Welcoming the Baptized: Anglican Hospitality within the Ecumenical Enterprise 9781463219628

Citation preview

Welcoming the Baptized

Gorgias Liturgical Studies

34

This series is intended to provide a venue for studies about liturgies as well as books containing various liturgies. Making liturgical studies available to those who wish to learn more about their own worship and practice or about the traditions of other religious groups, this series includes works on service music, the daily offices, services for special occasions, and the sacraments.

Welcoming the Baptized

Anglican Hospitality within the Ecumenical Enterprise

Timothy Turner

l gorgias press 2009

Gorgias Press LLC, 180 Centennial Ave., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright © 2009 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. 2009

1

ISBN 978-1-60724-385-4

ISSN 1937-3252

Published first in the U.K. by Grove Books, 1996.

Printed in the LTnited States of America

CONTENTS CHAPTER

Preface

PACK

.

Introduction

.

.

. .

. .

. .

.

.

.

.

. .

.

1.

Critical Ecumenism and Baptism

2.

Belonging and Participation

3.

Joining: T h e Postbaptismal/Hierocratic Model .

4.

Confirmation, Membership, and Ministry

5

Occasions for Encouragement and Wariness

6,

Joining: T h e Baptismal/Community Model Appendix: Welcoming the Baptized

. .

. .

.

. .

.

.

.

.

5 7

.

. .

. 14

. .

.

.

16 . 22

.

.

.

.

.

28

.

. 33 . .

. .

. .

. .

.

42 . 45

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My thanks are due several friends and advisors for the guidance, questioning, and encouragement given me. Foremost is William Seth Adams, whose heart as a teacher has been truly obvious to me since completing, in 1991, a two-semester programme in Anglican studies at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. Others who offered critical review of various components during various stages include Louis Weil, Daniel B. Stevick, Ruth A. Meyers, Clayton L. Morris, and Kenneth Hannon. I am particularly appreciative to Bishop Edward W. Jones (Indianapolis) for providing me a copy of his respective unpublished manuscript that bears on my subject.

CONTENTS CHAPTER

Preface

PACK

.

Introduction

.

.

. .

. .

. .

.

.

.

.

. .

.

1.

Critical Ecumenism and Baptism

2.

Belonging and Participation

3.

Joining: T h e Postbaptismal/Hierocratic Model .

4.

Confirmation, Membership, and Ministry

5

Occasions for Encouragement and Wariness

6,

Joining: T h e Baptismal/Community Model Appendix: Welcoming the Baptized

. .

. .

.

. .

.

.

.

.

5 7

.

. .

. 14

. .

.

.

16 . 22

.

.

.

.

.

28

.

. 33 . .

. .

. .

. .

.

42 . 45

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My thanks are due several friends and advisors for the guidance, questioning, and encouragement given me. Foremost is William Seth Adams, whose heart as a teacher has been truly obvious to me since completing, in 1991, a two-semester programme in Anglican studies at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. Others who offered critical review of various components during various stages include Louis Weil, Daniel B. Stevick, Ruth A. Meyers, Clayton L. Morris, and Kenneth Hannon. I am particularly appreciative to Bishop Edward W. Jones (Indianapolis) for providing me a copy of his respective unpublished manuscript that bears on my subject.

