune God of the universe. The banal words to most rock and roll songs draw attention mainly to themselves, and so the song and the group becomes the point of everything... not God. Further, rock and roll music is emotionally driven. The way many popular rock songs are composed (if one can use that word) causes people listening to them to be whipped into an emotional frenzy, clouding reason and intellect. Public Christian worship consists in large part of a perfect balance between reason and emotion. The ECUSA parishes that are doing this have reported that large numbers of young people have been drawn out to the services. But do they continue to come back? Do services that use this type of music have enough spiritual depth to sustain these apparant "conversions"? I doubt it. More important, do the churches holding these services really teach the Christian faith at all, with its great themes of creation, fall, and redemption? If not, then I don't care what kind of music you have playing, people will not come to the church. If there is no spiritual need for salvation, as many mainline churches seem to teach, then why go to church at all?

Baptisms Down

A news link on New Oxford Review reports that baptisms are declining in many churches... from the Southern Baptists to the Roman Catholics. One of the main reasons this is happening, acccording to the article, is because of interfaith marriage: people marry outside of their Christian tradition - or even outside of the Church - and decide to let their kids get baptized when they feel the time is right. They let it be their childrens' choice. Hmmm, I wonder if they would take one of their sons and say, "Well, let's not raise him as a boy or a girl. When he is old enough he can make his own decision as to which sex he wants to be." Or, "Let's not raise little Johnny to be financially secure and responsible, but instead we'll let him decide if he wants to be poor or middle class." That's what these parents are doing with the grace of God in baptism. They are robbing their children of it. If there is friction about whether or not the child should be baptized, then the couple should not be getting married in the first place. Christians should not marry unbelievers (or even "nominal" Christians) anyway - even as the children of Israel were forbidden to intermarry with the Canaanites. Too many churches do not teach what the scriptures teach in this area, and the world and the Church is worse off for it. In the evangelical/baptist world, I suspect one of the reasons for the downward trend in baptism has something to do with the whole "getting saved" theology. Why get baptized when you don't need it to get "saved". Since their faith is not incarnational, or even anti-incarnational, they see no need for sacraments. The Christian faith is mere assent to certain intellectual propositions, and living a morally upstanding life.

N.T. Wright and Jackson Pollock

Lately I have been reading The New Testament and the People of God by N.T. Wright. The beginning section of the book deals with hermeneutics. One of the problems people face in reading texts these days is whether or not a text actually refers to anything real. In reading a story about some event, can it actually convey anything truthful about the event, or does it only tell us only what the author is thinking about? Indeed, some are of the opinion that a story/text really tells us about the mind of author, and nothing more, and so they look for clues in the book to find out about the author's personal life. Wright basically says that this idea is a bunch of bunk.
There is an interesting connection here to art history and art interpretation. Some people think that in looking at an artist's work they can somehow find out about his or her personal belief system, or discover what philosophy he or she followed. Theories like that make for interesting reading at times, but it must be remembered that they are always, in the end, merely speculation and theories. With that in mind, Jackson Pollock is a favorite whipping boy of people like Francis Schaffer. They say that his art shows how meaningless he thought life and the world was. But I don't think his work can be written off that easily. His drip paintings are extremely beautiful (you really have to go see one in person), and are wonderful studies in formless painting. They ought to be apprciated for what they are, and not used as a jumping-off point for mindless speculation about his personal life. The same thing is true with reading the NT. It is meant to be read for what it is.

NOR Subscription

Special thanks to St. George the Orthodox, who comments on the blog, for getting me a subscription to the New Oxford Review! Thinking of leaving Anglicanism for the wonderful majesty, uniformity in faith and liturgy, and orthodoxy and traditionalism of Rome? Better subscribe to this magazine first. Rome "ain't all its cracked up to be." I think I might buy myself the Book "Papal Sins" as a little companion piece to this fine magazine.

Passion de Jeanne d'Arc

Tonight we have a post-confirmation age youth activity. This is my kind of activity: we are going to watch the classic silent film "Passion de Jeanne d'Arc", by Carl Dreyer. This movie has quite a history. Dreyer was urged to make all sorts of changes to the film so the public would like it better. He did so, but they lost their edge, and the film flopped. Meanwhile, the few original prints remaining were lost to various fires. But in 1982, an orginal print was found in the closet of an Oslo insane asylum. It was restored, and a fantastic soundtrack was composed by Einhorn (Voices of Light). The restored orginial with the new soundtrack is absolutely amazing.

The acting is great. It is amazing how you know exactly what is going on, and what the people are saying and thinking even if there are no subtitles. They do it all through their expert facial expressions and gestures. The close-ups and camara angles are astounding and dramatic. It shows how silly most modern movies are, and how studios prefer to use technology, cgi, and special effects instead of the skills of the actor or actress (and the director of photography too, for that matter). If you have never watched a silent film, I recommend this one, as it is a good introduction to the genre.

I hope they like it. There are a few who I think will definitely enjoy it. Not sure about the others. Either way, it will be a great film to see, and a good teaching tool. When I was a kid I hated youth group... with all of the goofy games, the guitar-strumming "kumba ya" music, and all the rest of it. I loved church, and I loved hymns, but I disliked the silliness associated with the youth group. Something like this would have been right up my alley.

My First Mass

It turns out that my first Holy Eucharist will be celebrated the day after my ordination. As that day is a Sunday, and the bishop will be present for confirmations, my first mass will be celebrated in his presence at the main parish mass. Nothing like a little pressure on a guy! At least it won't be a solemn high. Also, my wife will be among those being confirmed that day, so that will add to the pressure as well. Once that is done, I will have to do more masses. For the rector tells me that it is customary that a new priest celebrate three votive masses on the first three ferial days after his ordination: one for the Holy Spirit, one in honor of Our Lady, and one Requiem (for departed family members). So I guess I need to plan those sometime soon.

