Introduction to Anglican Theology - Anglicanism and the Prayer Book

(Lesson Six)

In our first three lessons on Anglican Theology we studied the Articles of Religion as these gave the Anglican theological perspective on a number of important issues at the time of the Reformation. In the fourth lesson we learned something of the Anglican approach to Scripture as Scripture is the foundation for Anglican life and practice. This was followed by a lesson on justification since justification was one of the decisive insights that led to the Protestant Reformation. In this lesson we will study another very important aspect of the Anglican Reformation, the formation of the English Prayer Book.

As the Reformation proceeded apace in England it became clear that the people not only needed to hear and read Scripture in their own language, but also to worship in English as well. As we saw in Article 24, worship needs to be in the language of the people. Further, as we have already seen, Anglicans differed from Rome on a number of important theological issues, such as the doctrine of transubstantiation, whether the bread of the Eucharist should be lifted up, gazed upon, and worshipped, whether one should invoke the saints for help and prayer, or whether one should worship or adore images and relics. All of these practices appeared in the liturgies of the Roman Church, and therefore, it became necessary to develop a prayer book in English that reflected biblical truth and avoided Roman errors.

In 1549 Cranmer developed the first Anglican Prayer Book. Then, in 1552, he produced a second prayer book that took the prayer book further in a Protestant direction. Shortly thereafter, Queen Mary, a staunch Roman Catholic, came to the throne. She at once repudiated the Anglican Reformation, reintroduced the Roman mass, and had Cranmer burned at the stake in 1556. With the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558, a new prayer book was developed, the Prayer Book of 1559. This book, with a few changes, essentially adopted the Prayer Book of 1552. That 1559 Prayer Book remained in force until it was outlawed at the time of the Puritan Revolution in 1645. When the monarchy was restored after the Puritan Revolution, a new prayer book was issued, the Prayer Book of 1662. The book of 1559, however, laid the foundation for subsequent prayer books.

To better understand the significance of these changes, we will first read the Preface to the Prayer Book of 1549. This will allow us to see the reasons for establishing an English prayer book. Let me suggest that you, at this time, read the Preface to the 1549 Prayer Book and answer the first fourteen questions of the review questions which refer to the Preface of the 1549 edition.

Now that you have read the Preface and done its section of the review questions, we are ready to look at the Order of Holy Communion which is found in the Prayer Book of 1559. This document was downloaded form http://www.commonprayer.org/pb/pb1604.cfm We will be looking at the 1604 edition of the 1559 book. The 1604 rite is essentially the 1559 Prayer Book with some minor updating. In what follows, I will be commenting on that Prayer Book. Second, we will look at the Sarum Rite which I found online at http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Sarum/English.htm. Sarum was the Roman Rite that was used at Salisbury Cathedral. As you read the rite, you will notice that it contains two columns. The column on the left is the rite itself, while the right hand column gives notes that refer to the various sections of the rite.

As you noticed from your reading of the Preface to the 1549 Prayer Book, there were many liturgies being used in England at the time of the Reformation, and the Sarum Rite was one of the more important of these Roman rites. It was, among other sources, one of the liturgies used in the formation of the first Anglican prayer book. I will quote from it from time to time and call your attention to portions of it. The version I am sending you is a somewhat abbreviated version. For that reason I will also quote from the original version which I also found online: https://ia601400.us.archive.org/23/items/churchofsarum00unknuoft/churchofsarum00unknuoft.pdf. When referring to this rite, I will call it the “Unabridged Sarun Rite.”

One thing to keep in mind as we consider these rites is that the Roman mass was in Latin. Except for the educated, it was not understood by the people. This was true throughout England. Usually, in the smaller villages, the priest celebrated what was called a “low mass.” He celebrated alone in Latin with his back to the people, and portions of it were even said inaudibly. The great rite used at Salisbury Cathedral was often celebrated with many clergy present, and it also contained portions where the rubrics (the instructions given in the text as to how to proceed) command the priest to say certain prayers inaudibly.

Since the mass was not understood, the most important part was what could be seen. In the Sarum Rite there were elaborate instructions as to how to physically perform the liturgy. That is what the people saw, a visual drama, even if they scarcely understood it. The high point came at the elevation when the priest lifted up the host (the circular, blessed piece of bread) so the people could see the body of Christ. This tradition did not really begin until the eleventh or twelfth century. Since Rome affirmed transubstantiation, it was believed that one was literally looking at the body of Christ being lifted up for all to see. Generally speaking, the priest alone, or perhaps a few of the ministers, actually received the bread and wine. Universally, the lay people did not receive the communion, but watched the priest performing the rite on their behalf.