Preface RESOLVED, the House of concurring, That appropriate standing commissions advise the 72nd General Convention [in 1997] on the role of the bishop (to be required, to be customary, or to be optional) in inquirer and membership ritesfor baptized persons wishing to join this Church and to propose such rites; That the said commissions be called on to advise the 72nd General Convention concerning the status and understanding of Confirmation and, more specifically, (1) the meaning of canonical equivalency to Confirmation and (2) the practices of using Confirmation as a rite of membership into this Church, a rite of lay ordination, and a rite signifying adolescent catechetical competency; and That said commissions propose to the 72nd General Convention Canons consistent with any proposed clarifications and rites in order that the latter may be readily implemented. —Resolution C-036' The bishops and deputies to the 71st General Convention of the Episcopal Church USA, held in Indianapolis, August-September 1994, were the primary audience of the original form of this Study. It was distributed under the title Welcoming the Baptized: Overcoming Obstacles to Growth in the Episcopal Church (in 1994). My hope was to foment discussion, albeit off-floor, regarding our inconsistent and muddled way of incorporating other Christians into Anglican fellowship. Being neither a bishop nor deputy, I nonetheless appended to the original work 28 proposed changes to ECUSA's Constitutions & Canons and Book of Occasional Services, on the off-chance that the said proposals would be advanced by sympathizers. Additionally, my diocese (West Texas) submitted the above resolution, which, in my mind, was to serve as a backup measure requiring that at least we acknowledge our problem. The response was encouraging, even though in the end no legislative action was initiated and the acknowledgment we sought was averted. My sense remains that there is a general dissatisfaction with the common practice of required episcopal ministry for incorporating baptized persons into Anglican fellowship. For several reasons, what was perhaps a low-level fever is increasing. One major cause on the American front is the 'Concordat of Agreement' which will be voted on in July 1997 by E C U S A and in August 1997 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Regardless of the outcome, in the process of dialogue many Episcopalians have made themselves ready to recognize immediately the apostolic ministry of ELCA clergy. Because such recognition seems to race ahead of and pull forward the more fundamental ecumenical issue, that is, the mutual recognition of members, therein is the question: When will Anglicans explicitly recognize the apostolicity of Lutherans, that is, the baptized laity? And if Lutherans, why not all Protestants? Take note that the perceived lack of full apostolicity in Protestant ministry has been the traditional reason for confirming, rather than receiving, candidates from Protestant traditions.

1

'Resolutions', Journal and Reports, Diocese of West Texas (1994): 89-90. For rcfcrcncc at the 71st General Convention (of the Episcopal Church USA) the resolution was registered as 'C-036'. It was dispatched to the Standing Liturgical Commission by a pre-Convention committee, that is, without the force of the whole body.

Preface

5

The original subtitle was meant to appeal to a declining American denomination in legislative session. The revised subtitle Anglican Hospitality within the Ecumenical Enterprise has a twofold meaning: one, to honour the ecumenical context of contemporary theology; and, two, to underscore the greater issue of graciousness among the baptized. Where the language of obstructed growth may bruise, the language of hospitality will soothe. In extending the discussion to the whole of the Anglican Communion I judged it expeditious to retain the original contextualization of the topic, which is ECUSA's 1979 Prayer Book revision and recent legislative history. I hope that my measure of documentation and commentary may not be tiresome. My perspective is, after all, my perspective and I trust Anglicans elsewhere to find relevant parallels.

6

Welcoming the Baptized

Introduction This Conference, recognizing that evangelism is the primary task given to the Church, asks each Province and diocese of the Anglican Communion... to make the closing years of this millennium a 'Decade of Evangelism' with a renewed and united emphasis on making Christ known to the people of his world. —Lambeth 1988' As soon as a Baptized Person is Confirmed, the name should be removed from this Record of Baptized Persons. . . . The name of this person will also automatically he added to the list of Communicants —Parish Register 2 T h e phrase 'to join the church' holds several possible meanings. In its most fundamental sense, it means becoming a disciple of Christ and a member of the one, universal Christian Church. Within a denominational context, which, sadly, is a necessary concretization of the primary meaning, the phrase means participating in the doctrine, discipline, and worship of a particular faith tradition. On an experiential level, we simply think of someone integrating into the life of a particular congregation. Ecclesiological, pastoral, and canonical issues intermingle within the scope of these meanings. My focus is on the manner by which those baptized within other Christian traditions become candidates for membership in the Anglican Communion and are subsequently incorporated into our fellowship. My interest in this topic is related in part to the clarion-call of Lambeth 1988 that we undertake a decade of evangelism. Evangelism, of course, is an activity rooted in the very nature of the Church and can only be time-bound as a strategy for overcoming laxity. In concise terms, evangelism is the sharing of our relationship with God, who creates, redeems, and sanctifies. To the degree that we are effective collaborators with God's grace, we may anticipate growth in our numbers. This is not to claim a mechanistic relationship between evangelism and church growth, for bearing witness to God's Word is our charge, while the act of faith comes from within the hearer. Evangelization is most properly understood when used to describe kerygmatic ministry to non-Christians and unchurched Christians. Consequently, lest we accept that Anglicans of mature faith be considered 'evangelized' or 'converted' upon incorporation into another Christian fellowship, we must admit that enrolling Protestants or Roman Catholics of mature faith into our fellowship has more to do with our receptivity and their particularity than it does with evangelism. O B J E C T I V E 1: S T A N D A R D P R O C E D U R E S : H O S P I T A B L E AND

