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On February 28th thePrayer Book Society ofCanada, as a member of theAnglican Essentials coalition,co-sponsored a televisedconference that was broadcastlive to 21 venues includingchurches, universities, andhotels across the country. Thisunprecedented event alerted usto the current dangers to ourChurch, and called Anglicansto take action in the daysleading up to our nationalGeneral Synod starting May28th. For those who were ableto participate it was a day ofgreat encouragement.

The conference was four

well crafted hours: the first andfourth hours were broadcastonly to those at Conferencesites, the middle two werebroadcast on nationaltelevision. It was a creative wayto reach many Anglicans wholive in dioceses which will soonbe riven by the same schismaticinnovations which have tornthe diocese of NewWestminster apart.

The whole four hours ofconference will be available aspart of a DVD set to be readyby late April or early May1.These DVDs will bedistributed with an interactiveCD-ROM to assist parishesand individual groups toeducate themselves about thecoming Synod and its pivotalimplications for the CanadianChurch.

The first hour of thebroadcast posed the question:‘What has happened?’ TheRev’d David Short, Rector ofSt. John’s Shaughnessy, gave abrief overview of the problemsfacing the AnglicanCommunion and the eventsleading up to the NewWestminster synod of 2002,when members of 8 parishes inthat diocese left the floor ofsynod, causing a chain reactionof events within the wholeAnglican Communion. Histalk was measured, gracious,and without acrimony. He

described why the decision tobless same sex unions in thatdiocese is a ‘communionbreaking’ decision. Excellentquestions came from a studioaudience and through aninnovative telephone uplinkfrom national conference sites,and helped articulate the deepconcerns Anglicans have aboutthis ‘flash point’ issue facingour culture.

Then the nationaltelevision broadcast began,with a two hour sectionentitled ‘Finding our wayForward.’ Three Anglicanpriests presented lectures, eachcomplimenting the other. Thechoice of speakers and panelistsfor the day is an indication of agrowing interdependenceamong the different expressionsof orthodox Anglicans whichcome together in the Essentialscoalition.

• The Rev’d Dr. GaryThorne, Rector of St.George’s (the Round)Church in Halifax was thefirst lecturer. As well asbeing a scholar, Dr. Thornehas completed a tour ofduty as a military chaplainwith the United Nationson the Golan Heights. Heis also a member of thePrimate’s TheologicalCommission. His lecture,titled ‘Our Life Under the

NewsletterThe Prayer Book Society of Canada

I N S I D E

1For Such a Time asThis: Finding OurWay ForwardEssentialsTeleconferenceFebruary 28th

3Traditional BCPLectionary NowAvailable On-Line

5The Same-SexIssue beforeGeneral Synod:A Momentous Timefor the AnglicanChurch of Canada

61966 and 2002 or: Why I Walked in2002

9Book Review:Prayer Book anantidote to world runamok

10Something to ThinkAbout

1124th Annual AtlanticTheologicalConference

The Resurrection of Christ “Peace I leave with you; mypeace I give unto you”John 15. 27 – Continued on Page 2

For Such a Time as This: Finding Our Way ForwardEssentials Teleconference February 28th

Norah JohnstonVancouver

Eastertide 2004

Authority of Scripture,’ spoke aboutthe richness lying at the heart ofAnglicanism: the very old, tried andtrue system of reading HolyScripture by the discipline of theBCP Lectionary.

• The Rev’d Dr. George Sumner isPrincipal of Wycliffe College inToronto, and Helliwell Professor ofWorld Mission. Dr. Sumnerreceived his B.A. from Harvard, andhis M.Div. and Ph.D. from Yale.His main teaching and researchinterests are in Christology,Inculturation, and the Theology ofMissions. His lecture, ‘Our Life inRelation to the Historic Church,’ wasa brilliant look at Anglican history.He encouraged us to take our placewithin the history of Anglicanism,taking upon us the mantle ofresponsibility for the choices wemake regarding ‘the faith onceoffered.’

• The Rev’d Canon Bill Atwood[Episcopal Church USA] is theGeneral Secretary of Ekklesia, aninternational Anglican network ofindividuals, clergy, and dioceses,including almost 100 AnglicanBishops, all committed toproclaiming and maintaining thehistoric and Biblical Christian faith.Ekklesia also supports numerousinternational development projectsand missionaries. His lecture, ‘OurLife as Responsible Members of aWorldwide Communion,’ challengedus to realize that although many‘Western’ clerics and bishops labelthe faith of the Africans and Asiansas ‘superstitious’ and ‘backward’ wehave much to learn from them. Inthose cultures, lives enriched byprofound devotion are set in starkcontrast to daily realities of thecrushing burdens of health,economic and geopolitical problems2. Bishop Anthony Burton of

Saskatchewan and Lorna Dueck, awardwinning journalist, were the Moderatorsof the day. I found it encouraging to

have a Canadian bishop at the helm ofsuch a unique event. Praying Collectsand Prayers together with Anglicansacross the land, in real time, was trulylovely.

Why Essentials?

