These two terms, ‘ritual’ and ‘ceremonial,’ are very often confused and misused by many persons within and without the Church. When the term ritual is properly used, the speaker or writer is referring to those things that are said or sung in a religious service, i.e., the various prayers, readings, versicles (a short sentence, often taken from the Psalms, which is said or sung antiphonally, i.e. alternately, in Christian worship) and responses and are formally referred to as rites. Strictly speaking, ritual is the prescribed form of words of a liturgical function. A book of ritual, like our Book of Common Prayer, is a work containing forms of liturgical service issued by a proper authority and are known as rites. In our Book of Common Prayer we have rites of Morning and Evening Prayer, A Penitential Order, The Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage, and the Burial of the Dead to name just a few. A book of ritual may contain rubrics, i.e., ceremonial directions [the word originated from the fact that in medieval books they were written in red (Lat. ruber), to distinguish them from the text of the services], as to what shall or may be done or used during the worship service. Examples of ceremonies, on the other hand, include such things as the collection of alms, the wearing of special clothing like vestments and the offering of bread and wine. Because there is a relationship of form, function and action of these two, ritual and ceremonial are frequently interwoven.  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

While teaching a recent Adult Inquirer’s Class, one of its members made the statement, “There, but for the grace of God, goes I.” Using the Socratic method, I asked the speaker to explain what she meant by grace and we entered into a fairly detailed discussion of what is meant by grace. This discussion provided an opportunity to use the Catechism found in our Book of Common Prayer which states: “Grace is God’s favor towards us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and strengthens our wills.” Which all sounds nice, but another member was dissatisfied and asked how grace might be applied to her life in her day to day living.  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

Just over a year ago (May, 2007), I was watching and listening intently as the accounts of Andrew Speaker, the Georgia lawyer with a rare form of tuberculosis known as extensively drug resistant (XDR) tuberculosis, who on two transatlantic flights flew from Atlanta to Paris and then, after entering the Czech Republic, flew out of Prague to Montreal and then drove to the United States. As the reports began to filter in, Speaker claimed that his personal commitments were more important than the risk of infection to others. The more I thought about it, the more and more angry I became. Just the idea of someone with a communicable disease being so self-centered, selfish is probably a more accurate term, that he would put others at risk and that nothing else mattered than his own small world.

This got me to thinking about our society and the tremendous stress we all place on individual rights and freedoms.   Read the rest of this entry » » » »

In Part One, I referred to the religious DNA of clergy (See: Clergy - The DNA of Congregations: Part One), i.e. the religious heritage of the clergy person’s family of origin, that is, the religious background of the person as he or she was growing up and/or the religious practice when he or she became interested in the church.

Just so we are clear about this concept, biological DNA is the code for making cells. Proteins are the bricks from which the cells are built. The DNA strands are the architect’s plans that show how the bricks go together to build the cell structure. Different DNA produce different-looking people due to slight differences in their architect’s plans. Nearly all the DNA in each person is the same so we all have the same sort of cells — muscles, nerves, skin and so on. We all have two eyes and one nose. It’s just the teeny-weeny differences in the codes that produce our different characteristics, like blue or brown eyes; blondes, brunettes or redheads; black or white skin; short, tall — everything. It’s these minute differences that are distinctive to an individual and it is these differences that produce unique individuals, each with a unique fingerprint.  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

“So what?” Throughout my 34 years of ministry that question has been the most powerful and realistic question anyone can ask especially as it relates to anything and everything religious. A member of the congregation hears the lessons read in church and asks, “So what?” Having just heard a powerful sermon delivered with passion and conviction, the hearer, on his or her drive home following the service, asks, “So what?” In the Episcopal Church we recognize and affirm that the celebration of the Liturgy is our principal act of Christian worship; “So what?” The Bishop will be welcoming new members into the parish next Sunday during Confirmation; “So what?”  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

In an earlier post, I referred to the religious DNA of clergy (see Clergy - The DNA of Congregations), i.e. the religious heritage of the clergy person’s family of origin; the religious background of the person as he or she was growing up and/or the religious practice when he or she became interested in the church.

Although I was baptized a Methodist at the age of three, my religious DNA is built around the Episcopal Church where we, as a family, worshiped after we moved to Beckley, West Virginia. Like so many others, I am the product of a blended religious family; mother a Methodist and father a Presbyterian. The Episcopal Church was their compromise for the family.  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

[The account that followis with permission of the woman described]

While conducting a recent Adult Inquirer’s Class, one participant asked whether or not we (the Episcopal Church) ever included An Exhortation and The Decalogue (The Ten Commandments) in our services? It was very evident that at least that person had been going through her Book of Common Prayer in preparation for Confirmation in a few weeks. Which got me to thinking, “Was St. Michael’s the only parish that I know of which, although not often, incorporates these two powerful resources into its worship?” I explained that An Exhortation was read at least twice during the year, once each in Advent and Lent and that The Decalogue was used regularly, especially during the Lenten season. I also shared that it is during this time that St. Michael’s celebrates the Holy Eucharist using Rite I. And, her response was, “Really?”  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

Recently I visited with Jenks Hobson, a Virginia Theological Seminary classmate (Class of ‘73). As we were taking about the church in general, the recent House of Bishops’ Meeting in New Orleans and the loss of parishes in the Diocese of Virginia in particular, Jenks mentioned that he thought clergy were the DNA of congregations. Now, that phrase really hit a chord and has not been far from my thoughts over the past month. Then last week, as I read a letter to the editor in the Living Church (11/18/2007, p.15) titled “It’s Confusing,” various threads of thought seemed to coalesce. The letter’s author was confused because having been “accepted into ECUSA several years ago” and worshiping both in the United States and England, he believed that, “After all, the Archbishop of Canterbury was the head of our church.” He goes on to share that he’s being told that he belongs to the Episcopal Church, not ECUSA. I guess there’s some confusion in his understanding or at least what’s being communicated to him. In fact our Constitution and Canons reads “For the Government of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America otherwise known as The Episcopal Church.” But, that issue did not strike me as the author’s main concern which is the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury. He wrote, “ I’m wondering what it means to be the head of this Communion if he [the Archbishop of Canterbury] has no authority.”  Read the rest of this entry » » » »

On a regular basis I have worshipers ask why some in the congregation make the ’sign of the cross’ during various parts of the Celebration of the Liturgy. The question is generally posed as they watch other worshipers make the sign of the cross and not necessarily in reaction to the actions of the Celebrant.

Naturally, this gives me an opportunity to share the history and piety many find in making such an action a part of his or her liturgical practice and faith journey. The tracing of the sign of the cross is one of the most ancient and universal customs within Christendom dating back to the time of Tertullian (c.160-c.255). Christian writers of that age testify to the use of the ‘sign of the Lord.’ From early times the sign was also employed in Baptism and Confirmation, and its use was then extended to the liturgical blessing of persons and things.  Read the rest of this entry » » » »