At the time of the Reformation, the Reformers had access to many of the writings of the early church fathers as well as the Holy Scriptures. At the same time, however, their access to the ancient liturgies of the first five centuries was rather limited. Since then, scholars have discovered these liturgies and studied them intensively. From time to time I will comment on how aspects of Sarum or the 1559 Rite were or were not found in the ancient liturgies.

Anglicanism is a Reformed Catholicism, seeking to return to the practice and theology of the first five centuries prior to the innovations of the Middle Ages. As a reform movement, it sought to reform worship. In certain ways the 1559 Prayer Book restored ancient practice, and in other ways it introduced material not found in the ancient liturgies, or left out important aspects of those liturgies. In other words, the reform was only partial. We shall notice this.

This is a course in Anglican Theology, and one of the ways Anglicans learn their theology is through worship according to the Prayer Book. For that reason, we will also be considering theological matters as we read portions of the two rites, Sarum and the 1559 Holy Communion. A more thorough discussion of Anglican Sacramental theology can be found in Lesson 8 of the course on the Two Anglican Sacraments.

At this time, let me ask you to open the Sarum Rite and the 1559 Holy Communion. In what follows I will comment on these two rites. Since both rites are quite old, and since their usage varied from place to place, I was not always able to discern exactly how it was being celebrated. This is especially the case with regard to the Sarum Rite. Even so, we will be able to understand many essential aspects of both rites.

I am going to number my observations because some of your review questions will refer to my numbered comments. Let me suggest that you first read each comment, then the section in Sarum and the 1559 book to which the comment refers. Then go to the next comment and its reference in the rites and so on. I have numbered the pages of the two rites by inserting an unbroken horizontal line with the page number above it at the left margin so we can easily find our way. Also, it would be good to answer the review questions as we work our way through these two rites. The review questions occur in the order in which we consider the rites. For example, let me suggest that you answer questions 15 and 16 of the Review Questions at this time.

Comments on the 1559 Book and the Sarum Rite

1. For the Reformers, and for the church through the ages, the Holy Communion is holy, and therefore, it cannot be celebrated in a casual fashion. The first four paragraphs of the 1559 rite, written in italics, prescribe what must be done before Holy Communion is celebrated. The understanding of God that governs these instructions is that God is holy, and therefore, only those who seek purity of heart and action can come before him. The Sarum rite does not contain the four paragraphs of instructions that precede the 1559 Rite.

In the ancient church, it was the responsibility of the bishop or priest to make sure that all who came to communion were in love and charity with each other. This was represented by the kiss of peace which took place just before the offering which itself was just before the prayer of consecration over the bread and wine.

2. There is, however, a preparation for Holy Communion in the Sarum Rite. Unlike the 1559 Anglican Rite, this did not require that anyone who was “an open and notorious evil liver” be disciplined, nor that those at enmity with one another be reconciled. Nor were the laity involved. Rather the preparation entailed mutual confessions and absolution between the priest and other ministers. In a large cathedral church such as Salisbury other ministers could be comprised of the bishop, several priests, deacons, sub-deacons, taper-bearers, thurifers, and acolytes. Some of these were involved in the confessions. The laity were not required to confess. Note also that this confession was not only made to God, but to Mary, the saints, and the other ministers who are then requested to pray for those who had just confessed. Of course, the Reformers did not accept the invocation of the saints as biblical (Article 22). At this time, answer questions 17 through 22 of your review questions.

As we read the Sarum Rite, it is difficult to say exactly what parts were said aloud or what was said inaudibly. However apportioned, all was said in Latin. According to the Abbreviated Sarum Rite, the Pater Noster and Ave Maria said at the beginning of the rite, were said silently. It would seem that the rites of confession ended with the prayer, “Take away from us, O Lord, all our iniquities, that we may be worthy to enter into the holy of holies with pure minds. Through Christ our Lord” (middle of page 2). This was also said inaudibly by the priest.

In regard to purification prior to communion, the Unabridged Sarum also mentioned that in small parish churches, the mass was often celebrated by one priest who would sprinkle the altar and people with holy water at the beginning of the service.

