Hearing a Word in Due Season

I've realised that I'm probably not good at hearing what God wants to tell me particularly when the Word comes to me head-on. (Although maybe I'm being unduly hard on myself. I don't know.)

In any case, just recently the Lord 'whispered' into my ear on two occasions. The second time involved our priest/pastor who was talking about the rifts in the Anglican Church among the different brands of churchmanship. She had a burden to promote more unity among the groups. When I asked her further about this issue betraying in the process my allegiance to one of the groups she said lightly (my paraphrase): 'What's important is that the gospel is preached!'

That gentle word brought me up short.

I realised as I began to think about this comment that much of my life and that of my family's life had been nurtured in difference. First, I was raised in a Pentecostalist family in the 1950s and 60s. Second, even this difference was intensified further by the unorthodox views of my grandfathers on questions of the Trinity, the soul's existence after death, eternal torment, and the resurrection.

Such nurturance-in-difference can be associated with intolerance and pride.

Moreover, in my own family, differences with my father was not tolerated. He ruled the emotional and intellectual content of the family like other fathers of his generation. Even the children's different personalities, interests, opinions and gifts were hardly tolerated.

The question now is, where do I go with this new awareness? The temptation is to go off half-cocked which often just makes the situation worse. In rooting out the weeds, we can end up rooting up the wheat as well.

So, I am choosing to sit calmly with what I've been given and see what further things the Lord may reveal.

However, the old adage which seems to have been first used by an undistinguished Lutheran theologian in a tract during the bloody 30-year 'religious' war (1618-1648) also seems appropriate: 'in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity'.

High Church/Anglo-Catholic, Liberal, Evangelical!

Anglicanism has a curious makeup! It comprises three main groupings of 'churchmanship'. (This 'churchmanship' can also occur in other denominations such as the Lutheran Church but is prominent in Anglicanism.)

However, it must be emphasised that individual Anglicans often resist being categorised. Furthermore, Anglicans who seem to belong to one of the three groups will display both beliefs and behaviour that may not fit with the typical characteristics of their supposed group.

Despite these facts knowledge of these three groups is still helpful for navigating Anglican Church opinion on various matters; moreover, it is particularly helpful for understanding why certain Anglican Churches worship the way they do and use/don't use the Prayer Book the way they do.

The Basis of the Unity in the Anglican Communion

Introduction

The Roman Catholic Church finds its unity in the Pope; the Eastern Orthodox Churches find their unity in the decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils of the unified Church before it split into East and Western Church in AD1054 (although the division between East and West had begun well before that date).

Anglicanism is made up of 38 member Churches (provinces*) which makes up the Anglican Communion. Each of these member churches or provinces is in communion with the Canterbury diocese in England as the first diocese of the Church of England.

But the question arises, where does that communion find its unity? (We need to bear in mind that the question of unity is different from the question of authority which will be dealt with in the next post.)

First, it doesn't have a supreme Bishop or Pope like the Roman Church. Second, nor does it look to historical councils as such for its unity as does Orthodoxy. Yet, Anglicanism does have a basis for its unity.

The unity is found in four so-called 'instruments of unity': the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conferences, the Primates' Meetings and the Consultative Council.

Archbishops of Canterbury

Archbishops of Canterbury do not rule over the Anglican Communion in any way comparable to the Bishop of Rome. Power in the Anglican Communion is more widely dispersed. However, the Archbishop of Canterbury is a special focus of the unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion as it was originally the place of the missionary Augustine who came to England with the gospel, becoming the first Archbishop in AD597. The present Archbishop is seen as the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion worldwide.

Lambeth Conferences

These conferences made up of archbishops and bishops are called every 10 years by the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss matters facing the Communion. These have been held since 1867. 

Primates' Meetings

The Primates are the Bishops or Archbishops elected as first among equals in a province. The meetings began in 1979 and are held when conditions are such as to warrant their importance for the Church. Of recent times, Archbishop Williams has called them to discuss matters pertaining to sexuality and authority in the Church.

