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PERCY DEARMER REVISITED: DISCERNING AUTHENTICALLY ANGLICAN LITURGY IN A MULTICULTURAL, ECUMENCIAL, 21ST CENTURGY CONTEXT
No full textAs the worship of The Episcopal Church stands on the cusp of a new period of renewal
and innovation, important questions must be explored about what constitutes Anglican liturgy in
today’s multicultural and ecumenical context. No longer will simply doing what we have always
done (or coming up with new exciting ideas) suffice to enrich the people of God. The time is
instead ripe for a reclamation of the work and ideals of Percy Dearmer, noted liturgical scholar
from the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century. Though his work is often dismissed as
“British Museum Religion,” the truth is that his “English Use” approach to liturgy contributed
significantly to the growing Liturgical Movement in the Church of England. Further, the ideals
of his work—often misunderstood—stand the test of time and offer a word of encouragement
and, at times, correction, to the liturgical tendencies of our own time. Authentically Anglican
liturgy is still a goal worth pursuing—it just likely is a much more difficult one that the setting
up of riddle posts and the wearing of amices. By getting to the heart of Dearmer’s work, and
identifying the ten ideals he used over and over again for Anglican liturgy, we will find our own
approaches to worship enlivened and invited into greater truth, faithfulness, and beauty.Dr. James Turrell and Dr. Benjamin J. Kin
Our Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: Rene Girard and the Eucharist
Get PDFThis paper reviews mimetic theory described by Rene Girard. The mimetic cycle of mimetic desire, mimetic rivalry, mimetic conflict, the scapegoat mechanism, and generative violence craft a portrait of human society as founded on conflict and violence. Girard’s non-violent view of atonement as understood through the gospels presents an alternative to penal substitutionary atonement theory. Jesus’ death was intended to free humanity from the traps of mimetic theory and the scapegoat mechanism. This paper provides a brief survey and review of Anglican Eucharistic Theology, especially the concept of sacrifice and in the context of Jesus’ meal ministry. Since Jesus knew that he was to be betrayed and denied, the author comes to the conclusion that the Last Supper is consonant with Christ’s meal ministry of restoration. Therefore, communion is an attempt to craft a positive mimesis wherein Jesus teaches reconciliation even as the scapegoat mechanism begins to close in around him. Sacrifice in this context is not the prescribed death of Jesus but the peaceful offering of love and reconciliation before the forces of evil and death. In Girardian language, Jesus chose to present a role model to mimic in order to provide a positive mimesis that could stop the scapegoat mechanism and prevent the violence that has long plagued humanity. The Eucharist was and is and should be a powerful symbol of that positive mimesis of forgiveness and reconciliation.Dr. Rev. Benjamin J. Anthon
THE CONTINUING CRISIS OF MINISTRY: A HISTORY OF CHANGES TO TITLE III CANONS FOR EVALUATION, EDUCATION AND FORMATION OF PRESBYTERS IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1967 to 1979
Get PDFThis project is a historical review of changes by General Convention to canons within Title III of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church from 1967 to 1979. Chapter One reviews the background to the ordination of presbyters in the Episcopal Church through a brief historical survey emphasizing three eras: early American, 1860-1960 and the 1960s. Chapter Two identifies General Convention changes to Title III canon law during the 1970s which affected the process for ordination to the priesthood. This is done under the headings of four areas: Access to Ordination; Evaluation of Postulants; Education of Candidates; and Formation of Presbyters. Chapter Three examines the history of access to ordination for three groups: women; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons; and African Americans. Chapter Three includes a review of the development of commissions on ministry; education of candidates in light of the famous Pusey Report; the General Ordination Examination; and the issues of professional training and formation of presbyters. Chapter Four discusses situational challenges that have affected access to
ordination including divorce, substance abuse, aspirants ordained in anther denomination and the problem of sequential ordination. Chapter Five presents a concluding argument that this evolution of canonical requirements has left the Episcopal Church with a lack of agreement between seminaries and diocesan bishops, commissions on ministry and standing committees regarding the spiritual, professional and intellectual qualities of a presbyter and outlines solutions including the recommendation of a training for these diocesan bodies. A final conclusion follows.Dr. Benjamin Kin
Examining the Relationship Between Household Health and Environmental Conditions in Haiti’s Central
Get PDFFor rural subsistence farmers in developing countries, human health and the environment is a complex and interconnected relationship. As part of a long-term agroforestry project, this study explored connections among household health, socioeconomic status, and environmental conditions of rural farmers in two highland communities of the Central Plateau of Haiti. Household surveys were conducted in Haitian creole to gather baseline information on family health, socioeconomic status, and farm characteristics. Environmental indices, such as tree density and canopy cover, soil chemistry, kitchen ventilation, and access to clean water were also assessed. Our preliminary findings suggest that environmental conditions are important determinants of both health and socioeconomic status. Deforestation of the Central Plateau has resulted in severe soil erosion that limits land productivity, which may be reflected in the narrow diet of grains (maize and millet), beans, peas and some fruits that households produce and consume. Since these farmers grow almost all of what they eat, this low dietary diversity may contribute to nutritional deficiencies and health problems, as well as exacerbate food insecurity when one production of one of these staples fails. We also found that most families rely on medicinal plants for treating ailments, although over-the-counter medicines are widely and indiscriminately available in the central markets. The overarching goal of this project is to help farmers adopt and manage more resilient and diverse agroecosystems that raise farm productivity and improve food security, ultimately leading to better nutrition, health, and economic gains.Rick and Willie Somme
In Defense of Communicating God's Word: Conversational Preaching
Get PDFThe preacher as a communicator of God’s Word and a conveyer of things Holy was the premise that began this work. If someone is called by God to this awesome vocation, then the need to develop skills and tools to be proficient in the task is self-evident. To engage in effective communication, there needs to be a set of agreed-upon symbols and word definitions that are used in the exchange of ideas between persons. This agreed-upon set of symbols and word definitions is what we commonly call “language”. I explored how channels of communication are open through our sensory systems that help facilitate the transfer of messages. The “talk” of people can also be blocked by noise that can stop or distort signals. I investigated the idea that Christianity is unique and has a “cultural-linguistic tradition” all its own. The need to teach our people this tradition and to educate them with the knowledge of the cultural-linguistic tradition was explored. From our investigation of the aspects of interpersonal communications theory, I defined what is meant by the term “conversational preaching” and created a model to illustrate its use. I also developed the following acronym to help remember the tenets of conversational preaching:
• Prayer
• Relevant
• Evocative
• Acting
• Convey
• Holy
Next I developed a formula for creating conversational sermons:
1. Start with prayer.
2. Evoke the imagination.
3. Relate the story, text, or passage to people’s life.
4. Always give them grace and hope even when challenging them to be transformed.
5. End with prayer.
I also provided an example of such a sermon and have included other sermons of my own in Appendix A. Finally, I offered some resources to help the interested individual in acquiring new skills and competencies to be used in the crafting and delivering of sermons. My fervent prayer is that all preachers of God’s Word will take preaching seriously and might find something in this work that will support them in that endeavor.
Blessings and Peace!
Dr. Bill Brosen