You Believe What?!

So what exactly do you mean by Church?

"Let's go to Church this morning." "Shoot, I left my sweater at Church." "That practice is not lawful in the eyes of the Church." The word Church gets used lots of different ways. But what exactly do we mean by it? Is it the building where Christians gather. Is it the Christian gathering itself or is it both of these and more? The Anglican Reformers tackled that question in the 39 Articles of Religion. Let's take a look at what they said:

“The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ’s ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same. As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.” ~ Article XIX.

The Church is a community of faith. The Greek word ekklesia from which we get the word Church in fact means, gathering. That is an essential point right there – we were created for community. Not just community with the living God, who is in fact a community of Persons within His very nature. But we were created to express that community in the world, living out this faith together with one another.

Sadly the American experiment has wreaked more havoc on this essential truth than on any other aspect of our Christian faith. American Christianity, and dare I say, evangelicalism in particular has imbibed the rugged individualism of the American way and as a result the Church, the Bride of Christ is the weaker for it. But Christianity is a communal faith. And to be a part of the Church then is to be a part of the community of the faithful.

And how do we know where the Church of Christ is? It is wherever the Word of God is preached and the Sacraments are duly administered. If you want a quick and easy way to distinguish a cult from the true church, look at what is preached – is it the True Word of God or is it something else. Are home fellowships and Bible studies acceptable substitutes for the Sunday gathering of the Church? What about the Sacraments? Other kinds of groups may express the fellowship of the Church. But they do not express the Church in her fullness

In general Anglicans take Sunday morning worship rather seriously because that is the one place where we, in the fullest sense possible, represent what God intended his Church to be. Do we have fellowship? – You bet. Do we break open the Word of God and sit at His feet and learn from Him? – Absolutely. Do we break bread together and experience the manifest Presence of Christ in our midst? – Praise His Holy Name we sure do! You cannot experience the fullness of the Christian experience, without the gathering of the Church. And guess what – the rest of us can’t experience it fully when you aren’t there either.

We need one another, just as much as we need the Word and the Sacraments. That is why Anglicans begin so many of our prayers with the call and response, “The Lord be with you…And also with you.” It is a recognition that the Lord, by the manifest Presence of His Spirit is with each of us – not just the priest, but all of us. And by acknowledging that we are saying, “I need you to complete this act.” Could I as a priest complete the act of the Eucharist without the congregation praying along with me – I would submit to you that the answer is indeed no. That is why Jesus said to us, “where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name I am in the midst of them.”[1] We need one another. The Church needs YOU to truly be the Church. And like it or not, you need the church. But enough of my soap box. I digress.

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[1] Matthew 18:20

You Believe What?!

It's Ascension Day!

Today is the day the Western Church calendar commemorates our Lord's ascension to the right Hand of the Father. 60 days after Easter, 10 Days before Pentecost.

Here is the traditional collect or prayer for Ascension Day:

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do

believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have

ascended into the heavens, so we may also in heart and mind

thither ascend, and with him continually dwell; who liveth

and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world

without end. Amen.

Why do you do that?!

What to wear what to wear

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. But as promised I will follow up and talk a bit about the Sunday vestments of the regular clergy.

These vestments are rich with symbolic meaning. The white robe or alb represents the white robe that Christ clothes each of us in as he cleanses us from sin through His sacrifice on the cross and as He incorporates us into His Body through baptism. These robes should remind us all that we can only come into Christ’s Presence because we too are cleansed and purified through our baptism into His death and resurrection and that baptism is the basic qualification for ministry.

The cincture or belt that the priest or deacon wears reminds him and us that he is a slave and bondservant of Christ. In the case of the priest it is often tied in the fashion that Roman prisoners were bound in the day of Jesus. This keeps him honest to do the will of God and lay aside his own will and desires.

The stole or scarf that the priest wears over his shoulders is a representation of a yoke. It is a reminder that he is yoked like a plow animal together with Christ Himself. It is not the priest who ministers to us alone, but the priest working in union with Christ to minister among us and to us. The stole is modeled on the scarves worn by Roman Senators as a sign of their authority and privilege to speak in the Senate. As such it is also symbolic of the priests honor and authority among us as an Elder to instruct and teach us in the Way. The stole changes colors with the changing seasons of the Church calendar. The deacon also wears a stole but hers is worn over the left shoulder and crossed under the right arm like a sash.

The chasuble is a festive over-garment the priest sometimes dons before the Communion. It is representative of the wedding garment that the Host of the Banquet provides His guests in the story that Jesus told about the Feast we will experience in the Kingdom (Matthew 21). It is also styled after the overcoat that a first century Roman soldier would wear while on a journey. This second representation reminds us of two things. First, it is a reminder that the whole of the worship service is a journey deeper and deeper into the Presence of Christ, which comes to a climax as we commune with His Real Presence in the Eucharist. Second, it also reminds us that as we carry that same Presence out into the world we are going as soldiers of the cross to do battle not with men and women, but with the ever present sin and evil that still ensnares this world and which daily stalks our own steps, seeking to pull us down.