Anglican Consultative Council

This council first met in 1971 and was set up by the Lambeth Conference because of the need for more frequent contact among member churches. It includes bishops, clergy and laity. It meets about every three years in different parts of the world.

* The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion and is therefore a Province.

Holy Communion: Prayer of Preparation

Worship should not be rushed; we are all here worshipping the One who has made us, redeemed us through the death of His Son and resides in us in the power of the Holy Spirit. Os Guinness, I think, used the phrase about preaching to the audience of One and the same applies to worship. We have no audience but God: Father, Son and Spirit. Whatever tradition we are in only the audience of the One matters.

Anglican worship typically begins with a lay reader's announcement of the opening hymn which is then sung while a group of leaders 'process' into the church with the 'crucifer'--a person appointed to carry a cross--coming first. Everyone in the procession follows the cross as a general rule both in and out of the church worship area. The priest (word derived from 'presbyter', elder) or if a bishop is present comes last.

Procession members stand before the altar rail and acknowledge the altar.*

Responsive Worship

Anglican worship is responsive worship with the leader (either priest or lay reader) calling and the congregation responding, backwards and forwards. And in this back and forth movement, God the Holy Trinity is centrally involved. 

Following the opening hymn which is announced by the lay reader, the priest (Pr) says
  
The Invocation
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Blessed be God's kingdom, now and for ever. [Words in bold type are always meant to be said by the people.]

The Greeting
Pr: [Either the words of 2 Cor 13.14] or more simply,

The Lord be with you, (with arms outstretched in blessing)
and also with you.

Pr: Let us pray.

Almighty God,

to whom all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from whom no secrets are hidden:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name,

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

This prayer is known as the Prayer of Preparation or the Prayer for Purity. It is a prayer form known as a co'llect. (Accent on the first syllable.) Collects as a prayer form 'collect' together the silent prayers of all assembled and concentrate them into a prayer prayed aloud by all. (See here for more on this prayer form.) Originally this collect was found in the Catholic Mass in Latin and was translated into an English version by Archbishop Cranmer for the first English-language Prayer Book in 1549.

The first four lines are all God directed and God descriptive.

God is 'Almighty God', El Shaddai, not an indulgent grandpa but One who demands our reverence and worship. And God Almighty knows us through and through and nothing of us is hidden from his eyes.

This designation of God leads us to ask for cleansing for 'thoughts of our hearts' for our hearts, our inner, spiritual centre stand before God. Think of the prophet Isaiah when he 'saw' in a vision the Lord, 'high and lifted up' enthroned in the temple (Isa 6.1-8).

The cleansing comes from the 'inspiration of your Holy Spirit': and what is it about the Holy Spirit that has to do with cleansing? The blood of Christ is the meritorious cause connected with the cleansing of the soul but the Holy Spirit is the efficient cause. The Spirit brings about what the Blood of Christ has procured for sinners (1 Joh 1.9).

'That'

What an important word! Because it signifies a goal for the purity.

The acknowledgement of Almighty God and our tacit acknowledgement of our sinful tendencies lead to a cleansing reception of the Holy Spirit for a purpose: 'that we may perfectly love you [God Almighty], and worthily magnify your holy name'.

The phrase 'perfectly love you' led John Wesley I seem to recall into what he called 'Christian perfection'. What the phrase more immediately reminds me of is the great commandment: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength'. That's the depth of this perfect love. To love God at and with the core of our beings, with our very selves.

Love means in Bible parlance to obey, believe, trust God's promises and to learn to know him, to know his character, his 'name' which equals his 'essential character' as revealed in Christ.

All members of the Trinity are mentioned in the collect which is typical of Anglican worship which is strongly Trinitarian. Our access to Almighty God is 'through Jesus Christ our Lord'. The Son is so important because the Father always listens to the Son and vice versa. One of the Church Fathers (Augustine I think) said that the love between the two is the Holy Spirit!

Amen!

Amen is generally the word for the congregation and we see from the Old Testament. In my earlier Pentecostal days, it was customary for preachers to encourage congregations to use the Amen word. So be it! It's a word of faith, trust and affirmation in God's promises. (See here for a helpful article.)