Private Interpretation and Authority

I am working on my sermon for Palm Sunday. The rector lets me preach several times a month, which is great practice, and I am honored to be allowed to preach on such an important day. Sometimes sermon prep can be very difficult, especially when the passage of scripture appointed for the day is cryptic. Interpreting these passages properly is tricky and requires lots of thought, study, and reflection. I use a variety of commentaries to help me in interpreting these passages, as well as to get ideas on how to approach them.

All of this got me thinking about corporate vs. private interpretation of the scriptures. Over on the fundamentalist Roman Catholic blog, Pontifications, they often talk about private interpretation the scriptures, and how that is one of "problems" associated with Protestantism. In the Roman Church, it is the Magesterium that interprets the scriptures in a way that is normative for the life of the Church, whereas individual Protestants (supposedly) just blindly read the Bible and make it say whatever they want. Often those who harp on this issue believe that the various moral and social challenges facing the Church and other "ecclesial entities" today have come about directly because of the sin of "private interpretation". Honestly, though, I think that is over simplifying the situation. And the more I think about it, the less difference I see between the two camps. The Roman Catholic Church interprets scripture in the same way that other churches do. They use the same tools and techniques, and read the same commentaries, and look at the same documents from the Tradition, as everyone else does. They do not have a secret "stash" of biblical commentaries known only to them.

The main difference would appear to be the magesterium. The magesterium of the Church really acts as the "referee" in the game. And while it is the bishops that form the magesterium of the Church, they clearly depend on the work of biblical scholars, theologians, and other experts to help them make their official decisions and pronouncements. So, in actual fact, the Roman Catholic magesterium is not as authoritarian in these areas as people think. Put another way, they do not just sit around and spout off opinions and interpretations, but very carefully listen the experts, pray, read, and study, just like everyone else. In the end they simply rubber stamp what has been a long, rational, and reflective process. And while I believe that the pontiff could theorectically just announce a particular interpretation of a passage as being "the one true interpretation for all time and space", it would obviously be highly unusual for that to occur. The magesterium also has the responsibility to make sure Roman Catholic clergy adhere to these teachings and decisions. This difference (the role of the magesterium in scriputre interpretation) is very enticing to certain people, and causes many to convert to Roman Catholicism. But is there even this difference between Roman Catholics and Protestants?

All churches have a magesterium - that is to say, a body that decides what is or is not normative for the life of the Church in terms of scriptural interpretation and doctrine. Is there no authority in Protestantism? Or in Anglicanism? Don't tell Bp. Bennison, or Bp. Shaw, or Bp. Ilhoff that. They will laugh right in your face. Of course they have authority, and as we all know, they exercise it very well! Do ECUSA bishops not interpret the scriptures in a way that is normative for their church? Of course they do! Those (ECUSA) bishops and there colleagues have and do interpret the scriptures in a way that is normative for the life of their church. In both ways, protestant denominations are the same as Rome. Even extremely Protestant traditions/denominations, such as Presbyterians, do not allow a minister to get up and say and teach whatever he wants to say and teach. He must conform to the received tradition of his church. There is authority, and authoritative scripture interpretation, in every church. Ultimately one must choose which church's authority and teaching to submit himself to.

Transforming Lives

"The church is about transforming peoples' lives not letting them live in their sin and delusion. And one of the reasons for the decline is that if you have no specific salvific message to proclaim or a mission statement that does not make sense of peoples' real lives, there is little incentive to roll out of bed on Sunday morning if what you think you will hear in the pulpit is a rehash of the op-ed page of the New York Times or a major whine about why the Christian Church is homophobic."

From Virtuosity

David Virtue hits the nail on the when speaking of the decline of ECUSA. Indeed what he says is relative to many other denominations too. Sadly, though, it is worth noting that even traditionalist "continuing" churches can slip into this mindest, where something other than worship, evangelism, and mission becomes the most important thing.

Church Restoration - Wrapping It Up

Well, as I prepare for new things in my career I am slowly phasing out of my work in church restoration (primarily in stained glass, but also other areas). This business has occupied four years of my life, and I have learned a great deal about art, churches, and people through it. I have a few observations and stats that some of you might find interesting. Keep in mind that there are exceptions to each of these, and also that some of the results may be due to the fact that I live in the mid-Atlantic region (i.e. mid-western churches are probably a lot friendlier).

My Best Customers:
ECUSA parishes. They really care about their buildings, and have given me lots of business.

Best Churches to Cold Call:
ECUSA parishes. They are incredibly friendly, I have found, and they love to show off their buildings. Next come orthodox parishes, then ELCA and LCMS parishes.

Rudest Churches to Deal With and Cold Call:
Roman Catholic... by far. Generally speaking, I have never met a more rude and arrogant bunch of people than the priests of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. And the more conservative the parish/diocese, the worse they are to deal with. Their cronies they have working for them at the "power tower" (the nickname for the Archdiocese's high rise office building downtown) are just as bad. After them come the Methodists, then the Presbyterians.

Churches that are the Hardest to Make Contact With:
Black churches that are not part of a mainline denomination. No one is ever at the building during the week. Next come the Roman Catholics... these guys do not even come to the door half of the time.

Churches Where You Are Most Likely to Get Hit On (by a man):
ECUSA parishes, followed by Tridentine-Rite RC parishes

Churches That You Can Count on Getting Very Little, if any, Business From:
Any conservative church that is part of a conservative denomination (e.g. not a FiFNa type of parish). PCA, LCMS, OPC, ARP, Continuing Churches, etc.... they usually do not care about externals and arts, or they are very poor, and prefer to funnel their money to ministry. Independant black churches are also usually too poor to do anything about their building, or do not seem to care that much about it. Orthodox churches are hard to get business from too. They always have "some guy over in Syria/Russia/Greece, etc." who is going to paint their icons, or design their windows, or something.

Churches Where There is Often a Pet Running Around the Building:
ECUSA parishes... I have seen dogs and cats in many a nave.