The founding strategy of the firstEssentials Conference, Montreal 1994,was to form an alliance of Anglicanswhose primary goal was renewal of theAnglican Church in Canada. The Rev’dDr. Robert Crouse hit the nail on thehead defining what might be needed toachieve such a thing:

Fundamental to any genuinerenewal of Christian life in ourchurch and in ourselves must be arenewal in the essential Christianvirtues of faith, hope and charity…whereby our souls are conformedto the life of God the Holy Trinity.These virtues are gifts of God byhis Word and Holy Spirit for oursalvation, and they are nurtured inour lives by our exercising of them. Fr. Crouse, an address to Essentials 94 Conference

This is a call to holiness by therigour of exercising those disciplinesleading to growth in the Christian walk.It is this holiness and discipline that willbe our defence against discouragement.Ten years after this Conference theCanadian Church seems poised on theedge of a cliff. Yet the Church has seendarker times than this and so we mustgo about the business of being thechurch; accepting the weight of thechallenge of this time.

General Synod 2004

Our Committee of General Synod(CoGS) has the responsibility topropose motions for debate at GeneralSynod. CoGS is a committee of Synodmade up of Bishops, Priests and lay-people. CoGS has proposed debate on amotion to bless same sex unions at thediscretion of individual Bishops, a so-called ‘local option’. The week CoGSannounced this intention the LondonTelegraph reported:

…Although illicit gay blessings arewidespread in the AnglicanChurch, such a vote would be seenas the first clear endorsement of thepractice by an entire province [i.e.country]. It would represent a freshblow to the authority of theArchbishop of Canterbury, DrRowan Williams…

The fact is that the power structureof the Canadian and American parts ofAnglicanism is poised at the edge ofbreaking communion with the vastmajority of the world’s Anglicans. Lastyear, in attempt to head off schism, theArchbishop of Canterbury, RowanWilliams, established The LambethCommission3 which will report to theinternational Primates in September ofthis year. Nonetheless, CoGS has madethe decision to debate gay blessings inMay.

This decision has accelerated theeffect of tension in the Church. And sonow we need to alert people to thedangers we face, willing nevertheless towork with hope at building a strategytoward finding our way forward.Indeed, one of the purposes of the daywas, as Bishop Burton said in thebroadcast, ‘To ignite a holy hope.’

What ought we to do?

How will orthodox Anglicansknow when the time is right to actdecisively? How do we know when wemust instead sit back, listen and bepatient, resisting the urge to act withundue haste?

My father tried to teach me when Iwas a teenager that it is important towrestle with this question. On the onehand he would say, ‘It is vanity tobelieve that you are indispensable andthat your presence is necessary at thisparty. There will be other parties; thisone will go on with out you.’ The otherhalf of the lesson: ‘You must be braveand speak your position, because if youdon’t nobody else will. You might feelinadequate to the task but you musttake responsibility even though doing so

2 Visit our web site: www.prayerbook.ca

Eastertide 2004 The Prayer Book Society of Canada Newsletter

For Such a Time as This…– Continued from Page 1

– Continued on Page 8

3Visit our web site: www.prayerbook.ca

The Prayer Book Society of Canada Newsletter Eastertide 2004

A new website called Lectionary Centralhas been created to provide resources forpreachers and interested lay people onthe traditional Eucharistic Lectionary.What is the Eucharistic lectionary? It isthat series of Collects, Epistles andGospels set forth in the Book ofCommon Prayer for use on Sundays andholy days (see pages 94 to 330 of theCanadian BCP). It is called “thetraditional lectionary” of the WesternChurch because the choice of thesereadings is believed to have remainedlargely intact since the 5th century.

Professor Robert Crouse expresses wellthe heart of the traditional lectionary:

“In the cycle of the Christian Year, inthe ancient lectionary...which hasserved the Church for well over amillennium...the essential message ofHoly Scripture, God’s word to us, isset before us in an orderly andsupremely logical way. As we followthe lessons appointed for the Sundaysand the great festivals, as we meditateupon them, as we open our mindsand hearts to understand the patternand meaning of them, we are led, stepby step, into an ever deeper andclearer perception of Christian truthand the essentials of Christian life.”

The traditional lectionary is astheologically and spiritually vital as itever was and the Lectionary Centralwebsite is meant to help in the recoveryof this gift to the Church. The website

has the broader goal of helping theChurch in the recovery of its memory -that we might “have power tocomprehend with all the saints, thebreadth and length and height anddepth, and to know the love of Christ”.Seminary graduates often have littleexposure to reading the Scripturesthrough the eyes of our forebears andmay have a limited library. Through thewebsite they can have immediate accessto our wide theological tradition and canshare the riches with their parishioners.Those involved in making Sundaybulletins will find short commentariesand links to images on the website toenhance the teaching opportunities thatbulletins provide.

Go the main page of the website:www.episcopalian.org/austin/lectionary/index.html. Each Sunday of the Churchyear is listed in a column on the righthand side. Click on any Sunday and youwill be linked to a page with the Collect,Epistle and Gospel, Introit and GradualPsalms (added in our 1962 BCP), and inthe right hand column, links tocommentary or sermons on the readingsfrom Early Church Fathers, Reformers,Anglican Caroline Divines, EvangelicalRevival, Oxford Movement andcontemporary sources. The website iscontinually being built up with additions.

The Rev’d David Phillips The Rev'd David Phillips is currentlyon a leave of absence from theDiocese of Saskatchewan.

Traditional BCP Lectionary Now Available On-Line Website contains all BCP Collects, Epistles, andGospels, plus valuable background information forpreachers and laypeople

The Great Humility of Our Lord JesusChrist“He was taken from prison and fromjudgement; With his stripes we are healed”Isaiah 53. 5; 8

Late 18th Century Arab Icon by MikhailPolychronis,Monastery of Saydnaya, Syria



We at the PBSC wish all our members and friends a truly blessed Eastertide.