Why Do You Do That?!

What Rowan Wore!

Okay so I did finally sit down and watch some of the wedding service of Prince William and now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. My excuse is that I have two little girls who wanted to see the princess and two little boys who enjoyed the cavalry and the fly overs. But truth be told, I am a sucker for anything involving Westminster Abbey and the Archbishop of Canterbury. So, riding with the flow of this weekend's big news event, I thought I would write a post on what Rowan wore. Of course the world is all abuzz with talk of Kate's wedding gown but I thought as a little diversion I would walk us through this photo of the Archbishop of Canterbury as an exemplar of episcopal dress. None of it is unique to the Archbishop but could rightly be worn by any bishop of the Anglican Church.

First note the hat (unfortunately somewhat cropped in this photo). This is called a mitre (yes like the mitre box saw which is designed to cut angles similar to the angles of the mitre). This is traditionally worn by bishops as a sign of their apostolic authority as it is symbolic of the tongues of fire which came to rest on the heads of the apostles on the day of Pentecost (thus its unique shape).

Next we note the richly ornamented over cloak which His Grace is wearing. This is called a cope which is latin for...you guessed it, cape. The cope is worn by clergy (not only bishops but also priests) for formal processions and choir offices (meaning non-Eucharistic events).

Under the cope next is worn the stole which is worn by all ordained clergy. Bishops and priests wear the stole as the Archbishop is here, over both shoulders with both ends coming down in the front. Deacons also wear the stole but they only wear it over the left shoulder, typically crossing to the right hip like a sash.

Under the stole the Archbishop is wearing the rochete, the white linen vestment. This is similar to the surplice which many priests wear but it is distinct to bishops and is more fitted than the free flowing surplice. All of these vestments are similar in that they are always white. This is the basic vestment of the clergy and they are white as a reminder of the baptismal robe that all believers were traditionally given to don after baptism. This reminds us of two things - first, the basic qualification for ministry is baptism, and likewise it reminds all the baptized of their place as members of the priesthood of all believers.

Under the rochete is worn the cassock. This is the basic garment of the clergy. It is an ankle length robe. The Anglican style is double breasted as distinct from the Roman Catholic cassock which is straight with buttons down the front. Priests wear a black cassock while bishops and Archbishops wear a cassock of purple (in varying shades - frankly sometimes it looks almost pink to me).

I am sorry I have no information on the designers of any of these garments and I am pretty sure they will not be the talk of the town like Her Highness' but I was probably pushing the parameters of this blog's stated purpose as it is. So, enjoy your fix of Anglophilia for this decade. In future I will post about the typical Sunday dress of the priest and deacon. But for now, enjoy the Most Rev. Dr. Williams in all his glory.

Why do you do that?!

The Triduum Sacrum (roughly meaning the 3 Holiest Days of Holy Week) are upon us, they are the apex of the liturgical year. Beginning tonight with Maundy Thursday and continuing through Holy Saturday (when the traditional Vigil of Easter is normally held) we prepare for the greatest of all celebrations, Easter Sunday. On Maundy Thursday (from the Latin mandatum, meaning mandate) we remember Christ’s final instructions to the 12, his demonstration of love and humility in the washing of their feet and the institution of the Sacrament of the Kingdom in the last supper. In this service we will take time to wash one another’s feet in obedience to Christ’s words, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” After the service proper is complete we fade into silence and observe the stripping of the altar. This practice (like many in the Church) serves 2 purposes: first, it allows us to take down the Holy Week decorations in order to make way for those of the Feast which will soon follow. But secondly, it serves a symbolic purpose to strip away any vestige of a celebration and prepare for the starkness and desolation of Good Friday. The altar stands in the church as a symbol of God’s presence (this by the way is why the priest and servers bow in reverence when they approach it). As a symbol of Christ then it reminds us of his stripping and beating that occurred in the night watches between Thursday and Friday. Accompanying the stripping of the altar is the setting of the watch. After departing the upper room Jesus went out to the Garden to pray and begged his companions to watch and pray with him. Thus on Maundy Thursday we end in silence with the opportunity for those who wish to remain and pray a while, watching with the Savior. Good Friday is one of only two prescribed fasts within the Anglican calendar (Ash Wednesday being the other). On this day we remember all of the events that accompanied the sacrifice of the Son of God for the sins of the whole world. On Good Friday everything is done in solemnity, a symbol of the mourning each of us should have over the death of our friend and Savior, as it was our sins that drove him to this dramatic act of Atonement. The service begins with prayer as people and clergy alike enter in silence. As we focus on the Passion through the readings and the sermon, we also bring to the foot of the Cross all the needs of the world in prayer through the solemn collects. After this we have the opportunity to focus with reverence upon the symbol of Christ’s suffering and death, the symbol which brings us life – the Cross. A cross is brought in and processed to the front of the church while the people sing anthems and hymns extolling the greatness of the Sacrifice. We receive Communion on Good Friday, but since a celebration seems inappropriate, we receive from elements that are consecrated the night before and held in reserve for this occasion. As we come forward to receive Communion there is opportunity to pause (for as long as is necessary) before the cross, reverencing it and praying before it. Concluding with a prayer, the service ends as it began as we leave in silence. Holy Saturday is the fulfillment of the ancient Jewish Sabbath. This is the day God once again rested from His Labor as our Lord’s body rested in the grave – his earthly work now complete. It should be for us therefore a day of rest and a day of anticipation. In stricter observances (such as the Eastern Orthodox) it is a day for continuing the Good Friday fast which is usually broken at sundown with the beginning of the Easter Vigil. The Vigil itself begins with the service of light, where we symbolically welcome the Light of Christ which was inextinguishable even by death and which shines anew eternally through His resurrection life.