Personality Type and Religious Leadership

Recently I found an interesting book entitled "Personality Type and Religious Leadership" (Roy Oswald and Otto Kroeger, 1988) in my seminary's library. It uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test to assess strengths and weaknesses in the ministry, potential pitfalls, types of prayer, role and pastoral function, and more. It has been quite enlightening reading this book. My type accounts for about 10% of clergy. In thinking of ministering with other clergy in a parish setting much thought must be given to match clerical personalities for the best possible results. As clergy candidates are usually required to take this test (along with other tests too) it would behove church leadership to use the insight gained from them in assigning clergy, so that everyone can minister in the most effective way possible.

No Way APA

A wonderful anglo-catholic friend in the early stages of pursuing holy orders told me over some drinks the other night that he had come across the the "No Way APA" website. We joked at how silly it is. This site is run by someone who is obviously not excited about the APA and REC merging. For it exposes all of the "awful" catholic things that we do in the APA.

To be sure, it is accurate in some ways. Yes, we do offer the Blessed Virgin Mary the WORTH-ship (hyperdulia) that she is worthy of; we do recommend and practice private confession as it is one of the seven sacraments; we have lots of ritual (following Ritual Notes, of course); we celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass; we pray for the dead; and more. But it is inaccurate in other ways. First of all, we worship (dulia) other saints too...not only Mary. Also, the site suggests that we have only "semi-nuns". I object to that... we have full nuns, just to set the record straight (The Order of St. Athanasius).

It is worth noting that the "No Way APA" website has been condemned by the bishops of the REC, who, besides being thoroughly catholic, are in full support of merging with the APA. It is too bad that those running it do not take the time to learn and study about catholic theology. Sadly, their error is just as bad as the ultramontane Roman Catholic who erects all sorts of straw men about protestantism, and never takes the time to seriously study it.

Comparing Recent Reading

Lately, I have begun reading The New Testament and the People of God by N.T. Wright. Lord willing, I plan to read his whole series on Christian origins (3 volumes thus far - around 3,000 pages). Wright, Anglican Bishop of Durham, is probably the world's foremost NT scholar. When I was seminary Raymond Brown (who taught at my alma mater for many years) and Joseph Fitzmeyer were viewed as demi-gods.... all we did was read their works, discuss their writings, etc. So, it is going to be nice to get another point of view, though those two are very fair and centerist scholars.

I think that the crisis in biblical studies and interpretation, in addition to the question of authority, are the most pressing issues facing the church today. They are, in my judgement, the direct cause of all of the heresy that the church has infected the church over the last 35 years or so. It is more than a question of authority (e.g. magesterium/papacy) alone, as some Christians seem to think.

The central problem is knowledge and interpretation. Wright advocates a critical realist epistemology and approach to the scriptures over and above a positivistic or completely subjectivist/reader-response type of approach. This reading is a nice contrast to John MacQuarrie's existentialist-Bultmannian approach in Principles of Christian Theology, which I am in the process of finishing up. Briefly, critical realism in the theory of knowledge still allows for something of a Kantian subject-object distinction typically associated with positivism, but also affirms that we genuinely interact with the "object" and bring our own worldview and presuppositions to it. It does not allow for "brute facts", nor does it feign complete objectivity (a common error made in the realm of science). This is a sound principle to keep in mind, not only when reading theology, but when looking at art, listening to music, etc. We do not always interpret various things in exactly the same way, but there are a lot of similarities. Critical realism does allow one to speak truly of reality, but affirms the challenges wrought by reflection and contemplation, as well as the interplay of our presuppositions. Central to Wright's critical realist approach is the idea of the "story". Verification does not happen as a result of observing sense data to see if they fit a hypothesis, but by devising means based on a larger "story", which includes the hypothesis itself. I realize that is confusing, but I don't have room to go into it more. You can read about on pp.38-46 of his book. But suffice it to say, "story" is used in the same way as "worldview". I think that his use of story in this sense is similar to David Tracy's idea of the "classic" (i.e. a classic book), but I will not go into that now.

John Macquarrie, in my opinion, grants far too much neutrality and objectivity to the field of science and biblical studies. He assumes that the movers and shakers in those fields have no bias in their work, which is quite a faulty assumption. And while it doesn't undermine his whole existentialist philosophical theology, I think that it does weaken it at various points. Despite that, Macquarrie still shines - albeit in other ways. I think that his approach, once understood and mastered, is a very creative way to describe and discuss the Christian faith. It is quite useful to be able to explain the tenants of our faith in a variety of ways to reach as many people as possible, so long, of course, as you arrive at the same place. I can see how his model would be more attractive to people of a certain mindset than, say, reciting "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma" to them, or talking about how an angel came and visited me one afternoon.

It is good to read a few books at once, especially in related fields, as it can help in understanding them better, and help one get more out of them. I highly suggest both of these books and authors.

Altar Girls in Arlington, VA

News from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington... they have finally permitted altar girls to serve during mass at parishes. Previously they allowed girls to be servers in some instances. This just makes their policy more consistent. Though the article doesn't say it, I have been told that the diocese requires male and female altar servers to dress differently so as to make sure people understand the physical distinction between them. Apparently the bishop thinks that allowing females to serve at the altar will increase the number of vocations to the religious life. Maybe it will, but it sure hasn't done that here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, or anywhere else that I can think of for that matter. One thing it does seem to have increased is the desire among certain RCs to ordain women.

Personally, I maintain my general opposition to female altar servers, but believe that women can and should serve in important leadership positions in the local and national church (e.g. vestry, teaching and preaching, diocesan committees, professorships, etc.) if they so desire.

Thomas Cranmer, R.I.P.

Today marks the death of Thomas Cranmer, who, as we all know, was burned at the stake under Mary Tudor. I found out from the MacCulloch biography that his last meal consisted of spice cakes and bread; fruit and nuts; and a dish of stewed prunes (p. 599). Talk about adding insult to injury!

In Need of Immediate Feedback!