Christ Enthroned in Gloryas Creator of All ThingsSurrounded by Scenes ofthe Passion

Lebanese Icon, 1783, by Fr.SemaanBasilian Order of the HolySaviour, Lebanon

“God, who at sundry timesand in divers manners spakein times past unto the fathersby the prophets, hath in theselast days spoken unto us byhis Son, whom he hathappointed heir of all things,by whom also he made theworlds; who being thebrightness of his glory, andthe express image of hisperson, and upholding allthings by the word of hispower, when he had byhimself purged our sins, satdown on the right hand ofthe Majesty on high; beingmade so much better than theangels, as he hath byinheritance obtained a moreexcellent name than they.” The Epistle to the Hebrews, 1.1-4.

This icon reminds us that it isonly through the Passion andSuffering of Christ upon theCross that our salvation hasbeen won.

Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man camedeath, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shallall be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15. 20.Easter Anthems, Book of Common Prayer p. 182.



Against the pleas of the Archbishop ofCanterbury and the InternationalPrimates of the Anglican Communion,and against the advice of its ownconsultants, a motion is being placedbefore the upcoming General Synod ofthe Anglican Church of Canada, whichis set to meet in St Catharines, Ontarioat the end of May. The motion wouldpermit bishops and dioceses to allowsame-sex blessings. That such amotion is being tabled at its GeneralSynod is a benchmark of how far theAnglican Church of Canada hasdrifted from its Scriptural and Catholicmoorings.

The motion must be defeated. Here’s why: • It repudiates the authority of

Scripture• It repudiates the classic Anglican

understanding of the role ofAnglicanism within the universalCatholic Church

• It will fracture the unity of theAnglican Communion worldwide,and the unity of the AnglicanChurch of Canada here at home.

The motion before General Synod isbreathtaking in its contempt for boththe traditional understanding of theauthority of Scripture, and for anyconcept of the Catholicity of theAnglican Church. It is in directcontradiction to the Statement of the1998 Lambeth Conference on issues ofhuman sexuality, and hurls defiance inthe face of the International Primates ofthe Anglican Communion, who met inLambeth in October 2003, and made adirect appeal to Anglicans worldwide

not to move in this direction. It breaksthe Guidelines of the House of Bishopsof our own Church.

The notion that the Anglican Churchof Canada, or a single diocese within

the Anglican Church of Canada, hasthe authority to repudiate traditionalChristian moral teaching and blesssame-sex unions is contrary to anyhistoric understanding of Anglicanism.It violates two foundational anddistinguishing characteristics ofAnglicanism: the understanding thatthe Anglican Church stands under theauthority of Scripture, and that theAnglican Church forms but one partof the universal Catholic Church (cfArticles VI, XIX, XX, XXI, as well asthe founding document of theAnglican Church of Canada, theSolemn Declaration of 1893). Simplyput, the Anglican Church of Canadadoes not have the authority to remakeChristian moral teaching (still less oneof its dioceses). The Archbishop ofCanterbury and the internationalPrimates of the Anglican Communionhave made this clear.

In addition, passage of this motionwould seriously compromiseecumenical relationships with our sisterchurches: the Roman CatholicChurch, and the Orthodox Churcheshave made this quite clear. Forinstance, the Roman Catholic Churchhas suspended all conversations with

ARCIC (the joint Anglican-RomanCatholic consultative bodyinvestigating commonalities betweenour two churches), the OrthodoxChurch in Russia and half a dozenother Orthodox bodies have suspendedall relations with the Episcopal Churchin the USA, which voted to permitsame sex blessings last year. Withinour own Communion, over twenty ofthe thirty eight Anglican provinceshave declared themselves in a state ofbroken or impaired communion withthe Episcopal Church; and we canexpect them to do the same withregard to the Anglican Church ofCanada, if this motion is passed.

The effect of this motion, if passed,

would be to make the AnglicanChurch of Canada into some sectarian,congregational body with no commonunderstanding of what constitutes theChristian faith, where individualdioceses are responsible to no authoritybut themselves. Nothing further fromthe concept of the Anglican Church asenvisaged by the Reformers, or held byAnglicans down the centuries, can beimagined. It is simply a sell-out ofeverything that has ever distinguishedAnglicanism.

Oaths sworn before God andthe Congregation

Whether they were ordained using theBCP, or the BAS, all priests of our

Editorial: The Same-Sex Issue before General Synod: A Momentous Time for the Anglican Church of Canada

“The motion before General Synodis breathtaking in its contempt forboth the…authority of Scripture,

and for any concept of theCatholicity of the Anglican Church.”

“...all priests of our church swore asolemn oath before God and the

congregation at their ordination tobe loyal to the doctrine, discipline

and worship of Christ as thisChurch has received it...let us pray

that our clergy and bishops willremember their solemn oaths before

they vote at General Synod.”

“...[this motion] hurlsdefiance in the face of the

International Primates of theAnglican Communion, whomet in Lambeth in October

2003, and made a directappeal to Anglicans worldwide

not to move in thisdirection.”