3. Notice the elaborate censing of the altar and the ministers found in the Sarum Rite on page 2. All of this would have been observed by the congregation and contributed to a sense of holiness and awe visually seen. This ceremonial is lacking in the 1559 Rite.

4. The Anglican Rite proper begins with the Lord’s Prayer and the Collect for purity, beginning with the words “ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open … “ These were said aloud from the altar and addressed to God in reference to the entire congregation. In the Sarum Rite these two prayers were among the things said by the priest prior to coming to the altar. It is not clear whether they were said in the hearing of the congregation. Essentially, they belonged to the priest’s spiritual preparation for communion. In any case, they were said in Latin.

5. The Ten Commandments are not found in the Sarum Rite. Notice that in the 1559 Rite the people respond after each commandment is read. This was one of the principle aims of the Anglican rites, to encourage the people to participate in worship. Theologically, the Anglican Reformers understood the celebration of Holy Communion as establishing a personal relationship with God in which one heard and responded to God’s Word. In this case, the Ten Commandments are the Word of God.

It is virtually certain that the Anglican Reformers recognized that the Holy Communion was a covenant renewal service like that of Exodus 19-24. Keeping the commandments was and is a part of our covenant relationship with God. This matter has been discussed in Lesson Nine of the course on Two Anglican Sacraments. We need to recognize that the requirements of the new covenant in Christ Jesus are far more demanding than the Ten Commandments, requiring the formation of a new heart.

The Ten Commandments are not found in any of the ancient liturgies. Rather than starting with penitence, the ancient liturgies begin with praise such as the Gloria. You may notice that the Gloria in excelsis, a hymn of praise, is found in the Sarum Rite (top of page 3) right after the initial penitential section comes to an end. Originally, this hymn of praise stood at the beginning of the ancient rites, right after an initial greeting by the celebrant. Apparently the penitential material prior to the Gloria was added to the beginning of the rite as the centuries progressed.

6. After the Ten Commandments there follows the collect or prayer of the day, followed by one of two collects for the king. The Sarum Rite also had collects at this point, ranging in number from one to seven. For example, in Lent, according to the unabridged edition, there were seven collects: 1. of the day 2. for penitents 3. of St. Mary 4. of All Saints 5. for the Universal Church 6. for peace 7. one of the general collects in order.

7. Notice the detailed instructions for the ceremonial surrounding the reading of the Epistle and Gospel found in the Sarum Rite. In the unabridged Sarum Rite, these instructions comprise about two pages interspersed with various sentences to be said or sung along with a number of ritual acts. This would, of course, have been watched by the congregation. By contrast, the 1559 Rite is quite simple, the emphasis being, not a drama one watched, but the Word of God read in English from the Bible.

8. Notice that the Sarum Rite does not include a homily or sermon. The 1559 Rite does include a homily, either said by the priest or read from the Book of Homilies. This occurred right after the saying of the Nicene Creed. In the ancient church there were readings from the Old Testament as well as from the Epistles and Gospels. These readings were interspersed with psalms. These were followed by a sermon or teaching. The 1559 Rite does not include an Old Testament reading, nor the psalms as was the ancient practice. It does, however, affirm the importance of a sermon or teaching from the lessons. This practice goes back to Jewish synagogue worship. God is known, first and foremost by Scripture, and therefore, the biblical Word must be read and expounded by those educated for that purpose.

The 1559 Rite removes virtually all the ritual surrounding the reading of the epistle and gospel. Once Christianity was no longer illegal by the fourth century, however, Christians worshipped openly and built places of worship. At the same time, ceremonies were developed to enhance the sense of mystery and wonder of God and thereby strengthen adoration. As it was, the Anglican Reformers significantly reduced the ritual found in the Sarum Rite, and at the same time, developed rites with considerably less ritual than the ancient liturgies.

The use of ceremonial in worship has been one of the controversial issues facing Anglicans since the Reformation. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, the Oxford Movement promoted the introduction of ceremonial in many Anglican churches. Others, however, preferred the original, simpler, Anglican service. Anglicanism is a reform movement going back to the first five centuries. For my part, and in light of the development of ritual in the fourth century, I think ceremonial can add to the service if it is not so fussy or elaborate as to distract. For my thoughts on this you might want to consider this essay: http://rsanders.org/high-church-ritual

9. The Nicene Creed did not enter into the Western liturgies at Rome and elsewhere until about the eleventh century. It takes its name from the Council of Nicea (325 A.D.), but is not the original creed adopted at Nicea in 325. After the Council of Nicea, the church continued to develop creeds, and in 381, an expanded version of a creed similar to that of Nicea was accepted at the Council of Constantinople. This expanded Creed was later ratified by the universal church, East and West, sitting in council at Chalcedon in 451. It was given the title "The Nicene Creed" because it reflected the spirit and truth of the earlier creed of Nicea, especially the wording in its second paragraph. This expanded Nicene Creed is the one said in both the Sarum and 1559 rites. The wording of the Nicene Creed in those rites differs in several respects from the actual creed accepted at Chalcedon in 451.