I am having five sets of vestments made for me by Renzetti & Magnarelli in Philadelphia. They are going to be white, red, green, violet, and black chasubles (eventually I hope to get rose and gold as well), with the old "spade-style" maniples and stoles, and also some matching burses and veils. Of course the chasubles will be lined and done in the "fiddleback" style. As R & M only does custom work, they will each have varying brocades, bandings, fringes, along with some embroidered crosses, etc. The banding pattern that they use in the front is absolutely exquisite, so there is no need for an orphrey on that side. But now I am wondering about the back: should I have an orphrey put on it? Otherwise, the back will just be plain with the banding going around the edge, and maybe some banding on top. Part of me thinks that having the back plain will give the chasuble a nice, modest look to it. But then again, I do not want it to be too stark. Any opinions? Oh, and the other thing is that I generally have not liked a lot of the orphrey designs that I have seen on the backs of fiddleback chasubles.

Spanish Deacon's Mass

I have been asked to do a deacon's mass ("Sunday Mass in Absence of a Priest", for all of you Roman Catholics out there) at a latino parish of ours. This involves learning to read the various parts of the liturgy decently, and having my sermon translated. Luckily, my wife speaks Spanish fluently, so she can help me out with my pronunciation, and also with translating my sermon for me as I give it. Tip of the biretta, by the way, to Fr. Erich Zwingert, SSC, for suggesting me. This will be my first, and probably last, deacon's mass, as my ordination to the sacred preisthood is fast approaching.

A continuing church bishop once told me that latino Anglicans were the strangest thing he had ever heard of in his life. But he was a rather cynical fellow. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with there being latino Anglicans. It would be like saying there is something wrong with being white, American, and Antiochian Orthodox. Sure, it might be a bit unusual, but it's not like the "church police" are going to come out and arrest you if you happen to be latino and Anglican. It will be interesting to see how they worship. Apparently, they do not use the 1940 Hymnal, and they have a worship band complete with an accordian. Now that sounds pretty cool! Maybe I should bring my banjo along.

The Psychology of Religion

I am becoming more and more interested lately in the role our personal psychological composition (e.g. personality type, and so on) plays in the religious choices that we make. We make it seem at times that we are what we are - Roman, Anglican, Presbyterian, etc. - based entirely on reason alone. But I think that if we were honest with ourselves we'd realize that so much more goes into making the religious choices that we do. I once jokingly remarked to a vehemently anti-catholic friend when we were arguing about Catholicism (I was Roman Catholic at the time), "What... did you get beat up by a neighbor who was Roman Catholic when you were a kid, or something? Is that why you hate RCism so much?" My point being that he seemed to have more of an affective aversion to RCism rather than intellectual one; it was something deeper, something more primitive within him. Not something less valuable or important, but just different.

Some people, in my experience, seem to prefer subscribing to theological systems that purport to have answers for everything, or they are looking for a particular unshakeable and infallible authority to ease their troubled soul (pope, sola scriptura, etc.), while others are drawn to and convinced by systems that are very amorphous and ambiguous. Either preference, though, seems to be driven more by an individual's psychology and personality rather than being a purely disinterested pursuit of "truth", though the quest for truth certainly does come into the equation. And as we are constantly developing and growing as individuals, our psychology is influenced more and more by the various life experiences that we grow through, and we bring all of that to the table as well.

We all do this. I think about this in relation to my own life as an artist-deacon. As an artist, I am fine with seeing things from multiple perspectives, and am not necessarily worried about how it all ties together. My "looser" mindset even trickles into the country/bluegrass band me and some friends have: I always joke with them that I am not very concerned with staying in strict time, people coming in singing all at once, and so on, and how that is analogous to the dripping paint, multiple perspective, and criss-crossing lines in my art. I think it is that inherent ambiguity that I live with as an artist that has helped me remain faithful to Jesus Christ in times of darkness over the years. Other people though, could not stand having dripping paint, and "gray" areas to deal with. To them, everything is black and white, and very often they think that anyone who accepts some level of ambiguity is a complete wacko. I accept that there are people like that out there... who have to have neat answers for everything; that is their personality type, and that's fine. That's how God made them, and allowed them to grow as people. But I do find it frustrating to read of people who write about their religious life, or conversion to another denomination, as though it were entirely an intellectual matter, when, no doubt, personal and psychological reasons were also at play. It just seems dishonest.
People make decisions for personal reasons as well as for intellectual ones. It is not just a bare examination of the 'cold, hard facts'. I think that when people begin to acknowledge this more it will bear fruit ecumenically, as well as in other ways.

All Saints' Convent

Here are some pictures of the All Saints' Convent in Catonsville, MD. Sorry they are kind of dark (especially the chapel one). Despite it's low church reputation, Maryland actually has some important anglo-catholic churches and institutions. This place is one of them. The Cowley Father, Fr. Maddux, compiler of the famous Priest's Handbook and American Missal, was chaplain here for many years. The current chaplain is Fr. Warren Tanghe. This place houses the All Saints' Sisters of the Poor, an Anglican religious order that was brought over to America by Mt. Calvary Church (Baltimore) to minister to the poor. The sisters use the Anglican Breviary for their offices, and everything is chanted in beautiful Gregorian Chant. They still wear the full, traditional habit, unlike their sisters in England who are completely modernistic. It is a wonderful place of spiritual refreshment and rest. I think there are about 15 sisters there now.

The Maryland APA/REC clergy, postulants, and aspirants are having a quiet day here this month. We'll have mattins, mass, confession, two reflections by our "retreat master", and time for contemplation, reflection, and spiritual direction. It is very nice, speaking as an APAer, to be able to do things like this with our REC brethren. Many people ask how the "merger" process is going. Well, it is going slowly and carefully, but definitely going. Events like this, where the focus is on Jesus Christ, prayer, and the worship of God in Word and Sacrament, are what brings unity about.

Cranmer: The Biography

I am almost finished reading the MacCulloch's biography on Thomas Cranmer. On the back of the book one of the reviews says that the book is "...constantly absorbing...". Trust me, this book is not constantly absorbing.