In 1966, in Britain, when evangelicalleader Martyn Lloyd Jones called onAnglican evangelicals to leave theChurch of England, I with John Stottand others stayed put and maintainedpublically that this was not the way togo. But 36 years later, in 2002, I wasone of the 80-odd who walked out ofthe Synod of the Canadian Diocese ofNew Westminster, declaring communionwith the Bishop and Synod broken. Ihave been asked: what had changed?Have my principles shifted over time, orwere the two situations significantlydifferent? I here respond to thesequestions.

In June 2002, New Westminster Synodpassed by a 62.5% majority a motionrequesting Bishop Michael Ingham to doas he said he wished to do and start theblessing of same-sex unions on request.We who walked out when the Bishop saidhe was going ahead formed ourselves intothe Anglican Communion in NewWestminster (ACiNW), choosing thename to show that we had not left thediocese but the diocese had left us. Wehave not withdrawn from the AnglicanChurch of Canada, nor from the AnglicanCommunion nor from the diocese as such(though as of now we send our diocesanapportionment to other destinations); weare simply protesting with all our power adecision that officially disrupts thefellowship in the gospel that gives theAnglican Church its public identity, theidentity of commitment to biblical faithand biblical holiness.

Because of this decision, we foundourselves compelled by conscience tosuspend communion with the Bishopand the Synod, and to ask for alternativeepiscopal oversight, for our diocesan,having committed himself to act out anegation of the gospel, should now inour estimate be brought under discipline.

In a spelling out and living out of theNew Testament gospel of our Lord JesusChrist there can be no compromise, norcan an explicit denial of any part of thatgospel be treated as a small thing.

In 1966 there were bishops in theChurch of England who seemed to bebelieving and behaving badly, as weresome clergy also. But the views of thesedeviant office holders had no officialstatus, and when it was insinuated thatwe who were officially in communionwith them were guilty by association ofall their errors we could not agree. Ourreasoning was that we were adhering toAnglican doctrine as officially defined inthe Articles and delineated liturgically inthe Prayer Book, and these documentswere unchanged. We could speak freelyagainst the individual errors, as Paulspoke freely against the Galatian andColossian and Corinthian errors, and likePaul, we could not be held guilty of whatwe denounced. So with full integrity wecould identify ourselves as Anglicanconstitutionalists and make clear that wewere working and praying for full-scalespiritual revival. Meanwhile, in the time-tested Anglican way, we looked to thediscipline of public debate to discredit theerrors of deviants, and re-establishtheological truth and pastoral wisdom ineveryone’s mind.

In 2002, however, a single diocese,cutting loose from the solidarity of

biblical, Canadian Episcopal, andworldwide Anglican consensus againsthomosexual behaviour, treated itself ascompetent to legitimize andconstitutionalize the gay lifestyle as anacceptable mode of Christiandiscipleship. Two questions arose. First,how dare any part of God’s church askGod to bless what he has declared thathe forbids? Second, with whatcredibility could anyone in the dioceses,having accepted this constitutionalizingof the gay way, then protest that itignores the Bible, negates the gospel, andparts company with authenticAnglicanism? The Bishop’s acceptance ofthe Synod’s notion put all in the diocesewho were not prepared to give upfighting the issue into an irretrievablyfalse position.

In ECUSA the same question arosewhen a practicing homosexual who hadleft wife and children became Bishop ofNew Hampshire. Should Canada’sGeneral Synod legislate permissiveblessing of same-sex union, the samequestion would arise in every Canadiandiocese.

Theological, pastoral and constitutionalmissteps of secondary importance canordinarily be accepted under protest.That, for instance, is how many withwhom I sympathize accept the ordinationof presbyters and bishops. But when aprimary Christian doctrine that is part ofthe gospel is negated, integrity calls fordirect non-acceptance, which thesuspending of communion expresses. Inthis case, what is being negated is Paul’sassurance to the Corinthians that thosewho do not set themselves againsthomosexual activity behaviour in theirown lives – who do not, in other words,repent with regard to it, and labour toleave it behind – will not inherit the

1966 and 2002or: Why I Walked in 2002The Rev’d Dr. J. I Packer


“In a spelling out and livingout of the New Testamentgospel of our Lord JesusChrist there can be no

compromise, nor can anexplicit denial of any part of

that gospel be treated as asmall thing.”



kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6: 9-10). Sopeople like me in New Westminsterdiocese must show that we take Paulseriously, and find for ourselves anuncompromised place to stand, a positionfrom which we can with integrity reachout pastorally to practising gays on thesame terms as Paul did. If we suffer loss inthe process, well, so be it; faithfulness, weknow, sometimes involves that. This isthe course that the ACiNW has sought tofollow, and it has been heartening to findthat most of the Anglican Communionthinks we did the right thing.

I am, if I know myself at all, first andforemost a Reformed Evangelical, centredupon the majesty of God, the authority ofScripture, the glory of the cross, the needfor conversion and the priority of mission.To my own way of thinking, this makesme a catholic Christian, and what I longfor most is the unity of all Christianseverywhere in those truths and in the love,praise, evangelistic zeal and culturalendeavour which they can generate, allbathed in evangelical passion. This wouldbe life in the Lord at its best, and a trueforetaste of heaven. But now, within thislarger frame, I am a convictional Anglicanwho sees supreme worth in themainstream Anglican heritage of theology,worship, and moral guidance, and I seekunity and renewal in the truth of thegospel within an Anglican frame. In1966 this led me to refuse the appearanceof lapsing into sectarianism; in 2002 it ledme to refuse an apparent lapse into lethalerror that sanctifies sin and negates thegospel. Circumstances alter cases. Thefixed point is the goal of unity in, and lifethrough, the truth of the gospel and thegrace of the Father, the Son, and the HolySpirit. May God hold all of us to this.