10. Both the Sarum and the 1559 Rite have an offertory right after the Creed or sermon as is the case today.

11. After the offertory there follows in the 1550 Rite the prayer for the whole estate of Christ’s church. This prayer had its roots in the ancient intercessory prayers that were said by the congregation. The Sarum Rite has similar prayers, but they occur at the beginning of what is called the “Canon of the Mass.” The Canon of the Mass is the prayer of consecration said over the bread and the wine. In the Sarum Rite, you can find the prayers for the church on page 6, beginning with these words, “Which we offer unto thee, in the first place for thy holy Catholic Church, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to pacify, preserve, unite, and govern it; throughout the whole world, with thy servants N. our Pope, ….” In the ancient church intercessory prayers were offered before the prayer of consecration, and the 1559 Rite has placed such prayers closer to their original position.

12. You will notice that the Sarum Rite, middle of page 6, instructs the priest to “kiss the altar on the right hand of the sacrifice, saying: ‘that thou wouldst receive and bless these gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices.’” The symbol “ ” means to make the sign of the cross at the point of the symbol. The “sacrifice” mentioned here is what is normally called the host, a round, flat disc of bread, larger than the normal wafers used for communion. Using the term “sacrifice” to describe the bread would lend credence to the idea that a sacrifice was about to occur as the bread was consecrated. The sacrifice was placed upon the altar and the priest instructed to kiss the altar to the right of it. He also described the bread and wine as gifts, presents, an unspotted sacrifice, as if the bread and wine were actually Christ being sacrificed again. The idea that Christ was sacrificed again upon the altar was rejected by the Anglican Reformers (Article 31).

13. In the 1559 Rite three exhortations follow after the Prayer for the Estate of Christ’s Church. I do not think these exhortations were a part of the ancient liturgies, and they certainly were not a part of Sarum. As previously mentioned, at the time of the Reformation the laity were not accustomed to receiving communion and therefore the exhortations encouraged them to receive communion and to receive it worthily. These exhortations are still found in the 1662 Prayer Book, but the 1928 Prayer Book in the United States no longer contains them, nor does the more recent 1979 American Prayer Book.

14. The general confession occurs right after the exhortations. It is placed there because the congregation is now about to enter into the “holy of holies,” so to speak, the very presence of God made known in bread and wine. Therefore, prior to entering into God’s presence, one must be cleansed from sin and this entails confession and repentance.

From what I can tell, a general confession was not part of the earliest liturgies. It is not found at this point in the Sarum Rite which reflects the ancient order. As previously mentioned, the early church took measures to insure that all its members were in love and charity with one another, and further, those committing egregious sins were disciplined by exclusion from Holy Communion. In the Middle Ages these practices led to the requirement that those who take communion must first confess their sins to a priest. The abuse of private confession was one of the reasons fewer and fewer people came to communion. The Reformers dismantled the penitential system and placed the confession within the worship service itself.

15. After the confession, the 1559 Rite has the four lines of the Sursum Corda (Lift up your hearts). At this point the Sarum Rite has six lines, the first two, “The Lord be with you, and with thy spirit,” followed by the four lines found in the 1559 service. I do not know why the Reformers deleted the first two lines of the Sarum usage at this point. As described in Lesson Seven of the course on the Two Anglican Rites, the lines “The Lord be with you, and with thy spirit,” formed the opening greeting of the Eucharistic feast which, in the very earliest decades of the church, was a separate worship service. These lines go back to the very dawn of Eucharistic worship.