ECUMENICAL

My fundamental objective is to envision procedures which are standard throughout our communion and which are responsive to the process of integrating baptized persons into our fellowship. T h i s issue has become plain to me inasmuch as we incorporate such persons very awkwardly. I mean this in both a theological and social sense. At the centre of our undue manner is the longstanding practice of holding their candidacy for membership in abeyance until such time as they are received or confirmed on the occasion of an episcopal

The Lambeth Conference 1988, Tbe Truth Shall Make You Free (Church House Publishing, London, 1988), 231 (Resolution43). 2 'Baptized Persons',Parish Register (Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, PA, n.d.) 1

Introduction

7

visit to what will become their home congregation. Candidates already confirmed 'by a bishop in apostolic succession are received without the imposition of hands, while all others are confirmed. This common Anglican practice has a history of only 200 to 300 years, long enough, one would think, to accrue documentary support, which it has not. It never has been specified in the American Book of Common Prayer1 or ECUSA's Constitution i f Canons.2 Marion J. Hatchett reports that in the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century, rites were devised in the Church of England to admit 'Protestants' and 'converted Papists" These rites coincided with the first recognition and toleration of other denominations in England. One such rite is documented in Edward C. Cardwell's Synodalia.'1 The 1714 liturgy is titled A form for admitting converts from the church of Rome and such as shall renounce their errors and is quite penitential, as the title indicates. The officiant is the bishop or 'some priest appointed by him' and the candidate is referred to as 'the penitent'. After a stiff interrogation, appropriate both to those from 'the separation' and 'the present Romish church', the officiant declares absolution and takes the newly admitted by the right hand. Those not confirmed are enjoined 'to be so the next opportunity, and receive the holy sacrament of the Lord's supper'. Admitting rites that apply equally to Protestants and Roman Catholics were discontinued, perhaps in the mid-eighteenth century, in favour of confirmation. But confirmation was thought appropriate only to those not previously confirmed, hence a distinction was introduced. Contemporaneous and subsequent documentation explaining this distinction is quite elusive, leaving us to conclude that an Anglican custom has been established without the trademark of churchwide discussion and debate. In a 1990 address to the Anglican/Episcopal caucus of the North American Academy of Liturgy, Daniel B. Stevick noted this dearth of documentation in sources he would expect to be at least somewhat informative on the issue.' In his published 1994 revision, Stevick cites three references." The earliest is an American House of Bishops statement in 1937, which established: 'Persons who have received confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church . . ., and the Reformed Episcopal Church may properly be received into the communion of the Episcopal Church without any additional laying on of hands'. 7 The statement maintained the distinction between

Book of Common Prayer (The Church Hymnal Corporation, New York, 1979). Hereafter cited parenthetically by APB. 1 Constitution & Canons (1994). Hereafter cited parenthetically by article or canon. 'Marion J. Hatchett, Commentary on the American Prayer Book (Harper and Row, New York, 1980), 272. 4 Edward C. Cardwcll,ijyM«/tf/