The Rev'd Dr. J. I. Packer is Professor ofSystematic Theology at Regent's College,Vancouver and Vice Chairman of the PBSC. Asone of the most widely published Christianauthors in the English language, he is the authorof numerous books including Knowing God andGod Has Spoken.

Duccio (1255-1318), The Betrayal in the Garden of GethsemaneFrom the MaestáMuseo dell’Opera Metropolitana, Siena

‘But Jesus said unto him, “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?”Luke 22. 48

1966 and 2002…– Continued from Page 6

church swore a solemn oath beforeGod and the congregation at theirordination to be loyal to the doctrine,discipline and worship of Christ as thisChurch has received it. In the Book ofCommon Prayer (which remains theofficial standard of doctrine andteaching of the Anglican Church ofCanada), bishops at their consecrationsolemnly swear to drive away allerroneous doctrine. In the BAS,bishops at their consecration solemnlyswear to “guard the faith, unity anddiscipline of the Church.”

The International Anglican Primateswarn that this passage of this motionwill strike at the very heart of the faith,the unity, and the discipline of theAnglican Communion, in their words“tear the fabric of our Communion atits deepest level.” Let us pray that ourclergy and bishops will remember theirsolemn oaths before they vote atGeneral Synod.

Not the Time to be Discouraged

Many in our Church are discouragedthat things could ever have come tosuch a pass. However, this is not thetime to be discouraged, or disunited.The PBSC, along with our partners inthe Essentials Movement, will bemounting a presence at the GeneralSynod. We will be doing our utmost toensure that synod delegates understandexactly what is at stake. Should thismotion pass, that will be the time for usto re-evaluate how we can best live andworship as Anglicans faithful to theScriptures, faithful to historicAnglicanism, and faithful to world-wideAnglicanism beyond our borders. Inthe meantime, it’s the time for all thosefor whom the authority of Scripture,the Catholicity of the Anglican Church,and the unity of our Communion arenot negotiable, to stand together, worktogether, and pray together.

Desmond ScotchmerDesmond Scotchmer is Editor of theNational Newsletter of the Prayer BookSociety of Canada, President of theToronto Branch, PBSC, and formerNational President of the PBSC.

The Same-Sex Issue …– Continued from Page 5



could make you unpopular.’The teleconference took its name,

‘For Such at Time as this,’ from TheBook of Esther in the Old Testament.This Book tells the story of this humandilemma: what to do at ‘this’ moment.It tells how our willingness to serve Godwith action at particular times can havean effect on the outcome of complexproblems. By their faithfulness Estherand Mordechai saved their people, whowere living in captivity, from a suredeath.

The mission statement of theEssentials movement articulates withclarity the hope that Essentials is ‘…tobe the theological and spiritual rallyingpoint for historic Christian orthodoxyin the Anglican Church of Canada. Ourmission is to call the Anglican Churchof Canada to embrace and live by itsorthodox Christian heritage under therenewing guidance of the Holy Spirit.’Canadians, and Canadian Anglicans inparticular, can sometimes becomplacent. Now is a time to resist thaturge and to rise to the challenge setbefore us as orthodox Anglicans.

A sermon for the third Sunday inLent by Fr. Crouse calls us to submitourselves to God’s scrutiny. The price ofliberation is dear but this is the way tofind our way through complicated anddifficult times.

‘The price of liberation’…Today’s Gospel tells us that it is

the ‘finger of God,’ the Word of God,that casts out our sins, and nextSunday’s Gospel tells us that it is thesame Word of God, the ‘bread ofheaven,’ (John 6.41) which fills ourempty souls with virtue.

Sin is what the Word of Godforbids. Virtue is not what we happento find pleasant, or nice, or pretty.Virtue is what the Word of Goddemands. Our liberation lies in ourhumble obedience to that Word.

We need the grace of humility tosee that our likes and dislikes are notthe standard of good and evil. Nor is

For Such a Time as This…– Continued from Page 2

human calculation any final standard. Itis the “finger of God,” it is the Word ofGod that casts out the devils andliberates the soul. Therefore, Christianlife must be life lived in attentiveobedience to that word….

In the world of practical affairs,moral problems are not simple, notblack and white, but a thousanddifferent shades of gray; and how do Iknow what the Word of God says aboutthis or that particular situation?”

Well, certainly, I dare not pretendthat it is easy. I do not find it so, and Idon’t suppose that you do, either. But atthe same time, we do know somethingof what the Word of God demands ofus. Let’s start with the little bit that wedo know, and let’s not make thecomplexities of our problems an excusefor doing nothing. Let’s start with thelittle that we do know, in humility andobedience, and trust God for the rest.

Fr. Robert CrouseSermon for the third Sunday in Lent

Norah Johnston is Chairman of theVancouver Branch of the PBSC. Sheis married to a G.P., Will Johnston,has two children, and is an artistwhen not devoting her time to theAnglican Church.

1 I commend them to you. Theteleconference was well done and the DVDsmight be used as a jumping off point fordiscussion. The hope is that they willpromote more awareness of how perplexingis the situation in which we now findourselves.