16. Next follows the Preface, found in both Sarum and the 1559 Rite. The abbreviated form of the Sarum Rite does not list all the prefaces that could be used at this point. The unabridged Sarum gives the prefaces as does the 1559 Rite. There are several prefaces in the Sarum Rite that are not in the 1559 Rite. The most notable omission is that the Anglican Rite gives no prefaces for feast days devoted to the Virgin Mary. The Sarum Rite gives prefaces for at least six times in the year when the Roman church celebrated the Virgin Mary. These feasts were those of her Conception, Annunciation, Assumption, Nativity, Visitation, and Veneration. These prefaces were as follows:

… and should praise, bless, and glorify Thee on the (here one of the six feasts is named) of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin. Who by the over-shadowing of the HOLY GHOST conceived Thy only-begotten SON, and the glory of her virginity still remaining, brought forth the Eternal Light of the World, JESUS CHRIST our LORD, By Whom the Angels, …

The Anglican Reformers did not believe Scripture warranted such devotion to Mary. Among other things, Protestants do not believe the Virgin Mary was bodily assumed into heaven at the end of her life as celebrated in the feast of her Assumption.

17. The Sanctus, the lines beginning with the words “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, …” is common to all the ancient liturgies from the third century onward. It is found in both Sarum and the 1559 Rite.

18. The Prayer of Humble Access which begins with the words, “We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, …” is not found in Sarum nor in the ancient liturgies. The essential question here is whether the Supper of the Lord is to be received with joy or in the penitential spirit indicated by the Prayer of Humble Access. Biblically the Eucharistic meal contains elements of sorrow, the anticipation of the crucifixion, but in light of the resurrection, joy predominates, for it celebrates the final messianic banquet of the Lord. The ancient liturgies preserved the sense of joy.

19. As previously mentioned, prayers for the church occur in Sarum right after the Sanctus.

20. After the Sanctus, in both rites, there follows the prayer of consecration whose heart is the words of institution by Jesus, “This is my body …. This is my blood.” From the very beginning of the church, other prayers were said in addition to the words of institution. In the earliest centuries the prayer of consecration was flexible and ex tempore, but by the fourth century a pattern had emerged which underlies all the ancient rites. It is as follows: Opening preface of praise which begins with the Sanctus, a thanksgiving for our redemption, the recital of the Institution, a solemn offering of the holy gifts to God (the Oblation), in memorial (Anamnesis) for all that Christ has done, an Invocation (Epiclesis) for the sanctification of these gifts by the Holy Spirit, a prayer for the benefits of the Eucharist for the congregation, a receiving of the bread and wine by the congregation, and a final doxology or hymn of praise.

21. Neither Sarum nor the 1559 Rite include the Epiclesis, the prayer that the Holy Spirit sanctify the bread and wine. Theologically, God is known by his Word enlivened by the Spirit, and it is entirely fitting that the prayer of consecration contains an Epiclesis as was the ancient custom.

22. Right after the Lord’s Prayer and the prayer of consecration in Sarum there are detailed instructions, top of page 10, on how to raise the paten to the left and right eye, then elevate it above the head, using it to make the sign of the cross. This gesture, I think, is the point at which the congregation would be given a glimpse of the literal body of Christ, the very substance of Christ. This, of course, is missing from the 1559 text since the Anglican Reformers did not affirm transubstantiation.

23. As previously mentioned, the Sarum Rite does not appear to offer any instructions for giving the bread and wine to the laity. The Unabridged Sarum contains no such instructions as well, although there must have been some laity from time to time who did receive. It was not, however, a common practice. According to the rubrics, the priest was the only one who received.

24. As can be seen, Sarum and the 1559 Rite differ remarkably on the degree of ritual found in the rite. Sarum has detailed instructions on how to hold the cup, how to mix some bread with the wine, when and where to make the sign of the cross, when to kiss the paten or the corporals, and other traditions. All of this was seen by the congregation.

25. Notice also the practice called the pax. The pax was a sacred object, bearing an image of a religious theme. It was handed to the priest and in turn given to the choir where it was kissed. The choir, according to a footnote in the Unabridged Sarum, was actually composed of the ministers, priests, deacons, acolytes, and so forth, rather than a group of persons whose special task it was to sing. Article 22 of the Articles of Religion would deny the validity of such customs as the pax. I do not know when this custom first entered the church but would imagine it is rather late.