.In many ways Easter Sunday seems self explanatory. This should be the greatest celebration of the entire year. The church is decorated with color as a joyful contrast to the blackness of Friday and as a symbol of the new life that the resurrection of Christ has breathed into the world. This is the day that changed all of history! The death of Christ is fulfilled in His Resurrection as the Orthodox hymn proclaims, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death!”

Why do you do that?!

The Color Red.

Or, why my favorite liturgical color is the least used.

For those who were paying attention you may have noticed that this past Sunday, Palm Sunday, the liturgical colors changed from the purple of Lent to the red of Holy Week. I personally love the red hangings, altar frontals and stoles. And as I was thinking about it this week it occurred to me, maybe one of the reasons I like it so much is that red is used less than any of the other liturgical colors. Purple is used for all of Advent and all of Lent, 9 weeks out of the year total. White is used during the 12 days of Christmas, all 7 weeks of Easter season and on other various feast days such as the Epiphany, Transfiguration, Holy Trinity, All Saints and Christ the King. Green is of course the most used color since it covers all of ordinary time, nearly 6 months of green! But red in its glorious humility is used only for Holy Week, Pentecost, ordinations, confirmations and the observance of a martyr's feast day.

Red is used of course on Pentecost and those other episcopal (meaning conducted by an episcopos - ie bishop) services like confirmation, as a symbol of the tongues of holy fire that came down and were visible on the heads of the apostles on that first Pentecost. But during Holy Week red takes on a whole different, and perhaps more obvious symbolic meaning. In some older priestly manuals they distinguished that a darker red, referred to as Ox Blood, should be used during Holy Week. This is of course to remind the worshipper of shed blood.

This week is, as gruesome as it may sound, a celebration of blood. The shed blood that is God's righteous requirement as punishment for sin. The blood of bulls and goats that the ancient Israelites were required to sacrifice to atone for their sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb that was shed to redeem the first born sons of Israel. And supremely the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ whose sacrifice upon the cross fulfilled all of these other, prefiguring sacrifices as he atoned once and for all for sin. And all of these we see expressed in the celebration of the Cup which is poured out for us in the institution of the Lord's Supper, the token of a new covenant sealed in His blood.

Red may just be the richest of our liturgical colors.

Uh, where did you say you came from?

The Reformation's Shortest Chapter

In 1547 Henry VIII died as all kings do. And his son Edward (yes he did finally sire a son after all that hard work of swapping wives around) ascended to the throne at the age of 9. If Henry’s Reformation had mostly to do with power, Edward’s reign saw the cause of Reformation theology gain the most ground. The Reformers had done themselves a real service and made sure that Edward’s tutor was a card carrying Protestant. So it was that under Edward the Protestant cause advanced. The English Church was reformed even further. Yet, one serious problem emerged. Edward was sickly.

Sadly, Edward only reigned 6 years, and the fact of the matter is, that wasn’t enough time to overturn a thousand years of deterioration. A more Reformed prayer book had been published that same year but it was never put into use before Edward died. Unfortunately, no substantial changes really lasted beyond 1553. That is the year Edward died and Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary as she became known) ascended to the throne.

Mary was a staunch Roman Catholic and so she sought to systematically overturn every reform that had been accomplished under Henry and Edward. Mercifully Mary's reign was shorter than Edward's and when Elizabeth I succeeded her on the throne the Protestant cause was enabled to resume its course and firmly take root in English soil.