2 After meeting many of the African andAsian Primates one is humbled by the depthof their faith. I get angry at thecondescending tone of many of the Westerncritics who seem genuinely perplexed thatAfrican Clerics, ‘one stage removed fromanimism,’ would dare presume to cast doubton doctrinal revisions now threatening theunity of the Church.

3 also known as the Eames Commission afterArchbishop Eames of Ireland who isoverseeing it.

For Such a Time as This:Finding Our Way ForwardDVDs of the entire conference, plusan interactive CD-ROM: withquestions designed to help parishes,home discussion groups or biblestudies to hold discussions on ourcurrent Canadian problems.The cost will likely be $25,including shipping and should beready to ship in a few weeks

Contact the Essentials office at 1- 866-883-7328 (toll free)

or e mail: [email protected]

For Such a Time as This was supported totally from thepersonal donations of concernedAnglicans across Canada. You cansupport this conference through adonation made to EssentialsCanada, which is a registered charity.

Duccio, The Incredulity of St Thomas,From the Maestá,Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana,Siena‘Then he said to Thomas, “Reach hitherthy finger, and behold my hands; andreach hither thy hand, and thrust it intomy side, and be not faithless, butbelieving”. And Thomas answered and said untohim, “My Lord and my God.”’John 20. 27-8



DISCOVERING THE BOOK OFCOMMON PRAYER:A HANDS-ON APPROACHBy Sue Careless

TORONTO, ON: THE PRAYERBOOK SOCIETY OF CANADA, ABC PUBLISHING, 2003280 PAGES, PAPERBACK, CDN$19.95ISBN: 55126-398-X

REVIEWED BY GREG BAILEY

Those whose daily conversations withGod are completely spontaneous mightquestion the appearance of a book aboutwritten prayers. Nevertheless,Discovering the Book of Common Prayer:A Hands-on Approach is an unexpectedtreasure.

Sue Careless, a Canadian author andAnglican worshipper, explores thetraditional Anglican prayer book,treating it both as resource for prayer anda manual for spiritual understanding andgrowth. She has written a powerfulapologetic for classic Anglican devotionand belief that will serve as an antidoteto the church’s topsy-turvy world ofmodern political correctness

“If you’re looking for a richer daily prayerlife, if you’ve been away from theAnglican Church for a long time, oreven if you are new to it, this book waswritten for you”, she writes.

The Book of Common Prayer (1962Canadian Edition) is the official prayerbook of the Anglican Church ofCanada…The BCP is a pricelesspossession of the Anglican Church andhas endeared itself to generations ofdevout Christians throughout the world.Versions of the Book of Common Prayer

are used in over 50 countries, and havebeen translated into over 150 languages.In Canada alone, it is available in Frenchand Inuktituk, Gwich’in, Mohawk andCree, as well as in English.”

Discovering the Book of Common Prayerdoesn’t come across as a stuffy academicwork. Careless is far too conversationalin her writing for that. For the mostpart, the book is delightfully erudite,taking the reader on a guided tour of thisspiritual masterpiece, pausing ever sooften to point out some fascinating detailthat renders the picture entirelycomprehensible.

These include boxed or highlighted listsof arrow prayers of adoration, togetherwith some useful acronyms to helpprayer life. Sections on the Daily Office(the formal name for morning andevening prayer) explain not only thecontent but also the rationale for it.

Careless borrows freely from writers asdiverse as C.S. Lewis, Brother Lawrence,Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Philip Yancey, JohnStott, and Eugene Paterson to encouragethe reader.

Appendices include a brief guide to theessentials of grammar or phrases inPrayer Book English – essential foranyone unfamiliar with the language ofthe King James Bible or Shakespeare –plus a lexicon of several hundred entries.(Does Hosanna really mean “PraiseGod” in Aramaic?)

“Anglicans are not the only ones whopray using the words of the Book ofCommon Prayer. Over time, otherdenominations have lifted large chunksout of the BCP, from the marriage andburial rites, for example, and put theminto their own services. Traditional

Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterianprayer books have all borrowed from theBCP.”

In this highly readable book, SueCareless has given us an indispensableguide to Anglican prayer, spirituality andhistory: I highly recommend it.

Greg Bailey, currently serving in theAnglican Diocese of Toronto, was formerlythe national director of the Canadian BibleSociety.

Christian Week is Canada’s largestinterdenominational Christian newspaper

Book ReviewPrayer Book an antidote to world run amokReprinted from Christian Week March 2, 2004

Discovering the Book ofCommon Prayer

Nominated for Award

Discovering the Book of Common Prayer:A Hands-on Approach, the book written bySue Careless and sponsored by the PBSC, hasbeen placed on the short-list of finalists forthe 2004 Word Guild Award for Christianwriters, for the "Personal Growth" category.

The Word Guild awards prizes forbooks in 23 categories, ranging from"Personal Growth" and "Leadership" to"Historical Novel" and "Culture". Amongother authors on the short-list are Jean Vanier,of Trosly, France, founder of L’Arche andauthor of Finding Peace, Brian Stiller(President of Tyndale College and Seminaryin Toronto) for his book Jesus and Caesar(both nominated in the "Culture" category),and John Stackhouse, Professor at RegentCollege, Vancouver, for his book EvangelicalEcclessiology (in the "Leadership" category).