26. Notice in Sarum that after the passing and kissing of the pax, the priest holds the host in both hands, saying certain prayers privately, that is, quietly to himself alone, before he receives the bread and wine. As he receives the bread and wine we have the following, pages 11-12:

O God the Father, the Fountain and Origin of all goodness, thou, who, moved by compassion for us, didst will thine only begotten Son to descend to the low places of the world, and to take our flesh, whom I unworthy hold here in my hands: (Here let the priest bow to the host, saying:) I adore thee, I glorify thee, I praise thee, with the complete intention of the heart: …
…

To the body let him say, with humility, before he receives it: Hail eternally, O most holy flesh of Christ: to me before all things, and above all things, the greatest sweetness.
The body of our Lord Jesus Christ be to the a sinner, the way and the life. in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Here let him receive the body, first having made the sign of the cross with the body itself before his mouth. Then let him say to the blood, with great devotion:

Hail for eternity, celestial beverage, to me before all things, and above all things, the greatest sweetness. The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be to me, a sinner, a never-failing remedy to eternal life. Amen. In the name of the Father, &c.;

Here let him receive the blood: which being taken, let him bow and say with devotion the following prayer: …

The doctrine of transubstantiation, the belief that the substance of the bread and wine were the actual body of Christ, is confirmed by these words. Nothing like this appears in the Anglican Rite as transubstantiation was denied in Article 28 of the Articles of Religion.

27. Both the Sarum and the 1559 Rite end with a post-communion prayer and a blessing, a custom that originated in the fourth century. In Sarum, notice the detailed instructions regarding the ritual that brings the service to a close.

28. In these final comments we have focused on the Sarum Rite. By contrast the 1559 book is rather devoid of ritual and brief in its language. In the review questions we will consider the 1559 prayer of consecration more closely.

Review Questions

Questions from the Preface to the 1549 Prayer Book

The preface is divided into seven paragraphs. Our questions will occur in order, paragraph by paragraph.

Paragraph One

1. What, according to the opening lines, has become corrupted.

2. The ancient fathers believed that the Bible should be read in worship. How much of the Bible did they read in a single year?

3. What two benefits for the clergy would occur if the Bible was read in church’s worship?

4. Cranmer was the author of this Preface. How often did he expect the Bible to be read in Church?

5. How would this Bible reading benefit the laity?

Paragraph Two

6. Cranmer gives at least four things that he considered wrong in regard to the reading of the Bible in church. List these four things.

Paragraph Three

7. What was Cranmer’s solution to the problem of confused and disjoined reading of the Bible in the church?

Paragraph Four

8. Why did Cranmer think that his proposal for Bible reading was more profitable?

9. Why did Cranmer think that his proposal for Bible reading was more commodius?

10. What two books would curates need to conduct a worship service?

Paragraph Five

11. At the time of the Reformation in England, there were many liturgies used in different regions of England such as the liturgy of Salisbury, or Hereford, Bangor, York, and Lincoln. In this regard, what is Cranmer proposing?

Paragraph Six

12. In each diocese, who is the final authority if there are doubts about the use of the new Prayer Book that Cranmer has written?

Paragraph Seven

13. What language could be used for private devotions?

A General Question

14. Write a paragraph of several sentences summing up what you believe was Cranmer’s intention in writing the first Anglican Prayer Book.

Questions on the 1559 Prayer Book and the Sarum Rite

15. In what cathedral of England was the Sarum Rite celebrated?

16. Why, according to Lesson Six, was the liturgical reform of the early Anglican prayer books only a partial reform?

17. In three or four sentences, write the essence of the instructions, written in italics, found in the first three paragraphs of the 1559 book.

18. In light of comment 1 from Lesson Six, as well as First Corinthians 11:26-30, what understanding of God governs these instructions?

19. Are instructions such as these found in the Sarum Rite?

20. In three or four sentences, state why or why not you think it would be a good idea for churches to obey these instructions today?

21. List what you consider to be the major difference between the 1559 Rite and the Sarum Rite in regard to preparing ritually or morally to celebrate Holy Communion.

22. Who, in the ancient church, was responsible for making sure that church members were in love and charity with each other?

23. Notice comment 3 from Lesson Six. Do you think using incense is a good idea or not? Please give your view in three or four sentences.

24. Does your congregation say the Ten Commandments at the beginning of the worship service? Do you think it a good idea? Briefly explain why or why not?

25. In a few sentences tell why it is important that the Holy Communion include readings from Scripture and a sermon or teaching from the readings.

26. What nineteenth century movement introduced ceremonial into the worship of Anglican churches?

27. When did the use of the Nicene Creed in worship first begin to be adopted in the Western churches?

28. What is the “Canon of the Mass”?

29. When, in the ancient church, did the intercessory prayers of the congregation take place?

30. What, in the Sarum Rite, is the sacrifice?

31. Did the Anglican Reformers believe that Christ was sacrificed again when Holy Communion was celebrated?

32. State in your own words what you consider to be the three or four most important ideas found in the three exhortations that follow after the Prayer for the Estate of Christ’s Church in the 1559 Rite. Be brief.