My thoughts on Cranmer after reading this have changed. I guess I do not see him as a great liturgical genius. He did not write the BCP from scratch. It is better to say that he compiled it, as he borrowed from ancient, medieval, and contemporary sources. To be sure, he did write certain parts of it - certain prayers here and there, the litany, etc. - but much of the rest of it was borrowed from other sources. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, mind you, but it only goes to show that he was not some "fountain" of fine liturgy in and of himself.

I used to feel sorry for him since he was martyred under Mary, along with Latimer and the others, at Oxford. I mean, who can't feel sorry for a martyr? But I actually learned that he had people burned at the stake (traditionalists, anabaptists, etc.) too when he was in power. So it seems that he got what he deserved. It is funny, because this morning the Psalm appointed for the morning office in the 1928 BCP is Psalm 18, which speaks of one being rewarded according to his works.

All I can say is that I am glad that there wasn't any theology surrounding him or his office that made him the infallible 'vicar of Christ', otherwise we'd all be in trouble. Think about: "The Primate of All Engalnd, Thomas Cranmer, speaks ex cathedra and declares that the Eucharist is purely a memorial, and that this doctrine is to be held by all the faithful." That would be scary. Anglicans have been able to look back on him, and acknowledge his faults and wrong ideas in certain areas, and make appropriate changes. Cranmer wasn't all bad by any strech of the imagination. But I certainly wouldn't have kept him as my ABC if I was king!

Ecumenism Gone Awry

Recently I went to the installation service for the new rector of Bishop Cummins Reformed Episcopal Church in Catonsville. Bp. Cummins was the founding bishop of the REC. It is interesting to note that before he became a bishop, he served as a curate at St. Peter's Church, which later merged with Grace Church, and became Grace and St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The thing that makes it interesting is that GASP, as it is known here in Baltimore, is the spikiest, most anglo-papist ECUSA parish around.

Anyway, while at the installation I met people from all sorts of denominational backgrounds. Some, when I told them that I attended a Roman Catholic seminary, became sort of stand-offish towards me, even though we had enjoyed pleasant small talk up till I revealed the "dreaded news" to them.

It amazes me how some people still have such strong prejudices towards Roman Catholicism. It is almost as though the pope personally did something to these people. Of course, most of the time these people know nothing about Roman Catholic dogma or teachings other than what they have heard from their own pope - Pope ______ (insert name of your denominational leader) - so their hatred is really ill-informed. What these folk fail to see, though, is that they can place their own souls in serious spiritual jeopardy by harboring such bitterness, anger, and hostility towards others. They think that they have "righteous indignation", and that their rage is somehow jusitifed, unfortunately they become so blinded by their hatred that they can no longer even consider trying to see something from another person's (or church's) perspective.

Thomas Merton, in Seeds of Contemplation, talks of detachment. Briefly, detachment is essentially to focus on the universal, not the particular. It is not focusing on the thing in itself, but rather to focus on what is beyond the thing - what the thing points to. So for example, prayer is good, obviously, but when we become so obsessed with prayer itself we can get the point where we can no longer pray. Solemn liturgy and vestments are wonderful, and play an important role in the spiritual life, but they are a means to an end - not the end itself. Without detachment, something good can be used for great evil.

Detachment, I think, is part of the process of overcoming the denominational prejudices that we all hold on to, and what the people I met need to try to cultivate in their lives. They, and many of us as well, sometimes forget that the point of our dogmas and doctrines is growing in deeper knowledge and love of God, and having a more intimate communion with Him. Some people think that the point of dogma and doctrine is to have right dogma and doctrine. Our theological constructs or systems become our God. When we harbor hatred and rage towards people who do not believe the same way that we do, even if we are truly convinced that we are right, then we become clanging cymbals. And even worse, we put our own souls in danger of Hell.

The Fullness of the Faith

Just got back from a stained glass meeting with a nun at a "Moscow Patriarchate" Russian Orthodox Church (the real Russian Orthodox Church, she was careful to point out, not the liberal OCA). When she asked what I was and I told her she said, "Ahhh, I was once Anglican." Of course, I assumed that since she had an English accent. "But I found the fullness of the faith in Orthodoxy." she went on. She then told me she'd pray for me.

Now, I happen to be personally acquainted with the former priest of that parish, a life long Russian Orthodox, who left, and is now a priest in a continuing Anglican jurisdiction. Apparently he found that traditional Anglicanism has the fullness of the faith as much as orthodoxy!

Poll: What Type of Vestments Should I Buy?

Lord willing, I will be ordained to the sacred priesthood this spring. So I am currently in the market for vestments and such. I already own a nice, modern gothic white chasuble and white cope (both purchased in Rome). But obviously I will need to buy more vestments. I am thinking of getting the old Latin-Style vestments. Any thoughts or opinions on that?

Anglican Identity

I am always amazed at the loyalty of the sons and daughters of the Roman Catholic Church. In Baltimore (the nation's first Roman Catholic See), it seems like every third person is Roman Catholic, and being Catholic always seems to be a strong part of their identity, even if they do not follow the Magesterium's teachings or regulations. I always come across Catholics at parties or wherever, who rarely, if ever, attend mass, or who live in some gross and open sin, such as cohabitating. Yet they consider themselves to be "serious" Catholics on some level; and, if they do go to church one Sunday, it is going to be a Catholic church! Or if they want to get married, then it will be a Catholic wedding. I am even more amazed when I see some of these hideous suburban parishes, like the one in the post below, full of people for weekday masses, devotions, etc. The place is extremely ugly, and has music to match, yet it is full of people. It is truly amazing and inspiring the loyalty these people have to the Church of Rome. Even if they do not always follow her rules, or do all of the devotions, they would probably die at the stake for her. Again, it is very awe-inspiring. This loyalty is rooted in their strong Catholic identity, and whatever that means for them.