Anglicans know the above prayer 'by heart' but the danger is that it can become a mere prayer form that is not heart-felt. I think at one stage that Anglicans all knelt for prayer; whereas that is not the case today in my experience. Standing up to pray is acceptable to God I know but kneeling is a posture that reminds us of our status as dependent creatures before God.

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*Evangelicals will sometimes stand still or slightly bend their heads towards the altar at the beginning of a service or when they go to the altar for Holy Communion. (This acknowledgement can be likened to courtroom behaviour.) Others do not show any acknowledgement at all. 
All others bow their heads. The question of 'churchman-ship' arises at this point, a subject too large to be entered into here but differences are evident between Anglo-Catholic High Church and Evangelical Low Church worship. Anglicanism allows for different practices because of its conflicted history.

Markan Parables About The Kingdom of God

Secrets of the Kingdom

In Mark 4.21-34, we have two parables specifically about the Kingdom of God which are introduced by a series of injunctions (Mk 4.21-25) which help to enlighten us further about their meaning. In verse 21, a rhetorical question is answered with the implied answer in the negative. No, we don't put a light under a bushel (KJV, 'a bushel' is measuring bowl or basket) or under a bed. Rather a light or candle is placed on a stand or a candlestick.

Jesus says that the secret and the concealed is to be made open and manifest. It would seem that our Lord is referring both to the Parable of the Sower that he has just made plain to the disciples (Mk 4.10-20) but it might be he is making a general statement regarding the way he is revealing things to the disciples. (In the New Testament, a 'secret' usually means something once hidden but now revealed.)

Ears To Hear

This phrase is one characteristic of our Lord and probably refers to what he has just said. It alerted hearers of that time and us today to the importance of what Jesus has just said about the revelation of the secrets of the Kingdom.

It is important to watch what we hear! It's from that that we give to others. As we give, we ourselves will receive more. But to those who listen to the wrong things, even what they have will be reduced. 

The Blade, the Ear, and the Full Grain (Mk 4.26-29)

Seeds are amazing aren't they? Usually they fit easily into our hands but when placed into earth they will produce first roots, then shoots and finally the fully grown plant. Our Lord is speaking of grain grown for food so he finishes with the action of harvesting the fully ripe crop.

Jesus Messiah packs much meaning into few words. We must keep in mind that he is talking about the Kingdom of God which is the Rule or Reign of God; it is the sphere where the will of God is done 'as it is in Heaven' (Matt 6.9-13). Although this world appears to be so inhospitable to the Kingdom Jesus says that the Kingdom's progress is like a seed that gets planted and grows at first secretly under the ground but then it shows itself more and more until it is fully ripe. The reference to the sickle and the harvest are end-time symbols (Rev 14.14-20). So the Kingdom continues to grow all through this present dispensation until the time of the end.

Mustard Seed Kingdom

Interestingly, according to a great sermon I heard on Sunday from our Vicar, the second parable has certain similarities with the first parable above.

God is the God of small beginnings! We can think nothing is happening with regard to a particular matter but God's angel's are always busy. While Peter was languishing in gaol the angel was on its way to secure his deliverance. At the end of the Acts, Paul is in Rome after appealing to Caesar and it's salutary to ponder the last two verses of the book (Acts 28.30f).

Paul stays there for two whole years! Imagine that! Paul preaches the Kingdom of God to all who are interested and he does this at the heart of the mighty Roman Empire 'quite openly and unhindered' (RSV). Kingdom preaching by an apostle in Rome appeared as something small.

We feel that we are doing nothing of value and then God acts to place someone in our lives for a new purpose. It's seems small at the time but later we look back and praise the Lord for his goodness. We must not despise the day of small things (Zech 4.10).

Second Order:: Holy Communion: Sections of Service

Three Orders ('order' as in an 'order of worship') of Holy Communion are set out in A Prayer Book for Australia (APBA, 1995). 

(Technically, the APBA also allows for a 'Fourth Order' which can be 'created' by a parish priest et al. with the approval of the regional bishop (=overseer) as long as it contains certain features common to Anglican worship)). 

In all three Orders a specific pattern of worship is established with slight variations among the three.