33. What was one of the reasons fewer and fewer people came to communion in the Middle Ages?

34. What two lines, forming a greeting, go back to the very dawn of the Eucharistic service?

35. What six feasts honoring the Virgin Mary were celebrated by Roman Catholics in England at the time of the Reformation?

36. Are there devotions to the Virgin Mary in your church? If so, please describe briefly.

37. What is the Sanctus?

38. Was the Prayer of Humble Access found in the ancient liturgies?

39. Why, according to comment 18, might the Prayer of Humble Access be out of place at this point in the Eucharist?

40. What is the Epiclesis?

41. According to comment 21, why is it theologically and historically fitting that the prayer of consecration contain an Epiclesis?

42. Copy and paste from the Sarum Rite the instructions for elevating the host so that all could see it.

43. Does the Sarum Rite contain instructions for giving communion to anyone other than the priest?

44. What was the pax?

45. Noting comment 26, copy and paste from the Sarum Rite three sentences that seem to you to reflect the doctrine of transubstantiation.

46. In what century, more or less, were a final prayer and blessing added to the Eucharistic rite?

47. Question 47 has 8 parts. In comment 20 we learned that the ancient liturgies had a common pattern by the fourth century, beginning with the Sanctus and ending with a final hymn of praise. There were nine parts to this pattern. They were as follows: a) Opening preface of praise which begins with the Sanctus. b) A thanksgiving for our redemption. c) The recital of Christ’s words of Institution (“This is my body …. This is my blood.” d) A solemn offering of the holy gifts to God (the Oblation). e) In memory of Christ (Anamnesis) for all that he has done. f) An Invocation (Epiclesis) for the sanctification of these gifts by the Holy Spirit. g) A prayer for the benefits of the Eucharist for the congregation. h) A receiving of the bread and wine by the congregation. i) A final doxology or hymn of praise.

Except for part f, the invocation of the Holy Spirit, all of these elements are found in the 1559 service beginning with the Sanctus and ending with the hymn of praise which begins with the words, “GLORY be to God on high, and in earth peace, good will towards men.” The order in which these occur may not be exactly the order given above in a) through h). Considering the 1559 Rite from the Sanctus to the final hymn of praise, answer the following questions.

47a. What one or two sentences indicate the beginning of the Sanctus?

47b. What one or two sentences indicate a thanksgiving for our redemption?

47c. What one or two sentences indicate the recital of the Christ’s words of institution?

47d. What one or two sentences indicate a solemn offering of the holy gifts to God (the Oblation)?

47e. What one or two sentences reflect that the consecration is being done in memory of Christ (Anamnesis)?

47g. What one or two sentences indicate the presence of a prayer for the benefits of the Eucharist for the congregation?

47h. What one or two sentences indicate that the congregation has received the bread and wine?

47i. What one or two sentences indicate the beginning of a final doxology or hymn of praise?

48. List the three differences between the Sarum Rite and the 1559 Rite that you think are the most important.

49. Did the Anglican Rite leave out and diminish anything you think important that can be found in the Sarum Rite?

50. Did the 1559 Rite add anything that you think might not really enhance the celebration of the Holy Communion?

Discussion Questions

Gather some people together and tell them about the Sarum Rite and the Prayer Book of 1559. Specifically, tell them abut the first three paragraphs of the 1559 Book and how they require preparation prior to Holy Communion. Ask them if they practice this preparation and if they think it a good idea.

Also mention a few of the great changes between the Sarum Rite and the 1559 Book, such as worship in English, the exhortations to come to Communion and to receive the sacrament worthily, the presence of confession in the 1559 Book, and the absence of censing and other rituals. Also mention to them that the ancient church read lessons from the Old Testament, an Epistle, and a gospel lesson with Psalms in between. Ask them about churches they have known. Do these churches read the Bible in worship, and if so, in what way? Do they celebrate the Lord’s Supper? Do they require the pastor to make sure that church members are reconciled with each other before they take communion together? Is there a confession in their worship? In other words, let them discuss some of the ideas in Lesson Six and how they may or may not be practiced in their community.

The Rev. Robert J. Sanders, Ph.D.