We can learn something from this. I think Anglicans need to exploit the "Anglican Identity" better than we currently do. It might help strengthen our parishes and reach out ot new people. This identity includes not only a "temperate" sort of mindset, or other rather nebulous characteristics, but also certain obvious "particulars" that we are all sometimes take for granted. There is, in other words, a general "Anglican" identity, I think, that we can all tap into to build strong loyalty. The strongest and most obvious parts are things like: the traditional language in the traditional BCPs; the classical Psalter and Anglican Chant; saying mass facing east; the hymns; Morning and Evening Prayer (done in church with a cassock, surplice, tippet, and hood - or read at home with family once or twice a week, if not more); singing the works of Vaughn-Williams, Stanford, Howells, and Willan; the KJV; the 1940 Hymnal; the Eucharistic Fast, as well as fasting on Fridays throughout the year (something Roman Catholics no longer do); and a lot more. And if we are Anglo-Catholic, then there are even more traditions that we can teach and pass on, all to build up the "Anglican Identity".

I think that if we really identify some aspects of our identity, we can exploit them in a good sense, so as to strengthen peoples' commitment to being "Anglican" Christians, and, by extension, their commitment to Jesus Christ. There are people who have this mindest already, and who, like Catholics of the same mindset, do not attend mass regularly, etc. I am not saying we want to make a bunch of new people like that (talk about aiming low!), but at least those people are "in the fold" as it were, and we can work on helping them deepen their devotional like (like the Roman Church tires to reach out to these non-practicing "cultural" Catholics). These Christian identities, Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, Mennonite, usually keep people from wandering too far away, and keeps them within easy reach to pull back to the Shephed every now and then.

Great New Anglican Blog

Here is a fantastic new Anglo-Catholic blog.... check it out!

http://www.philorthodox.blogspot.com/

The Aliens Have Landed

Part of my secular work includes working in church restoration and preservation. That means that I get to go all over the area and snoop around dusty old churches taking measurements, and pictures, and things. It is really fun, and I have gotten to see some absolutely amazing places over the years. Once in a while, though, I see some places that absolutely make me want to vomit.

Check out this absolutely hideous Romanist parish I saw in today in Fairfax County, Virginia. It looks like the space ship out of a really bad 1950's sci-fi film . The baptismal font is surrounded by this incredibly tacky, faux-metal grate, and has a round light above it with all of these little dead bugs in it. There are no windows inside the church; and I don't mean stained glass.... I mean no windows at all! I guess aliens do not like natural light. The nave looks like a massive transporter chamber. Luckily I managed to escape from the place before a bunch of "little green men" came out to zap me with their ray guns.

Here is there staff as listed on the bulletin:
Bishop: Yoda
Pastor: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Deacon: Luke Skywalker
Former Assistant (now deposed due to a pedophilia scandel): Anakin Skywalker
Cantor: Chewbacca
Altar Guild: Princess Leah
Custodian: Han Solo
Parish Treasurer: Jabba the Hutt
Disgruntled Former Member: Darth Vader (joined the Lutheran Church across the street, which is pastored by the "Emperor")

Stand Up For Jesus - April 8, 2005

As promised, here is the latest installment of the Rev'd Fr. Chandler Holder Jones, SSC's travle diary from the "Stand Up For Jesus" meeting of the SSC in England last spring. Enjoy!

"Friday 8th April 2005 will ever remain one of the most wonderful days of my life. Our official Society of the Holy Cross pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham had finally arrived. There are 1100 plus members of the Society throughout the world, with over 700 in the United Kingdom. Large numbers are also present in the United States, Canada, the West Indies, and Australia, with a few in Africa and other places. A significant collection from North America and from Australia was present for the SSC event, most of whom had never been to Our Lady’s Shrine at Walsingham. For this reason, and to acknowledge the prominent place of Walsingham in the Catholic Revival, we made a pilgrimage to Walsingham on Friday. Several coaches of priests made their way to distant Norfolk on that cold blustery day. Father Hope Patten, the Restorer of the Shrine, was a brother of the SSC, like so many other famous Anglo-Catholic priests throughout history. The morning was, as the BBC predicted the night before, surprisingly cold, sharply so. The dark swirl of grey and white clouds above, the wind so sharp it felt like it would cut through you, the pelting droplets of rain all combined to create an almost surreal atmosphere for a day that would be indeed unlike any other. The condition of the weather seemed a fitting commentary on the fact that the Pope would be buried that very morning in Rome. John Paul II had only died less than a week before. In fact, as it turned out, probably 200 of our brethren decided not to join us for the Walsingham pilgrimage because they were glued to the television to watch the proceedings from the Vatican. However, nothing on earth could have stopped me from going to England's Nazareth that day! After a hurried breakfast we all made our way onto the coach omnibuses that would drive us three hours northeast to the county of Norfolk and the ancient Shrine of Our Lady. Behind me was Canon Charles Hough of Fort Worth, Texas and his lovely wife. As I sat down, donning cassock, biretta, and bag, I was joined by a elderly English priest who made his acquaintance and politely asked if he could sit next to me. I of course said 'yes' - it was one of the best yeses of my life. For six hours that day I enjoyed the unique privilege of being graced by the company of a Catholic priest's priest, the retired Archdeacon of Croydon, a former missionary, parish vicar, teacher, theologian, a living embodiment of the Oxford Movement. All the way up to Walsingham and back we talked and talked (not an unnatural activity for me, as anyone who knows me will testify!); we discussed politics American and British, the Churches of England and Rome, the controversies in the Church, immigration in Europe, Anglo-Catholicism past and present, and on and on. It was one of the most illuminating times I have ever spent with anyone, and additionally, it certainly helped to pass the time quickly as we made our way north and south. The beauty of the English countryside itself is a mesmerising and enchanting experience, and so I must confess I kept one eye on my companion and the other out the window upon the clash of rolling hills and big sky, grey clouds and bright green grass, and the seemingly endless steeples peaking above the horizon as we made our way through 'England's mountains green.'