Winners will be announced on June 18,at Guelph, Ontario, during Write! Canada,the 20th Annual God Uses Ink ChristianWriters’ Conference. Congratulations, Sue!



We are truly fortunate in that ourparish, St Luke’s, Victoria, provides twoAnglican forms of service to itscongregation. The BCP (Book of CommonPrayer) and the BAS (Book of AlternateServices). This probably accounts for the sizeof its congregation and is certainly myreason for joining. As in most aspects oflife, we expect our separate wishes andbeliefs to be respected and our previouspriest was scrupulous in this regard.

However, we now have an interimpriest and on my last visit to the earlyCommunion Service he announced that wewould be following the Collect, bothReadings, the Psalm, the Gospel, the Prayerover the Gifts and the Prayer afterCommunion from the BAS insert. Thisinstead of what we’d come for, our usualservice from the Book of Common Prayer.We were given no option but to allowourselves to be thus forcibly manipulatedinto following a form of service we do notbelieve in.

This has happened to me before inother churches and is happening throughoutthe Anglican Communion. No one, myselfincluded, had the courage to stand up andsay firmly "No, Father. This is a BCPService and we’d like you to respect that.This is what we’re here for." Instead ofwhich I stood up and walked out. Onprevious occasions, instead of standing ourground I, along with other committedBCP’ers, have simply left and have keptright on walking.

Well, not this time. It just isn’t right.

From the very beginning, there wereindications where our interim priest’ssympathies lay. Things began to bechanged: for instance: the insertion of theword "PEOPLE" into the Book ofCommon Prayer where it is written "Hearalso what St. Paul saith: This is a true saying,and worthy of all MEN (not "PEOPLE") tobe received, that Christ Jesus came into theworld to save sinners." Likewise: "Almightyand everliving God, who by thy holyApostle hast taught us to make prayers andsupplications, and to give thanks, for all

MEN: …" Again, not "PEOPLE".

Those of us who adhere to the BCPare quite sufficiently well educated tounderstand that "MEN" is being usedgenerically and - the Women’s Libnotwithstanding - we are not so insecure asto need the corruption of the word"PEOPLE". Likewise we want, and expect,the Communion to be offered with theBCP text as written and not the BAS : "TheBody of Christ … The Blood of Christ."Those of us who care about these thingshave to understand that the Book ofCommon Prayer is constantly under attackand that its survival - and our right to use itfor our worship - needs defending.

In the Christmas Edition of thePRAYER BOOK SOCIETY OFCANADA NEWSLETTER the article"Voices From the Pew" by Billie Farmer wasdealing with the same subject. The articlerelates how, in her parish, it was also aninterim priest who started introducing BASinserts in an attempt to force the BCPcongregation into what he described as amore personal form of service.

Because this wasn’t nipped in the bud,it was only with a great deal of courage,effort and conflict, letters of complaint tothe Bishop and so forth that thecongregation was eventually able to winback their right to have their beliefs andtheir form of service respected … and weDO have that right!

There are quite enough schisms in theAnglican Church as it is and we don’t needto create any more. Just as we respect theBAS congregation’s right to their preferredform of worship - which they follow withNO interference from us - so should they,likewise, respect ours. Our convictions areno less valid and we are as entitled to holdonto them as they are. It is unequivocallywrong to try to force us to toss them asidefor whatever reason, and a priest, howeverwell-meaning, whether permanent orinterim and whatever his private agenda, issupposed to serve his congregation, not theother way around.

Something toThink AboutFrom our IntrepidCorrespondent withinNiagara Diocese

From the Diocese of Niagara, one of themost liberal in the Anglican Church ofCanada, comes news that St George’sReformed Episcopal Church haspurchased the buildings of St Margaret’sAnglican Church in the west of the cityof Hamilton, Ontario. The parish of StGeorge’s was closed down and divested ofits building a few years ago by the thenBishop of Niagara. The parish, however,refused to die, joined the ReformedEpiscopal Church, a ContinuingAnglican body, and began camping outin the basement of a Baptist Church onMain Street in downtown Hamilton.Offering only services from the Book ofCommon Prayer, St George’s beganattracting standing-room-only crowds.Over the years it built up a war chest,awaiting the time when a suitablebuilding might become available. Therecent slew of closings of parishes withinthe Niagara Diocese offered a goodchoice of buildings: as a result, StGeorge’s purchased the buildings of oldSt Margaret’s parish. The new premisesare promising, as they are nearMacMaster University: St George’sattracts many university students lookingfor something different and morechallenging than the bland fare served upin many other Anglican churches.

Summer Barbecue with Sue Careless

Sue Careless, author of Discoveringthe Book of Common Prayer will speak onJune 27, after Evening Prayer at 4:00pm,and before a summer barbecue at StJohn’s, Nassagaweya, as a guest of theNiagara North PBSC branch. St John’sChurch is in Campellville, on the GuelphLine, just north of Highway 401. Formore details, phone (905) 971-7863.

Voices From the PewDoreen Langmead



Response:The Rev’d Dr. Barry CraigAssistant Professor, Department ofPhilosophy,St. Thomas University, Fredericton, N.B.

“Distinguish in Order to Unite:Religious Persuasion and UniversalHumanity in the Age of Enlightenment”The Rev’d Dr. Thomas CurranSenior Fellow, University of King’s College,Halifax, N.S.Adjunct Professor, Dept. of German,Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S.