I should pause here for a moment and describe exactly what is the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. It is the national Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary in England, the spiritual epicentre of world Anglo-Catholicism. In AD 1061 the Holy Mother of God appeared in a vision to a Saxon noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches, and commanded that a Shrine in honour of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Family be built on her land. Our Lady revealed the design she desired to be built, a small house, a replica of the Holy House in which the Annunciation from the Archangel Gabriel took place and in which the Holy Family dwelt at Nazareth. A miraculous well sprung up in the place chosen by the Mother of God for the erection of the Shrine, and so the original Holy House was built thereon. Eventually the small chapel consisting of the House itself was transformed first into a great pilgrimage Church, and later an entire Augustinian Priory surrounded and protected the little House of England's Nazareth. Augustinian Canons governed and administered the largest centre of Marian pilgrimage in all of Europe dating from 1146. The most popular place of Marian pilgrimage in the country, it closely rivalled the Shrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury for overall celebrity. Over the centuries the Kings of England offered their royal patronage to the Shrine and endowed it with gifts of all kinds: Henry III, Edward II, Edward III, Henry IV, Edward IV, Henry VII, and Henry VIII all made pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Mother of God in Walsingham. The wicked King Henry VIII, at the dissolution of the monasteries, brought about the destruction of Our Lady's House and Shrine in 1538. The devotion lay in abeyance until a young Anglican vicar, Father Alfred Hope Patten, moved to Walsingham in 1921 with the hope of restoring the ancient Shrine as well as the ancient Faith. A leader of the Catholic Movement in the Church of England, the energetic Father Patten restored the fullness of Catholic doctrine and practice to the parish Church of Saint Mary's, Little Walsingham, and in 1922 he restored the Image of Our Lady of Walsingham inside the parish Church at the north side of the building. It was his idea to base the new statue of Our Lady of Walsingham on the Image depicted on the seal of the medieval Priory. Regular pilgrimage and devotion was returned to Walsingham. >From the first night the Image was restored, people gathered to offer their intercessions in union with the prayers of Our Lady, and the ministry of prayer, intercession, and devotion has gone on unbroken every day since. Father Patten firmly believed that if the Church of England were truly a Catholic Church, it must have a living centre of devotion to the Mother of the Lord. The Restoration of the Shrine was for him a proof of Anglicanism's Catholicity and a vital connexion with her pre-reformation Faith and history. Throughout the 1920's, the trickle of pilgrims became a flood of large numbers, for whom eventually a Pilgrim Hospice was opened (a hospice is technically the name of a place of hospitality for pilgrims) and in 1931, a new Holy House encased in a small pilgrimage church was dedicated, and the Image translated there with great solemnity. In 1938 that church was enlarged to form the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady, more or less as we know it today. Catholic Anglicans around the world continue to flock to England's Nazareth to worship and adore the Divine Son of Mary, Jesus Christ, and to venerate God's lowly Mother. Devotion to Our Lady under the title of Walsingham has become an undoubted defining characteristic of the Anglican Catholic. 15 October 1931 is today commemorated as the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham. Last year, in 2005, the Anglican Shrine was ranked by the BBC as Britain's most popular and loved site of Christian pilgrimage and prayer: the dream of Father Patten has been realised and Walsingham is once again the centre of English Catholic life and devotion!

Now to pick up my narrative. Once we arrived in Norfolk the weather had turned colder and brisker, and for the first time snowflakes appeared dancing in air. The atmosphere on the bus was one of palpable excitement, the air was electric with joy and anticipation. Everyone was so excited that they chatted vigorously. Once we arrived at the Holy Mile, an authoritative voice came over the speaker and commanded us to keep a prayerful silence, and we did. The Holy Mile tracks the ancient route along the River Stiffkey from the Slipper Chapel to the Anglican Shrine: the Slipper Chapel, which now serves as the national Romanist Shrine of Walsingham, was in the medieval period that place at which pilgrims removed their shoes or slippers and from which they walked barefoot to the Shrine a mile distant. It is the last leg and holiest stretch of the old pilgrimage route to Walsingham. I recall vividly the scene in the cold of that frosty spring morning as we pulled up to the front of the Shrine Church and our entourage quietly departed the buses and made its way into that venerable and loved Church for our opening devotion and prayers. There are 15 Altars in the Shrine Church in honour of the 15 Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. After our prayers before the first Altar of the Annunciation and some time in the Holy House in prayer before the sacred Image, we walked en masse from the Shrine in the village up the hill to the parish Church of Saint Mary's for an utterly unique treat, my first Mass celebrated in the parish of Father Alfred Hope Patten. As we darted up the small incline to the church, the sky opened from its grey shell and a burst of sunlight poured out on the group. The Lord Jesus seemed personally to welcome us to this holy place in honour of His wondrous Incarnation, to which we had come from such great distances. As other priests hurriedly scooted into the church I could not help but stop motionless before the small and very humble grave of Father Patten, which is located just outside the west door of the church building. In silence I recounted all the wonderful works he had accomplished in his long life, offered a prayer for his repose, and joined the rest of the eager band as they made their way inside. The Church of Saint Mary's is a new beautifully-reconstructed building of radiant white interior and clear glass, bright and happy. A beautiful stained-glass window on the east wall behind the Altar clearly depicts Henry VIII, Father Patten, and a church on fire. The burning church in the original Saint Mary's, which was gutted by fire in 1961, during the ministry of the famous Father Colin Stephenson. The ancient church building's interior had been almost entirely destroyed; precious little of the original design remained afterwards - but what did remain was carefully incorporated into a faithful and handsome replacement.

Since I had paused outside I was late, and many priests were already vested and had hungrily seized their seats up in the chancel on either side of the 'Cranmerian Holy Table' which was set up in the middle of the church crossing. Oddly enough the lovely red and gold High Altar and reredos had been obscured the large freestanding table plopped in front of it. You see, this was to be a concelebrated Mass in the modern Rite, typical of British Anglo-Catholicism. As much as I admire and respect the faith and courage of my British brothers, I still cannot acclimate myself to the liturgical modernity expressed there. 'When Rome sneezes, Anglo-Catholics get the 'flu.' I confess I find this particular 'Rome-aping' not only unnecessary, but theologically and aesthetically undesirable. Anyway, I rushed over to a grand piano hidden on the north side of the nave, concealed by bag, vested as fast as I could in alb and concelebration stole (very mod), put my biretta on my head and flung myself at the chancel. It was full. Several American priests chuckled at my biretta; one snobbishly remarked that the English would think I was crazy or eccentric or both. I ignored the comment and started looking for a seat. Things looked dire - all my life I had been looking forward to having the privilege of celebrating Mass in this Church and it appeared I was to be relegated to a seat in the congregation. All of a sudden, as things usually happen at Walsingham, a little gift mysteriously materialised. My new friend, the retired Archdeacon, had saved me a seat, a seat on the front row right next to the Altar. He and I would stand adjacent to the concelebrating Bishops for the Mass. It was an indescribable blessing. I took my seat and minutes later the Mass began. We sang the Angelus as the sacred ministers stood before the parish shrine of the Virgin Mother. Offered with careful and loving reverence, the Mass unfolded flawlessly. The sight was a vision to behold, the four-hundred priests and 15 or so bishops all vested in white, Bishop Keith Ackerman of Quincy celebrating in a modern chasuble with an image of Our Lady emblazoned on the front. A religious sister with a strong cockney accent read one of the lessons. The Vicar of Walsingham, Father Patten's successor, preached a carefully-prepared and timely sermon. Then came the Liturgy of the Eucharist itself - this was the first time I had ever publicly concelebrated the Mass since my own ordination to the Priesthood. I shall never forget as long as I live standing in that beautiful church alive with spiritual power, extending my right arm and hand and saying over the sacred gifts the words of consecration: 'This is my Body...' 'This is the Cup of my Blood...' The Eternal Sacrifice of the Son of God and Son of Mary was pleaded to the heavenly Father in the praise and worship of God and the honour of His Incarnation. Once again in the mystery of the Mass, the Word was in mystic form made flesh, under bread and wine. The very Incarnation of God, celebrated in image, symbol, paint, wood, building, shrine, sacred place, was extended, made-present, once again in time and space, by Sacrament, under the veil of earthly food. Walsingham means Incarnation, God made Man, God with us. The Reality pointed to at Walsingham became our Reality once again. At Communion, a ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament was passed very gingerly from priest to priest as each removed a fragment of a broken host and held It until all received together. At that moment I recall adoring the Lord of Glory, the Body of Mary's Child, present in my hands, the hands of an unworthy sinner who was, in spite of his innumerable sins, a priest, an alter Christus, another Christ. Like Mary, the Catholic priest is a Theotokos, a God-Bearer. The Catholic priest is himself in a mysterious way the Incarnation prolonged in history, the icon or image of the Incarnate Lord. The Church, the Mass, the Priesthood - Our Lord, Our Lady - all unites in one amazing gift of God's disclosure of Himself to and in us. Walsingham's truth came surging forth again. The chalice was passed priest to priest and all received the Precious Blood.

As the Mass concluded with all of its splendour and solemnity, that old familiar sense came flooding back once more, gratitude, gratitude to God for His many gifts, for His love which from our birth surrounds and sustains us, for the gift of Himself in becoming Man for our salvation and in forming His Church, His Mystical Body, in which we have come to live, love, and delight, and for the grace of pilgrimage to that place, England's Nazareth, where the veil between heaven and earth is thinnest - Walsingham is as close to heaven as one comes on earth. After the pontifical blessing, the coterie of priests began to form a procession which would wind through the village streets, bearing in its midst the Image of Our Lady to her Holy House. The next great Walsingham tradition was about to begin..."

Chad+

Denying Your Roots

One thing that I absolutely cannot stand is when people have nothing good to say about their religious past. By that I mean, people who were raised in one Christian tradition, say for instance in the Roman Catholic Church, but then get "saved", and for the rest of their Christian life have nothing better to do than to bash Catholicism. We all know the type.

Now, I must admit that I do not come across many people like that nowadays - not in Anglican circles, anyway. But I do meet a great many people who were raised strongly Protestant (or were raised pagan, but got "saved" though an evangelical ministry like Campus Crusade for Christ) who now, having converted to Anglicanism, Catholicism, or Orthodoxy, spend all of their days pointing out all of the horrible problems associated with Protestantism. It seems to me that that is a real slap in the face to their past, and more important, to God. It almost comes across as a self loathing of sorts. They act as though they never learned anything, or grew in grace in any way during their sojurn with the people or congregation that first taught them to read the Bible, to pray, and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Or they think all of their time with such people was a waste, when in fact it was not: God was present to them all along, and their Christian journey was as much under His sovereign guidance then as it is now. They think that there are no grace in others' sacraments, perhaps, when in fact their own lives prove otherwise. God is present to us at all stages in our lives, guiding us and watching over us that we might become all that He wants us to be.

One does not have to agree with, or affirm, every doctrine that they were taught as a youth, or in college, or wherever. But I think that if we are converts from another Christian tradition we should, when remembering our roots, try to focus on the positive things from that tradition. And we should try to keep in mind that other people do not experience God in exactly the same way we do, and that God works with different people in different ways, and on different schedules (e.g. they remain in their tradition thinking it is fine for them while you leave). When we do this, it helps us stay level-headed, and avoid "extremist" notions, and "black and white" thinking about God and the faith.

When one converts to Roman Catholicism from another traditi0n, the people leading RCIA are supposed to go affirm as much as possible and is reasonable all of the marvelous ways that God has worked in the person's past. In some places they even let people bring their cherished Bible up with them as they are received into full communion with Rome. But the "catholic extremists" of whatever stripe never tell anyone that, probably because it would interfere with their "black and white" mentality.

The really scary thing, though, is that many people with this mentality eventually end up leaving the Christian religion altogether. Yes - I have seen it happen, folks. First, Presbyterianism is no good. Then, low church Anglicanism is no good. Then, Anglo-Catholicism is no good. Then Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy is no good. A healthy respect for our religious upbringing is a healthy respect and love for God. It is good for our souls, and for the unity of the Church and all Christians.