“Wanted: A Philosophical Foundationfor the Equality of Religions andCultures in Canada”Professor Floy E. Andrews DoullProfessor of Philosophy at MemorialUniversity of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Choral Eucharist (Feast of St. Peter andSt. Paul)Tuesday, June 29th 5:00 p.mSermon - The Venerable Patrick CurranChaplain of Christ Church, Vienna, andArchdeacon of the Eastern Archdeaconry in the Diocese ofEurope.

For details, phone (902) 368-8442, or e-mail [email protected], or write to St. Peter Publications, P.O. Box 713,Charlottetown, PEI, C1A 7L3, or visitthe website athttp://www.stpeter.org/conf.htm

Religious Toleration and Persecution inthe Roman Empire Dr. Paul EpsteinAssociate Professor of Classics,Oklahoma State University,Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Jews, Muslims, and Christians inMedieval EuropeThe Rev’d Dr. Robert CrouseProfessor Emeritus of Classics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S.,Canon Theologian of the Diocese ofSaskatchewan.

Papers:

“The Relationship of Jews and Greeks inthe Hellenistic World, and the Rise ofChristianity”The Rev’d Dr. Carsten Peter ThiedeProfessor of New Testament Times andHistory withPapyrology and Archaeology at STH Basel,Switzerland.

Response:The Venerable Patrick CurranChaplain of Christ Church, Vienna, andArchdeacon of theEastern Archdeaconry in the Diocese ofEurope.

Sunday evening, June 27th ~ Wednesday noon, June 30th, 2004Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Multiculturalismand Religious

Freedom

Sunday June 27th

Evensong 7:30 Christ ChurchCathedral, Fredericton, followed

by a Reception hosted by TheVery Rev’d Keith Joyce, Dean of

Fredericton,

OFFICERSNational ChairmanMr. Michael Edward, R.R.#1, Belfast P.O., Prince Edward Island, C0A 1A0

Episcopal VisitorThe Rt Rev’d Harold Nutter, Retired Archbishop of Canada

HonoraryChairman/PresidentThe Rev’d Dr. Robert Crouse, Professor Emeritus Dalhousie University

Past ChairmanMr. Ted Siemens

Vice ChairmenThe Rt Rev’d Anthony Burton,Bishop of Saskatchewan, 1308 5th Avenue East,Prince Albert, SaskatchewanS6V 2H7

The Rev’d David Curry, Anglican Rectory, 531 King St, P.O. Box 2661, Windsor, Nova Scotia B0N 2T0

The Rev’d Dr. James I. Packer, Regent College,5800 University Blvd, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 2E4

Correspondence SecretaryThe Rev’d Stephen Sharman, 374 River Road, St. Andrews, Manitoba R1A 2Y1

TreasurerDr. Edgar MacDonaldComlongon FarmBox 57 WinsloePrince Edward Island C1E 1Z2

Branch ContactsSt John’s Mr. Michael Donan (709) 753-5193

Conception Bay North Mrs. Marilyn Murrin (709) 786-6270

Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Mrs Marie Gibson (902) 835–8210

Moncton Mr. Peter Johnson (506) 857-8500

Fredericton Mr. Wilfred Alliston (506) 450-9584

FundyMr. William Holder (506) 648-0682

Gaspé CoastMr. Cyrus Journeau (418) 752-3609

Montréal Mr. Richard Lord (514) 938-5349

Ottawa Mrs. Joan Wilson (613) 749-5058

Quinte Dr. James Loudon (613) 966-7571

Port Hope-Cobourg Mr. Pat Bryan (905) 885-0518

TorontoDr. Diana Verseghy (905) 303-4490

Niagara NorthMr. Walter Raybould(905) 971-7863

St. Catharines-Niagara Mrs. Laura Dodson (905) 468-5202

Grand Valley Miss Billie Farmer (519) 583-0475

London Mrs. Suzie Dann (519) 473-2132

Lambton Miss Naomi Luth (519) 336-7874

North Bay Mrs. Dorothy Chabot (705) 472-1937

Manitoba The Rev’d John Stennet (204) 383-5327

Regina Cicely Pritchard (306) 586-9668

Saskatoon Dr. Jane Doig (306) 374–7208

Calgary Mrs. Colleen Chapman(403) 274-5944

Edmonton Mr. David Bertsch(780) 458-1194

Vancouver Mrs. Norah Johnston (604) 224-8986

Vancouver Island Dr. Pat Radcliffe (250) 758-5771

NATIONAL ADDRESSP.O. Box 380601430 Prince of Wales DriveOttawa, OntarioK2C 3Y7

PBSC Web sitewww.prayerbook.ca

Online ResourcesPBSC Critique of the new hymn bookwww.prayerbook.ca/newhymn1.htm

PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY OF CANADANEWSLETTER Editor Mr. Desmond Scotchmer, 40 Homewood Avenue, Apt. 401Toronto, Ontario M4Y 2K2email:[email protected]

Editorial CommitteeMr. Wilfred AllistonMrs. Laura DodsonMs. Nancy Gall Miss Naomi LuthThe Rev’d Dr. J. I. Packer Mrs. Carol SchiavettoMr. Richard Spalton

If you wish to join PBSC,please e-mail your nameand address [email protected] mail it to:The PrayerBook Society of Canada,Box 1435, Port Dover,Ontario. N0A 1N0.

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40042571

The Prayer Book Society of CanadaNational Officers and Branch Contacts

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